Since ’94, hundreds of NBA players have entered the Top 100 Camp. This year’s event will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, FL, from June 8-13. But first, to celebrate 30 incredible years, we’re taking a look back at the top 30 NBPA members to take the court in the Top 100 Camp.
Check out the top 30-21 players here and 20-11 here.
10. Klay Thompson
“Buckets and Cool.” The cover line from SLAM 215—featured below the iconic photo of Klay Thompson rocking sunglasses and sitting on a beach chair—sums it up pretty much. Deferred to the court, Thompson has been a killer on it. He won four championships, made five All-Star teams and scored more than 15,500 points with the Golden State Warriors. When Klay (aka “Game 6 Klay”) had the hot hand, it was a wrap for anyone on the other side. In 2015, he set the NBA record for points in a quarter with 37.
9. Devin Booker
Speaking of clean buckets, Devin Booker’s name should be mentioned. The powerful guard from Grand Rapids, MI, has developed a complete offensive game. He can attack the basket and finish near the rim; his midfield arsenal is top-notch; and is a huge threat behind the arc. Just go watch the highlights of his 70-point performance in 2017 or his 59-point gem in 2019 or his 62-point explosion this past season. At 27 years old, Book is a 4x All-Star with more room for improvement. Rest assured, they exist a lot more buckets to come.
8. Derrick Rose
Rose graced the cover of SLAM as a youngster in Memphis in 2007-08. The cover line read: “Youth Goes to Death.” Derrick Rose is the next great NBA player.” In fact, that prediction was possible even earlier, when the explosive guard lit up the court at Simeon Career Academy (IL) and appeared in the Camp of the Century. In 2011, at age 22, Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history. His career has been plagued by multiple injuries, but the 3x All-Star persevered through it all to leave a huge mark on the game.
7. Anthony Davis
From Prospects Charter (IL) to the University of Kentucky to the NBA, Anthony Davis has more than lived up to the hype. It all started when the kid from Chicago hit a growth spurt in high school, maintaining his guard skills while adjusting to the new frame of a big man. Davis went on to win the Naismith Award, the Wooden Award and an NCAA championship in his one season at Kentucky before being drafted with the first pick by New Orleans. He’s been hampered by injuries throughout his 12 years in the league, but Davis has accomplished everything he needs to accomplish at the highest level, including getting a ring in 2020.
6. Kyrie Irving
The man with the biggest handles ever to go to the Top 100 Camp back then was a high school student in New Jersey. Irving spent one year at Duke before entering the 2011 NBA Draft, where he was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is an eight-time All-Star and sank some of the biggest shots in NBA history in 2016, helping the Cavs complete their crucial 3-1 comeback to win the title. With those shots and multiple ankle breakers, incredible layups and cold-blooded game winners, Irving’s highlight reel is a must-watch. Indeed, the work of a basketball genius.
5. Dwight Howard
Not so long ago, when the role of the center was viewed in a very different light, Dwight Howard was perhaps the most powerful and unstoppable force in basketball. A junior star at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (GA), Howard won the Gatorade National Player of the Year and was selected with the first pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. He bounced back a bit after leaving Orlando in 2012, leading many to forget what he did in those early years in the league, including five consecutive All-NBA First Team appearances and three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. Consider this your reminder.
4. James Harden
From Artesia High School in Lakewood, CA, where he won two state championships and was a McDonald’s All-American in 2007, to this day, James Harden has built an impressive career that is often overlooked. This is a guy who averaged 31.7 points, 8.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds (!) over a five-season span from 2015-20—a stretch that included an MVP award in 2018. He was named in the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team in 2021, too accordingly.
3. Kevin Durant
Coming out of the DMV, Kevin Durant was one of the most highly regarded prospects in the nation. And since then, well, he has never disappointed. The future Hall of Famer said he probably would have gone straight to the NBA straight out of high school if the rule didn’t exist. Instead, he played in Texas for one season and was drafted with the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2007. Durant is arguably one of the most offensive talents in NBA history, winning the League’s scoring title four times. When he went on—which, 17 years ago, was a lot a common thing—there is nothing one can do to stop him.
2. Stephen Curry
A former Charlotte Christian School sleeper named Stephen Curry attended Top 100 Camp before going to Davidson, where he became a 2x All-American and led the Wildcats to the 2008 Elite Eight. The baby-faced kid from North Carolina was still a sleeper, going seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. But even those who foresaw greatness in Curry could not have predicted this: 10x All-Star and All-NBA, 2x MVP, 4x Champion and all-time leader in three-pointers. Oh yeah, and it completely changed the way the game was played.
1. Kobe Bryant
It was clear during his reign at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania that Kobe Bean Bryant was special. He was one of the future stars to attend the Top 100 Camp, jumping directly to the NBA in 1996. It wasn’t long before he was winning at that level, too. The resume is undeniable—18x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, 12x All-Defense, 5x NBA Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 2008 MVP, the list goes on—but Bryant was best defined by his relentless work ethic, incredible determination and relentless competitiveness. The Mamba Mentality, as his approach to the game and other endeavors was called, continues to inspire people everywhere.
