OG Anunoby showed the world during the New York Knicks’ championship run why he's one of the best two-way players in the NBA. His tip-in to win Game 4 of the NBA Finals should forever be seen as one of the biggest plays in this league's history.
But even with all of the attention Anunoby—and his teammates—have been receiving, could the 29-year-old wing still somehow be underrated?
On Monday, HoopsHype posted their ranking of the best power forwards out there. Where did Anunoby land, you may ask? At least in the top five, right?
How about 12th.
Some names ahead of Anunoby simply just have no business being there
Some of the players listed above Anunoby score more points than him. Maybe they grab more rebounds or dish out more assists. It’s rather confusing why they are ahead of him because overall, they aren’t better players.
Directly ahead of him at No. 11 is a player Knicks fans know quite well: Julius Randle. Yes, Randle and Michael Porter Jr. will put up a plethora of high-scoring nights on a young Brooklyn Nets team. The Nets likely won’t be winning much, though. Anunoby has had numerous postseason performances that are far better than Randle’s best in a Knicks uniform. It’s fairly obvious who the better defender is.
Another player Anunoby is light-years better than defensively is Lauri Markkanen, who comes in at No. 10. While Anunoby hasn’t been the poster child of perfect health in his career, Markkanen has averaged only 48 games played over the last three years. Markkanen will score more than Anunoby, but Leon Rose would laugh the Utah Jazz off the phone if they suggested a one-for-one trade.
At No. 7, five spots ahead of Anunoby…Zion Williamson? Williamson hasn’t yet appeared in a playoff game since being drafted in 2019. Last season was one of his healthiest in the league, and the New Orleans Pelicans still only finished with a 26-56 record.
Anthony Davis is at No. 9. Sure, he is a top-75 player in NBA history, but can Davis be trusted to even play 50 games next season with the Washington Wizards?
Jalen Johnson was mostly disappointing in the Atlanta Hawks’ first-round series against the Knicks. Anunoby was the better player in the series and a much more efficient scorer. Yet Johnson is 10 spots ahead at No. 2.
Anunoby shouldn’t be atop a list that features Giannis Antetokounmpo—although his recent injury history is lengthy—but he should certainly be higher than No. 12.
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