Recently, ESPN.com and TrueHoop Network released rankings on every NBA player from No. 500 to No. 1 and counted them down on Twitter (@NBAonESPN).

They asked 104 experts to rate each player on a 0-to-10 scale in terms of “the current quality of each player.” The full list of voters included multiple ESPN properties (e.g. TV, Radio, Deportes, Regional), the TrueHoop Network, and Daily Dime Live.

The combined scores from the 0-to-10 scale produced the following results ranking the top 10 NBA players:

1. LeBron James (9.99 score)
2. Kevin Durant (9.70)
3. Dwight Howard (9.58)
4. Chris Paul (9.52)
5. Derrick Rose (9.02)
6. Kobe Bryant (8.88)
7. Kevin Love (8.86)
8. Dwyane Wade (8.77)
9. Russell Westbrook (8.76)
10. Deron Williams (8.69)

Breaking down “the current quality of each player” criteria, I realize that the word “quality” is very broad (almost too broad) and leaves a wide range of reasons or factors each voter took into consideration to reach their final number. None of which were listed in the final results.

Additionally, once you factor in the word “current” leads me to question why the rankings are so skewed to a degree that such a distinguished list of experts rank Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade so low on this list (#6 and #8).

I think most can agree with LeBron James and Kevin Durant at the top two spots respectively, but Dwight Howard at #3 is just way too high. Howard is listed that high based on his quality but not his most “current” performance during the 2011-12 season.

In terms of quality, Dwight Howard is the best true center in the game, a force down low and one of the premier defensive players in the NBA. However, last season, he spent the last part of it hurt with a back injury, an injury that is still a factor at the start of the upcoming  season with the Lakers.

When healthy on the court, it seemed Howard checked out on the Magic and was not his usual dominant self. And off the court, it was a bad soap opera as he was a permanent staple in the media with his demands and changing his stories like the wind; indicating that he wants to stay in Orlando, then demanding a trade to Brooklyn before finally ending up with the Lakers. With all those considerations, let’s move Howard down the list to #7 where he belongs.

If Howard is #7, who is the real #3? I can confidently say that man should be Dwyane Wade. Wade’s quality of play puts him as one of the NBA’s brightest superstars bringing a level of intensity on both sides of the court.

Although he was hampered by a nagging knee injury at times last season, he always came to play and let’s not forget, he won his second championship ring. LeBron certainly shined brightly in the finals (finally), but the Heat would never would have accomplished title #2 without Wade.

Dwyane Wade is still the Heat’s team leader and the hard road to repeat will only go as far as he can take them. Remember, it was James and Bosh who came to Miami, not vice versa.

Moving on to #4, no disrespect to Chris Paul, who is the best all-around point guard in the league, but this slot belongs to Kobe Byrant.

In terms of quality of player, I believe Bryant is still one of the the best players in the NBA despite his showing signs of age. He has five, yes five, championship rings, plays hurt and never complains or uses injury as an excuse.

Currently, I think there is no other player in the league that matches Kobe’s killer instinct and delivers bigger shots under pressure coupled with the ability to flat out take over a game and win by himself.

Let’s not forget he is one of the league’s best on-ball defenders. I realize, despite this, the Lakers are no longer the toast of the Western Conference and I have a sneaking suspicion that this played too much of a role in Bryant’s #6 ranking in the eyes of the voters.

The voters seemed to have lost sight of the fact that these were player rankings, not team rankings. In this poll, Kobe’s overall talent was very much overlooked and fell victim to the Lakers’ temporary fall from grace.

With these changes, here is Nyamekye Phelps’ revamped top 10/scores:

1. LeBron James (9.7)
2. Kevin Durant (9.5)
3. Dwyane Wade (9.3)
4. Kobe Bryant (9.2)
5. Chris Paul (9.0)
6. Derrick Rose (8.9)
7. Dwight Howard (8.7)
8. Kevin Love (8.5)
9. Russell Westbrook (8.3)
10. Deron Williams (8.2)

What do you guys think? Is Kobe Bryant really only the 6th best player in the NBA right now?