31. Lamar Odom, LA Lakers: If LO has his health and his sanity, he’s a top 15 player. If I have one wish for Odom it is that everything goes well on and off the court this season.

32. Kevin Martin, Sacramento: Surprise! Thought I’d forget about K-Mart II? He’s the 21st century Reggie Miller. Martin is a better athlete than Miller who made his name on defense. Sure he slipped on “D” last season, but says he’s committed to both ends of the court this season ———- and he can shoot, really shoot.

33. Ben Gordon, Chicago: At 6'2? The Commissioner guards taller shooting guards and does an excellent job. Plus, who is The Man when it’s time to take a big shot in Chi-town?

34. Kirk Hinrich, Chicago: Captain K is a baaaaad young man. Clutch, tough defensively, and a good decision-maker. Plus, he always seems to get under the opponents’ skin.

35. Marcus Camby, Denver: He does everything, but like Mary, there’s something about Marcus ———— that keeps him from being ranked higher.

36. Stephen Jackson, Golden State: He’s probably nowhere on anyone’s list, but he shoots the rock and is a leader (yes, he’s a captain of the Warriors this season). And defense? Ask Dirk.

37. Joe Johnson, Atlanta: He’s a lot like S-Jax right above him but can he carry a team?

38. Chris Paul, New Orleans: That’s right, behind Hinrich. CPIII can do it all, but is he ready to take that next step to that next level? We’ll find out this season.

39. Dwight Howard, Orlando: “The Big Christianity” is on the move up. Howard is so young and has so much potential he might be #27 by the All-Star break. Right now, though, he needs some offense. One move, just one - two would be real nice.

40.Tayshaun Prince, Detroit: Tay-Tay is not quite proficient enough on offense to be ranked any higher.

41. Elton Brand, LA Clippers: EB is nice and on a lot of nights cannot be stopped. On other nights he looks lost.

42. David West, New Orleans: The silent assassin is a sleeper pick - as in people sleep on D-Dub. At 18 and 8 in Byron Scott’s defense wins games style of play, West must be doing many thing right.

43. Raja Bell, Phoenix: Think about it. Who else is his team’s lockdown defender every night - and can actually bother Kobe Bryant, provides all the toughness for his team, has no play run for him but gets 14.7 a game, and never rests on his laurels? Ray-Jay, that’s who.

44. Gerald Wallace, Charlotte: One more year like last year and G-Wall vaults into the top 25.

46. Vince Carter, New Jersey: Did you know that VC is a vampire? You didn’t know? Every time the light shines on Carter he runs for the shadows. Plus, there’s knees and defense, defense and knees - and Carter has neither.

47. Andrea Bargnani, Toronto: Wha-?! Who? The dude who is 6'10?, 6'11? shoots like Dirk but can take threes off the dribble, plus plays defense and is a better athlete, that’s who.

48. Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia: The “other” AI is set to do some thangs this season.

49. Al Jefferson, Minnesota: I’m sticking my neck out a bit on Big Al. He was a quiet monster for Boston last season. Playing in the West will either expose him, or make everyone including me understand just how good he is. I hope it’s the latter.

50. T.J. Ford, Jose Calderon, Toronto: They aren’t one point guard split into two? T.J.-Jose Calderford averages 22.7 ppg, 4.8 boards, and 12.9 assists a game. They, uhh, he is/are the engine(s) that make the Raps flow like Jay-Z way back on Reasonable Doubt. With stats like those shouldn’t this-these guy(s) actually be ranked higher?

No. 1 - Virtually: With this year’s cover, with heated areas on every inch of the offensive end and unlimited range, and plus because he was reading The Best Damn Sports Blog while conducting an interview that would be published nationally, the EA Sports version of Gilberto Gil, aka Hibachi, aka Agent Zero, aka Gilbert Arenas is the Virtual Numero Uno in my basketball heart.

Well, that’s it peeps. That’s my Fiddy. Now it’s time for you to tell me what you think.

Oh, and the Arenas mention, read this:

Gilberto Gil, aka, Agent Zero, aka Hibachi, aka, Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards point guard was looking at The NBA's Projected Top 50 Players for 2007-08: Numbers 11-20 while talking to an Associated Press reporter:

Stop him for a few questions after a training camp practice, and out slides a mention of how that very morning he was reading one person’s preseason ranking of top NBA players and was shocked — shocked! — to find himself down at No. 20.

“Duncan’s No. 1, Kobe’s No. 2. Then they’ve got all them bums in front of me,” Arenas said this week, a can-you-believe-it? tone in his voice and mischief in his eyes. “I’m 20; I feel I’m in the top five. There’s motivation right there.”

I got big love for ya Gil! Do your thing this season, be that team leader and you’ll be in the top 10 by the All-star break!