With the 2026-27 NBA season nearing, many sports media outlets have ranked the league's best players. Bleacher Report was the most recent to do so, revealing a top 99 list, which included four representatives from the Houston Rockets.
89. Fred VanVleet
After missing the entire 2025-26 campaign, Fred VanVleet is expected to rejoin Houston's rotation, playing prominent minutes at the point guard position, an area of weakness for the Rockets last season. Since signing with Houston as a free agent, VanVleet has averaged 15.9 points, 6.9 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks in 133 games.
38. Amen Thompson
Entering his age-24 season, Amen Thompson is one of the league's most feared perimeter defenders. In the last two seasons, Thompson has made one All-Defensive First Team
and finished top-eight in Defensive Player of the Year Award voting twice. Last year, the former No. 4 overall pick averaged 18.3 points (career-high), 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists (career-high), 1.5 steals (career-high) and 0.6 blocks.
28. Alperen Sengun
Having made two consecutive All-Star appearances in the Western Conference, expectations remain high for Turkish big man Alperen Sengun. The former No. 16 overall pick continues to perform in all facets of the game, averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks during the 2025-26 season. Sengun's preseason has already gotten off to a good start, having tallied a triple-double against the Dallas Mavericks.
12. Kevin Durant
While the 38-year-old Kevin Durant is slipping out of top-10 status, the future Hall of Famer's impact is undeniable. Durant, one of the best scorers in league history, has averaged fewer than 25 points in a season only once, his rookie campaign. Last year, the former No. 2 overall pick averaged 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks.
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This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Multiple Rockets recognized among league's best ahead of 2026-27 season
