Wizards Left Off ESPN Top 100 List

Did the Washington Wizards get disrespected?

Apr 8, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

We’ve reached a point in the season where players are judged on the production they handed in last year, and what they’ll likely produce in the coming months. 

ESPN’s top 100 ranking always draws eyeballs. Fans, media members, and of course, the players themselves. They all want to know. 

The top of the food chain wasn’t entirely surprising. Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP, took home the number one spot. Right behind him was the reigning regular season and Finals MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Rounding out the top five were Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Victor Wembanyama. 

In no way, shape, or form were we expecting to see a Washington Wizard in the top 10, 25, or maybe even the top 50. But as we scoured the bottom of said list, we noticed that not a single Wizard player made the cut. 

Washington has put some bad teams out there for the last few years, but no one in the top 100? That feels like a slap in the face. The bottom of that list had the likes of Payton Prichard at No. 97, Nickeil Alexander-Walker at No. 96, P.J. Washington at No. 95, Mitchell Robinson at No. 92, Zach Edey at No. 88, and Andrew Nembhard at No. 81. 

Mar 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) works around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) in the third quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

In no way are we taking shots, but there's a small handful of Washington players who deserve a spot amongst those aforementioned names, if not higher, mainly CJ McCollum and Alex Sarr. 

CJ McCollum 2024-25 stats

21.1 PPG, 4.1 APG, 3.8 RPG, 44.4 FG%

Alex Sarr 2024-25 stats

13.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 BPG

Sarr, after a terrific rookie year, finished in fourth place for Rookie of the Year. As for McCollum, the disrespect is out of hand for the All-Star caliber guard. 

Just last season, he came in at No. 84 on ESPN's list. The year prior, he registered at No. 44. Simply put, what they’re saying is, he’s in for a significant decline this year. 

In addition to Washington players missing out on ESPN’s top 100, according to them, they don’t expect the Wizards to win many games either. 

Opinions are nothing to get upset over. However, McCollum, Sarr, and the rest of the squad should use this as motivation and prove why ESPN got it wrong. 

Make sure you bookmark the Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more! 

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