Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine was left out of the ESPN top 100 NBA players list, and it is worth wondering whether or not that should have happened.
The Sacramento Kings had a tough season in 2025 as they finished with an overall record of 22-60, however, several players on the roster did have solid performances, including guard Zach LaVine.
Speaking of LaVine, ESPN recently released its ranking of the top 100 players in the NBA heading into 2026, and LaVine was not included, however, his teammate, center Domantas Sabonis, was included and came in at No. 58.
For LaVine not to be included on this list is very interesting, mainly because the ranking does not have to do with health, contract, or any other factor. It simply involves what these players are on the floor for, which was the point brought up by Jason Ross and Carmichael Dave on Sactown Sports 1140.
When it comes to LaVine as a player, he has been solid throughout his NBA career and despite only playing 39 games last year, LaVine once again proved he has the ability to be productive, especially on the offensive end.
In 2025, LaVine averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Focusing on LaVine's scoring, he showcased the ability to be efficient, as he shot 47.9 percent from the field, 39 percent from three, and 88 percent from the free-throw line.
Looking at those stats, and the efficiency in particular, LaVine showed he is a reliable scorer and, in fact, does not rely on volume to do so, but can take advantage of his opportunities to be an efficient scorer.
Something LaVine also does very well is handle the ball and create opportunities for himself, meaning that he is not relying on the offensive structure to get him scoring opportunities, but can instead generate his own offense and can create for others.
When it comes to the defensive end, LaVine is not as effective and at times does struggle, but his offensive capability is something that can make up for that and has still enabled him to be a solid starter in the NBA.
With LaVine being left off the list, it appears that ESPN may not believe that he has the ability to keep up with other scorers in the league, even though he had a quite efficient season last year and actually led the Kings in scoring.
Heading into 2026, LaVine has the ability to prove ESPN wrong for leaving him off the list by staying healthy and continuing to be efficient, which could potentially allow him to get back over 20 points per game and may help him to be a top scorer for the Kings once again.
