4 Washington Wizards that could be on next year’s SI Top 100 list
By Ethan Smith
Rui Hachimura
It would take a lot for Rui Hachimura to be considered a Top 100 player in the NBA after just his rookie season. Of the players ranked 11 through 100, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks was one of only two rookies to be placed on the list. He came in at 62. Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), who beat Young for the 2019 Rookie of the Year, was quite a bit higher. He came in at 30.
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Assuming that Sports Illustrated doesn’t have an incredibly high opinion of Zion Williamson and doesn’t expect him to enter the league as a top 10 player, it’s safe to say no rookies will be listed on SI’s top 100. If Hachimura wants to elevate his status to top 100 level after just one NBA season, he’ll almost certainly need to have a Rookie of the Year-esque debut season. Even that might not be enough, though. Deandre Ayton, who looked great with the Phoenix Suns during his rookie campaign last season, was noticeably left off of this list.