Jarrett Allen becoming disrespected as ESPN ranks him 73rd

Allen previously ranked 50th in the 2023 list.

ESPN released its annual top 100 ranking on Tuesday. Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen found himself ranked 73rd on the latest iteration of this list. This is a 23-spot drop from 2023 where he ranked 50th.

The reasoning for Allen’s drop, according to Sean Marks, is that there was a drop off in Allen’s elite play post-All-Star break. Another factor in play is Allen’s overall fit with Evan Mobley on the court.

Allen ranks above fellow centers: Brook Lopez (93), Isaiah Hartenstein (88), Mitchell Robinson (82), and Myles Turner (81).

This ranking is questionable based on who’s listed in front of him. Dereck Lively II ranked 56th on the list (one spot above Darius Garland). Lively, who is just off of a Dallas Mavericks Finals run, is fresh in most viewers’ minds as a rim-running center who thrives in pick-and-roll offensive schemes. In Lively’s excerpt, Tim MacMahon describes how Lively “is just starting to tap into his immense defensive potential as a rim protector who is comfortable switching onto elite perimeter scorers.”

For all the promise and excitement Lively has, Allen is essentially the finished version of what you would like Lively to become. Allen excels in the rim-running archetype, constantly showing why he is one of the best pick-and-roll partners in the league. He also is one of the better free throw shooters at the position shooting 74% from the charity stripe last season. This should be the case as Allen is entering his 8th season in the league, while Lively is entering his second.

Allen is also known for his presence on the glass and for being a versatile defender. Despite sharing the floor with Mobley, a Defensive Player of the Year finalist, Allen has shown in Mobley’s absence that he is fully capable of being the sole anchor of a top-ranked defense.

What makes these lists arbitrary is that not only are these rankings not separated by position, but we do not know what exactly places one player above the other. When you look at the Allen versus Lively debate, there is a 17-spot gap between the two players with no other center listed between the two. It raises the question of how seriously to take these types of lists.

I think the reason for the drop for Allen, like most of the Cavaliers that will be included on this list, is due to familiarity. The same thing that made players like Garland, Mobley, and Allen exciting in 2021-22 is what makes someone like Lively exciting now. Analysts aren’t intrigued by what they have already seen. If Allen becomes an All-Defensive team candidate or DPOY finalist he will catapult on this list next fall. Unfortunately, players that we have seen without a Finals run or championship trophy lifted, become bland in this media landscape.