Each year ESPN comes out with a ranking of every player in the NBA; and quite a few players that hardly play at all. In as September begins to turn into October they get started throwing out the very bottom of the barrel. Usually there is very little deliberation or discussion involving the first couple hundred players ranked. However, then around comes Kobe Bryant and the internet goes into overdrive until the eventual release of LeBron James at number one.
This year Bryant, who ranked 40th last season, will probably slide even lower as he recovers from a separated shoulder.