In Fansided’s latest NBA99 rankings, three Bucks placed among the NBA’s top 99 players. With all three players being above the age of 30, the urgency of this season becomes more apparent. However, as a fair arbiter, it’s only right that I examine whether those three Bucks are individually ranked too high or too low. Everyone’s a critic — including me.
Kyle Kuzma failed to crack the list amid an ugly start to the season and it’s hard to find too much fault with that right now. He is barely fleshed out beyond his scoring acumen and this is his career-worst shooting season. With the Washington Wizards he was the tank commander alongside Jordan Poole, who barley squeezed in at No. 99. In any case, let’s start with the highest ranked Buck.
No. 2: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s place as the No. 2 player over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a bit of a surprise, but not a reach. Antetokounmpo expanded his repertoire by incorporating a lethal mid-range jumper he resorts to when his pathway to the rim is congested. He’s become incredibly proficient with that shot, which has taken his game to a whole new level.
The most significant void in Antetkounmpo’s game has been his glitchy free-throw shooting; He’s regressed from the line in each of the last four seasons, and SGA has the upper hand when you factor in shooting from the stripe. However, Antetokounmpo’s impact on both ends matches up against any player. His 35.4-percent usage rate leads the league by a considerable margin, and while he's given up on launching awkward shots behind the arc, his 60.9-percent effective field goal percentage is the second-highest of his career.
Verdict: Just high enough.
No. 23: Damian Lillard
Maybe it’s ageism, small-market bias, or him losing the Mr. Beast Challenge during last month’s All-Star Game, but Lillard is too dynamic of a scorer and creator to be the 23rd-best player in the league in 2025. Sandwiched between Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, Lillard is still a premier playmaker outside the arc, adept at finishing inside or drawing fouls and an automatic sharpshooter anywhere from the line to the logo.
Placing Karl-Anthony Towns, Tyrese Maxey, Darius Garland, and De’Aaron Fox ahead of Lillard is a mistake. KAT and Garland thrive in supporting roles, but neither carries the same load as Lillard. Lillard’s deficiencies on the defensive end are baked in, but he still shares the marquee alongside the Greek Freak. Maxey could very well end up as a better player than Lillard one day, but we’ve also never seen him carry a team for an entire season.
Maxey has emerged as an offensive equal, but Lillard is still airdropping above-the-break triples at a prolific rate and has a more extensive track record. When Maxey has been asked to carry a substantial offensive load his efficiency has suffered. Playing this season largely without Joel Embiid, Maxey’s field goal percentage and accuracy behind the arc have plummeted. Lillard may not measure up to Steph Curry, but Maxey hasn’t proven he has overtaken Lillard just yet.
Verdict: Too low. Lillard, not Karl-Anthony Towns, should be recognized as a top-15 player.
No. 83: Brook Lopez
Since signing with the Bucks in 2019, Lopez has been the straw that stirs the drink for Milwaukee’s defense. The change in his deployment in pick-and-roll coverages was one of the biggest factors in Adrian Griffin’s firing last season. He meshes perfectly with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the frontcourt because he allows the two-time MVP to prosper as a defensive rover, while not clogging the lane on the offensive end.
The fact that Lopez is even still a top-100 player at age 36 speaks to his value. He’s one of a handful of players in today’s game capable of averaging at least two blocks and two triples per contest. Lopez is no longer a candidate for the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, but he’s still the anchor of a top-five defense. The only reason he doesn’t rank higher is because his diminished mobility makes him a pig on a spit on switches.
He’s probably fortunate to even be in the top 100 given his defects may rival his positives at this point in his career. Immediately following Lopez are Tari Eason, Devin Vassell, Jrue Holiday, Walker Kessler, Onyeka Onkongwu, Naz Reid, and Bradley Beal. The bulk of that group are 25 or under, aside from Holiday and Beal. Holiday is an underrated two-way virtuoso who was the final piece on championship teams with both the Bucks and Celtics, but he's beginning to show cracks at age 34. Meanwhile, Beal is a volume scorer on an albatross of a contract in his mid-30s. This may be his last year as a borderline top-100 player, so give him his flowers while he’s still around.
Verdict: 83 may be a bit high for Lopez considering the youth movement behind him.