TNT's Inside the NBA Crew Gives Jaylen Brown Some Love

Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smth all rank the former Cal star among the NBA's top-10 players

Jaylen Brown soars for a dunk vs. the Knicks / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Charles Barkley rated Jaylen Brown as the sixth-best player in the NBA and  both of his ex-player sidekicks on TNT’s Inside the NBA program also rank the one-time Cal star among the league’s top-10.

The crew unveiled its top-50 player rankings for 2024-25 on Tuesday night as the NBA season tipped off with Brown and the defending champion Boston Celtics crushing the New York Knicks 132-109.

Barkley had Brown highest among his colleagues, placing him at No. 6 on his list, topped by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić. Barkley ranked Brown one spot ahead of teammate and fellow All-Star Jayson Tatum.

Shaquille O’Neal put Brown at No. 10 in his rankings, which were also topped by Jokić. O’Neal listed Tatum 11th.

Kenny Smith rated Brown No. 8, one spot below Tatum. Smith’s No. 1 was Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who appeared among the top-3 on all three lists.

Brown played one season at Cal in 2015-16, averaging 14.6 points and 5.4 rebounds and helping the Bears earn their most recent NCAA tournament bid. 

The 6-foot-7 wing was drafted No. 3 by the Celtics in 2016 behind Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, whose careers both have paled in comparison to what Brown has achieved.

Brown, who turns 28 on Thursday, averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season while earning his third All-Star Game invite. He then was named MVP of both the Eastern Conference finals and the NBA Finals as the Celtics won their 18th championship.

The TNT threesome shared different opinions on two of the NBA’s two most venerable stars. O’Neal had Stephen Curry of the Warriors at No. 4, Barkley placed him fifth and Smith ranked him No. 10.

LeBron James is No. 2, according to Smith, and No. 5 on O’Neal list. But Barkley dropped him out of the top-10 at No. 11. 

It also was curious to see the range of thoughts on second-year budding superstar Victor Wembanyama, the versatile big man from the San Antonio Spurs. 

None of them see him as a top-10 player: Wembanyama landed at No. 13 on Smith’s list, No. 22 with Barkley and No. 31, according to O’Neal.

CHARLES BARKLEY’S TOP-10 LIST

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Luka Dončić

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

4. Joel Embiid 

5. Stephen Curry

6. Jaylen Brown

7. Jayson Tatum

8. Kevin Durant

9. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

10. Anthony Davis

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL’S TOP-10 LIST

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo

3. Luka Dončić

4. Stephen Curry

5. LeBron James

6. Kevin Durant

7. Joel Embiid

8. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

9. Anthony Edwards

10. Jaylen Brown

KENNY SMITH’S TOP-10 LIST 

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

2. LeBron James 

3. Nikola Jokić

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 

5. Joel Embiid

6. Luka Dončić

7. Jayson Tatum

8. Jaylen Brown

9. Kevin Durant

10. Stephen Curry