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#3 Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic could be the face of the NBA in coming years, solely because of how lethal he is offensively. Despite spending only three years in the league, the youngster has flourished and is on course to dominate the NBA for years to come.
But Doncic's defensive ability is nothing to write home about. With his size, he could develop into an elite defender that can guard three positions. Doncic would be an unstoppable force in the NBA if he can do half of what Ben Simmons does defensively.
Although Doncic is not horrible defensively, perhaps his most pronounced flaw is his slow closeouts. He haphazardly attempts to close out, which results in an open shot or a quick drive-by him to the basket.
On occasion, Doncic also pays more attention to the ball-handler rather than the man he is guarding. That creates room for the free man to cut to the basket or settle for an open jumper. Playing defense like this in the NBA will surely hamper his team's prospects.
#2 Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns has been a menace offensively since his introduction to the NBA. He has registered double-doubles in every year of his six-year stint so far in the league.
Although he is a force to be reckoned with on offense, his impact on the defensive end is not very high. Towns could be a versatile defender like Bam Adebayo, seeing as he can successfully switch during screens.
However, he is yet to fully unlock his defensive ability. Most of the time, Towns just gets overzealous and is caught out of position or gives away avoidable fouls. If he manages to play better defense in the 2021-22 NBA season, the Minnesota Timberwolves will have a more successful season compared to last year.
#1 Zion Williamson
The New Orleans Pelicans have a generational talent in Zion Williamson, who could lead them to NBA playoffs action for the first time since 2018. While scoring comes easy to the 21-year-old, his defense is seriously lacking.
Williamson's athleticism and strength can make him one of the most versatile defenders in the league. However, the All-Star has a long way to go with respect to learning how to use his frame on the defensive end.
Awareness is his Achilles heel as he gets caught ball watching more often than not. It would be unkind not to commend him for the improvements he has made compared to his rookie season. However, Williamson is capable of so much more and needs to find a way to get better in the 2021-22 NBA season if he hopes to experience playoff basketball at the earliest.
