Part two of the Top 51 makes the leap into certified future and current All-Stars. The future of the league lies in the following lines of literature. I have chosen to include pictures to aid our sports radio hosts in certifying that there are more players in the league besides the same ten stars that are the sole-receivers of radio sports coverage. Interesting is that almost half of these candidates are 24 but only one in the top ten is 24 years-old.
Players 51-26
Let’s check out 25-1:
All Photos Courtesy of ESPN.com
25. Eddy Curry, 24 
The seventh leading scorer on the list falls to number 25 mostly because his game is so one-dimensional. Given the minutes he plays, Curry should be grabbing a minimum of ten boards per game. He’s a ghost on the defensive end failing to not only block out but also to block shots. Take away his superb offensive post game, and Curry is a below average NBA center.
19.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, .576 FG%
24. Josh Childress, 24 
Childress has certainly earned a starting spot in Atlanta, but Joe Johnson and Josh Smith will always going to get their minutes. The Association’s best afro does it all from defense, to rebounding, to threes, to driving and kicking out. He’s among the most consistent shooters in the NBA. One could ask for a little more competitive fire and I suspect it will come as soon as a starter’s responsibility is given to him.
13.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, .504 FG%
23. Maurice Williams, 24 
Mo had his best season yet last year and skeptics would warn that it was a result of playing for a contract. Although there are a high percentage of teams looking to upgrade their PG position, not many can afford the $8 - $11 million per year that Mo will command. He drastically improved his passing and distribution last year but he’s still more likely to pull-up than dish. Also, his shooting actually improved to .446 despite taking 50% more shots than the previous year. His defense is mediocre, but at 24 he could likely improve this. He was very effective at playing the passing lanes and garnering his share of steals.
17.3 ppg, 6.1 apg, 1.25 spg
22. Nenad Krstic, 23 
The Nets center tore his ACL in his 26th game but should comeback strong next season. Two seasons ago in the playoffs, Krstic had his coming out party when he arguably outplayed Shaquille O’Neal. Like Curry, Krstic is a poor rebounder for his size, but at least he’s trying. He’s also among the best in the game at drawing charges. With a little more strength, Krstic could conceivably be an All-Star in the East.
16.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, .526 FG%
21. Nene, 24 
The big Brazilian has had difficulty staying healthy over the past two seasons, although he did manage 64 games last year. He proved his worth in the first round against San Antonio by averaging 15 and 8 while shooting nearly 60% from the field. His quickness is his biggest asset on both ends of the floor. Baby, as his name translates, is one of the best centers in the game a t creating turnovers. His hands are also among the best. He needs to work on his range and his passing, but he has a bright future if he can remain healthy.
12.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, .570 FG%
Another Brazilian, Leandro has enjoyed a low-pressure sixth man roll in Phoenix over the past three seasons. However, 06-07 was still a breakout year for the Brazilian Blur. His 3-point shooting was deadly accurate and he served as one of the league’s most effective combo guards. He may never see a starter’s role but he certainly gets the minutes. Barbosa averaged over 32 minutes per game last season.
18.1 ppg, 4.0 apg, .434 3P%
19. Monta Ellis, 21
The former 2nd rounder enjoyed a breakout season in which he was selected as the NBA’s most improved player. At 21, you have to think he’s still got plenty of improving to do. At just 6’3”, he’s small for a SG and his skills are not fit for a PG. His game resembles a selfless Allen Iverson’s but he has not had AI’s ample shot opportunities coming off the bench for Don Nelson. Currently, he’s being rumored in Garnett trade talks.
16.5 ppg, 4.1 apg, 1.71 spg
18. David Lee, 24
The St. Louis native was arguably New York’s best player last season and averaged a double-double primarily coming off the bench. He was one of only ten players to average such. The off-season acquisition of Zach Randolph, another of the double-double club, seems to limit Lee’s minutes even more, but there’s no doubt he’ll make the most of it. His tenacity, basketball IQ, and athleticism make him one of the game’s most exciting young stars.
10.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg, .600 FG%
17. T.J. Ford, 24
Toronto GM-extraordinaire Bryan Colangelo targeted Ford to engineer his roster last summer and it appears he made a good call. He maintains one of the fastest paces in the game and continues to improve his FG%. He improved his assist rate for the third consecutive year but still needs to cut down on his turnovers. Ford’s numbers would be even better if not for the incredibly capable Jose Calderon demanding minutes at PG.
14.0 ppg, 7.9 apg, 1.3 spg
16. Tyson Chandler, 24
Chandler had his best season yet following his relocation to New Orleans/Oklahoma City. In fact, by all accounts, he outplayed his expensive Bulls replacement, Ben Wallace. Chandler benefits from recognizing his weak shot and his role as one of the league’s top rebounders. He should continue to anchor the up-and-coming Hornets and be among the most intimidating defensive forces in the league. His free-throw shooting remains his biggest liability as it is ten points lower than his league-leading field goal percentage.
9.5 ppg, 12.4 rpg, .624 FG%
15. Brandon Roy, 22
The reigning Rookie-of-the-Year earned his namesake mostly because of a lack of competition. The Trailblazers were in need of the NBA-ready Huskie and he saw plenty of opportunities as a rookie. His ball-handling is as good as any SG in the league. He enjoys clutch moments and seems to “know how to win” better than most kids his age. He will develop nicely with Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge and Channing Frye anchoring the post in Portland. Look for his solid shooting percentages to improve with more experience.
16.8 ppg, 4.0 apg, .377 3P%
14. Kevin Martin, 24
No one surprised me more last season than Kevin Martin. I’m sure I am not alone in my continuous skepticism of the Kings SG. However, he was consistently the biggest threat on Sacramento’s roster, over-shadowing established starters Ron Artest, Mike Bibby and Brad Miller. Martin put up over 20 points a night despite only 13 shots per game. He’s no slouch on defense either despite often guarding bigger athletes than himself. Still, and maybe it’s the haircut, I don’t see him ever outdoing his 06-07 performance.
20.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.23 spg
13. Ben Gordon, 24
The former Sixth-Man of the Year has earned a permanent starting job in Chicago. Although he will always be a bit undersized he will rarely be out-shot. Gordon is deadly accurate on the pull-up jumper and beyond the 3-point line. He benefited from Luol Deng’s emergence and will find more ways to get open now that his roster poses more than one offensive threat. He ranked 14th in points per minute behind a short list of All-Stars.
21.4 ppg, 3.6 apg, .413 3P%
12. Emeka Okafor, 24
Okafor was as productive as some of the best centers in the league. He developed into the defensive stalwart the Bobcats were hoping for when they drafted him with the first overall selection in 2004. In 2006-07 he was 4th overall in bpg, 6th overall in rpg, and 2nd for o-rpg. If it weren’t for some durability issues, he could have made the top 10. He has missed over 70 games in two years and his injury history dates back to UConn. Furthermore, his age is somewhat debatable and some believe that last year may have been his peak (I’m not one of them).
14.4 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 2.6 bpg
11. Al Jefferson, 22
Jefferson has been a bit of an enigma from day one. He never was beloved by scouts when he entered the league and he’s shown a streak of inconsistency in his first three seasons. Every time we expect him to solidify himself, he seems to disappear. His second-half statistical performance last season was one of the best in the League, but we have to realize he was the best, if not only, option on the court for a terribly weak Celtics squad. It’s difficult for me to see why GM Danny Ainge has made him an untouchable despite having bonafide All-Stars offered for him.
16.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.54 bpg
10. Josh Smith, 21
Its hard to believe J Smooth is still just 21 years old. His points, rebounds, blocks, steals and assists have gone up in each season to their current impressive levels. Unfortunately, so have his turnovers. Smith likes to handle the ball a little too often and settles for threes and contested jump shots too often. He has been working out in Houston with NBA Legend Hakeem Olajuwon this summer. It will be interesting to see how much post work he’ll get next to Pachulia, Williams and Horford. Regardless, aside from his Artest-esque outbursts, he remains one of the best values in the League. His combination of power and athleticism ranks him with LeBron James in terms of slashing-dunking excitement.
16.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.88 bpg
9. Luol Deng, 22
As previously predicted the Wow, Sudan product took the leap into the Top Ten this past season after being let loose by the Bulls’ coaching staff. He completely ditched the 3-pointer last season, yet developed a more varied offensive game. His defense is superb and he may fill out as a PF in the near future. He averaged 22 and 9 in ten playoff games and should expect to have an even larger role in Chicago next season. The former-Dukie needs to find his way to the line more often than his 4.4 FTA average. Wonder if Phoenix regrets sending him to Chicago for Jackson Vroman, Nate Robinson (later traded to the Knicks) and cash? It appears not all of Colangelo’s moves were golden. Look for Deng’s numbers to continue their climb.
18.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg, .517 FG%
8. Deron Williams, 23
GM Kevin O’Connor looks like a genius for plucking Deron Williams with the third overall selection three years ago. The young PG has gelled perfectly with the Jazz personnel and head coach Jerry Sloan to the tune of contending in the last Western Conference Finals. Carlos Boozer has provided the perfect pick-and-roll partner and he helped Deron get to 2nd in the League in assists. He needs to get back to work on his 3-point shooting as he saw just 32% of his attempts hit net.
16.2 ppg, 9.3 apg, 3.08 TO
7. Andre Iguodala, 23
Philadelphia changed their life support from The Answer to Iggy Hop midseason and he delivered. Aside from being the best current dunker in the Association, Andre is one of the games premier defensive stoppers. Iguodala also got to show off his passing skills and managed a 7.6 apg in February. However, his 3.4 TOs slightly overshadow his blooming desire to distribute. The swingman should continue to benefit from Andre Miller’s handling of the offense and his general professionalism.
18.2 ppg, 5.7 apg, 5.7 rpg, 2.0 spg
6. Dwight Howard, 21
The man-child continued his rise last season as the PF of the future. He showcased his insane athleticism in the dunk contest despite being robbed of the 2nd round. However, his best dunk was one that counted. With 0.2 seconds in a tie game against San Antonio, Howard caught an alley-oop over Tim Duncan from the sideline for the win. He finished 2nd to Garnett in double-doubles and the only player in the past two seasons to collect over a 1000 total (he’s done it twice). However, he also ranked 1st among all players in total turnovers. After putting up with Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill, Orlando has to be thrilled that he has yet to miss a game. He should face less double-teams this year thanks to Rashard Lewis’ arrival and J.J. Redick’s inevitable emergence.
17.6 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 1.9 bpg
5. Chris Paul, 22
Some people might argue Deron Williams’ emergence as the game’s best young point guard but they would be wrong. Paul took far better care of the ball and was more reliable behind the arc and behind the stripe. He shows no glaring weakness. CP3 was 4th in the league in assists despite his best scorers, Peja Stojakovic and David West, missing a combined 109 games last season. The Hornets found a true franchise player and one of the most likable people in the NBA with the fourth pick three summers ago.
17.2 ppg, 8.9 apg, 1.8 spg
4. Amare Stoudamire, 24
The biggest question of last off-season was “would Amare return to form”? This past season he was awarded 1st Team All-NBA although you could easily argue Garnett, Ming, Boozer and Brand were more deserving. Still, you had to be impressed with Stoudamire’s 82-game performance. Amare showed us a nice mid-range jumper and a better post-game last season. He still is hit-or-miss regarding defense, but Head Coach Mike D’Antoni does not emphasize it because of the team’s shallow depth. Here’s hoping he and Steve Nash can play together forever.
20.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg, .575 FG%
3. Chris Bosh, 23
Bosh continues to draw more and more attention to Toronto and deservedly so. The PF/C continues to show a sweet mid-range jumper and knack for grabbing rebounds. Bosh still needs to work on a post game and his shot-blocking ability. Some added weight to his 6’10” frame couldn’t hurt either. Right now, his quickness and agility are big assets because of the pace of his PG TJ Ford. A big note of concern: I was miffed out how he was contained and even shut down during some games of his first ever playoff series by a trio of Mikki Moore, Jason Collins and Josh Boone. He was out-rebounded that same series 60-54 by Jason Kidd. Ouch.
22.6 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg
2. Carmelo Anthony, 23
‘Melo had plenty of highs overshadowed by one low during the Knicks scuffle that will stick with him a lot longer than he cares to know. Before the Nuggets acquired Allen Iverson, Carmelo was leading the NBA in scoring and by a good margin. He ended the season trailing only Kobe Bryant. He will be in the middle of a demanding group of rich veterans this season in Denver. Anthony has to find a way to make it work with A.I. and the rest of the Nuggets without a reliable PG. He did enjoy a spike in assists last year but still needs to find a way to increase his rebounding efforts.
28.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.8 apg
1. LeBron James, 22
King James looks to have earned his title after leading a ragtag group into the NBA Finals this past season and he finally developed his killer instinct last season. LBJ was rolling thunder before being effectively shut down by a Spurs defense designed solely around stopping the 22 year-old phenom. His jump shot is inconsistent, but when it’s on, he’s unstoppable. There’s a lot to be desired from James’ defense and he does not appear to be getting much quicker. Once he puts more emphasis on stopping his opponent, he will become one of the greatest to ever play the game.
27.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 6.0 apg