The 2026-27 regular season is right around the corner. Even after an offseason filled with roster changes, the Oklahoma City Thunder will enter as the co-title favorite — alongside the San Antonio Spurs.
The latest sign that the NBA is about to return to our TVs? ESPN published its annual top-100 NBA players rankings heading into the 2026-27 regular season. Seven ESPN writers conjured up the 2026 NBA Rank. Seven Thunder players appeared in it. Showing that they're still arguably the deepest team in the league.
Surprisingly enough, though, one player's spot upset most of the Thunder fanbase. Especially considering how historically stacked their trophy case has been over the last two years. I digress.
Here are all the Thunder players represented
in ESPN's top-100 NBA players for the 2026-27 season:
No. 84: Alex Caruso
What ESPN said: "Caruso dropped in these rankings from last year, but there is a case he should be higher in this edition. He had another standout season defensively, ranking first among qualified guards in defensive Net Points per 100 possessions, according to ESPN Analytics. Although not known for his offense, Caruso showed that side of his game in the Western Conference finals against the Spurs, averaging 14.9 points and shooting 50% on 3-pointers during the seven-game series."
No. 79: Ajay Mitchell
What ESPN said: "Second-year players don't typically fare well on Most Improved Player ballots, because many voters think their improvement should be expected. But that didn't stop Mitchell from placing fifth in the award's voting last season, as the 2024 second-rounder blossomed into a crucial contributor to one of the NBA's top teams. Mitchell now serves as a reliable secondary playmaker behind back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Mitchell is a sufficient enough perimeter defender not to be torched on the other end."
No. 75: Cason Wallace
What ESPN said: "Wallace joins the top 100 for the first time, primarily because of his defensive impact. Named All-Defense for the first time in his career, Wallace led all players in steals this season. During the regular season, Wallace held opponents to 41.6% shooting as the closest defender, the fifth-best mark in the NBA, per GeniusIQ. And in the playoffs, Wallace held Austin Reaves, Devin Booker, Stephon Castle and Jalen Green to a combined 25% on 3-pointers. Wallace has played at least 68 games in each of his first three seasons, including 82 in his rookie year."
No. 74: Isaiah Hartenstein
What ESPN said: "Injuries have held Hartenstein to just 94 games over the past two seasons, but he has established his value while on the court as OKC's rugged interior centerpiece. He has averaged a double-double, but perhaps more importantly, he has been disruptive on defense while crashing the boards heavily on offense. Hartenstein's size and energy pair with the length and skill of Chet Holmgren to create one of the best big man combinations in the league."
No. 25: Jalen Williams
What ESPN said: "Injuries sabotaged Williams' 2025-26 season and ultimately could be the No. 1 reason why we're not talking about the Thunder as back-to-back champs. First, offseason wrist surgery following the title over Indiana caused Williams to miss 19 games to start the regular season, then hamstring strains to both legs sidelined him for most of the postseason. Still only 25, the 6-5 Williams is a three-level scorer who commits on the defensive end. His 3-point accuracy will be an X factor for him this season. He shot 42.7% from deep in 2023-24 but just 29.9% in limited action last year."
No. 24: Chet Holmgren
What ESPN said: "Holmgren has the length and timing as a shot blocker to make him the best defender of his generation outside of Wembanyama. Holmgren also has the shooting touch and quickness off the dribble to make him a mismatch for most opposing big men to defend. Holmgren's skill set is so strong, in fact, that the biggest criticism he faces is that he isn't aggressive enough on offense to take advantage of those mismatches. Holmgren remains a pillar for the Thunder, but a shift in offensive mindset could put him on the brink of superstardom."
No. 3: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
What ESPN said: "Not returning to the NBA Finals should only motivate the reigning back-to-back MVP. But as the loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference finals proved, the Thunder are at their best when Gilgeous-Alexander has a healthy Jalen Williams paired with him. In the minutes they shared the court last season, Oklahoma City outscored its opponents by 15.3 points per 100 possessions. Besides trying to get back to the Finals, Gilgeous-Alexander is attempting to become the third guard to shoot better than 50% from the field in five straight seasons. Only Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Maurice Cheeks have done it."
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: ESPN 2026-27 top-100 NBA players rankings: Who made it from OKC Thunder?
