Kings' Fox, Sabonis Find Spots in The Ringer's Top 25 NBA Players

When it comes to the ranking, analyzing, and listing of the top NBA players in 2024, it's impossible to satisfy everyone in the landscape of such a talented league with what seems like unlimited stars for you to choose from. Especially when it comes to the Sacramento Kings, the gauge on where their All-Star level players like De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis stand generally has mixed opinions depending on who you ask.

Nonetheless, the entire discussion makes for an entertaining time to glance at what some of the media and NBA analysts think when it comes to stacking up the best players in the association. This time, it's The Ringer putting together the most recent list, collecting their top 100 players heading into the 2024 postseason.

When it comes to the Kings, the squad got some representation within the top 25, as Fox was put at the 22nd spot, and Sabonis landed at the 24th spot. Domantas has lingered around this ranking in the list for The Ringer across most of the 2023-24 season, while De'Aaron has dropped from peaks as high as the 15th overall placement as the year has progressed.

Chris Ryan of The Ringer gave some description of Fox's rank at 22nd, saying that while he may be a "speed-demon guard," it has yet to result in the Kings pushing the needle any further:

"Watching Fox combine his blazing speed with a feel for the enormity of any given moment has been one of the great recent pleasures of basketball viewing. The Kings beam may be a bit dimmed this season, and Fox’s torrid 3-point shooting has come back to earth, but the speed-demon guard is still putting up career-best scoring and long-range shooting numbers. That sort of sums up a Sacramento season that was so full of promise after the end of a postseason drought last year: There have been some fun nights, but the Kings have never been able to get out of neutral, even if Fox is playing above his own lofty standards."

Fox has had a stellar year in Sacramento, averaging a career-best 26.6 points, alongside 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 71 games. However, the Kings have failed to reach the same heights in the standings as last season, currently set for the Play-In tournament at 8th in the West, which could have ultimately played a role in his rank.

Rob Mahoney of The Ringer later dove into what gave Sabonis his spot at 24th in the NBA as he's traversed a historic season with Sacramento amid his lengthy double-double streak.

"There aren’t many players in the league capable of doing the kind of heavy lifting Sabonis does, and there aren’t any players in the history of the NBA who have been able to match the consistency of his production. Sacramento’s hardworking center now owns the record for double-doubles in a single season since the merger, making him the steadiest component of a team that has wobbled all season. You can’t bet on the Kings to win the games they should. However a game turns, though, Sabonis will bully his way into buckets, hold off multiple opponents to clean the glass, and orchestrate enough offense along the way to give his team a chance."

Sabonis, despite being snubbed from All-Star status, has had one of the best seasons by a big in the NBA this year. He's averaging 19.4 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists on 59.3/37.8/70.1 shooting splits.

These Kings have an opportunity to raise their stock as the postseason approaches if they manage to escape their fate of a first-round exit similar to last year. However, without the services of Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter in the lineup, the path to success in the West becomes even more difficult than it already was.

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