NBA 2K27 started its reveal of the top 100 players in the upcoming edition of the video game series Monday by releasing the players ranked 100th through 91st. Among the notable names in that range are new Los Angeles Lakers big man Walker Kessler, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso, and multiple members of the San Antonio Spurs in Tobias Harris and Devin Vassell:
The Lakers are always under the NBA spotlight, which means Kessler will generate far more attention this season than he did in his first four years with the Utah Jazz.
And he will also be quite important to the Purple and Gold’s chances of competing in a loaded Western Conference with LeBron James no longer on the team. While Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves will lead the way, Los Angeles will need production down low to counter the Spurs and Thunder.
Kessler is a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor but was limited to just five games last season because of injuries.
If he can remain healthy, it would be anything but a surprise if he posts the best numbers of his career while taking advantage of openings created by the defensive attention Dončić draws. He tallied 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting a head-turning 66.3 percent from the field in 2024-25.
Even if Kessler lives up to his potential in Los Angeles, overcoming Caruso and the Thunder or the loaded Spurs will be quite the daunting task for the Lakers and the rest of the Western Conference.
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama lead the way for the respective teams, role players such as Caruso, Harris and Vassell will go a long way toward determining which team represents the West in the NBA Finals.
For now, though, fans will have to settle for debating their place in the top 100 NBA 2K players until the season starts.
