To tip off the NBA season, Bleacher Report and TNT’s Inside the NBA are presenting the NBA’s top 50 players for the 2024-25 season as ranked by Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith.

The rankings from No. 50 to No. 21 will be revealed Thursday, Oct. 17, on Bleacher Report, and will be discussed by Adam Lefkoe and NBA champion Channing Frye on a live show in Bleacher Report’s app.

Through the weekend, B/R’s app and social feeds will feature the Inside crew’s takes on players in those first rankings, as well as a discussion over how the top 20 should play out.

The top 20 will be revealed Monday, Oct. 21, in a live show on Bleacher Report at 7 p.m. ET, featuring Candace Parker, Vince Carter and Lefkoe. B/R articles will display each Inside star’s top 50 and the consensus final top 50.

Finally, Tuesday night, Oct. 22, the NBA regular season begins on TNT with the Knicks at Celtics and the Timberwolves at Lakers. After the nightcap, Inside the NBA‘s postgame show will feature debate about the rankings as Chuck, Shaq and Kenny read fans’ comments and challenge each other’s picks.

The Inside the NBA panel is never shy about debating the hottest topics in the league, but settling on a consensus top 50 could be one of the most intense discussions yet.

Denver Nuggets superstar center and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić has to be considered the odds-on favorite to take the No. 1 spot, but could 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers or two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo challenge him?

Entering only his second NBA season, where will San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama land on the heels of being the unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting?

Where will veteran future Hall of Famers such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant check in after the trio led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris?

How many of the Boston Celtics’ core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Kristaps Porziņģis will make the top 50 in the wake of a 64-18 record and an NBA championship last season?

All of those questions and many more will be answered when the top 50 list is officially revealed in the coming days, leading up to NBA opening night.