If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NBA Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers.  This is the third year that we have done this, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic won the first two.

To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at when the first player cracked 100 Points, and tell all of you the top ten.  We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.

Here is the current top ten, based on the first player to breach 200 Notinhalloffame Cup Points:

1. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 202 Cup Points:  53 Games, 30.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 24.2 PER, 7.8 WS.  (#1 on last ranking)

Tatum remains at #1, and as of this writing, has the largest Cup Points lead to date.  While there are other players who can make a statistical claim as this year’s MVP, Tatum is the best player on the NBA’s best team, and that often translates into an MVP.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 198 Cup Points:  44 Games, 32.4 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 28.9 PER, 6.4 WS. (#4 on last ranking)

The two-time MVP would have probably been on the top had he not missed a series of Games earlier in the season.  He is now a six-time All-star.

3. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 193 Cup Points:  48 Games, 33.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 8.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 30.0 PER, 8.2 WS.  (#2 on last ranking)

After missing some games, Doncic drops again, and is now at number 3.  The now four-time All-Star is second in PPG (33.4), sixth in APG (8.2) and is second in VORP (5.1) and Win Shares (8.2).   His PER of 30.0 also ranks him third.  He now has Kyrie Irving as a teammate, which will prove intriguing.

4. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 191 Cup Points:  49 Games, 24.9 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 10.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 32.0 PER, 10.9 WS.  (#6 on last ranking)

Jokic climbed back up two spots and the two-time and defending MVP winner (and NIHOF Cup Champion) is leading the league in PER (32.0), Win Shares (10.9), VORP (6.4) and Box Plus/Minus (13.3).  He is also averaging a triple-double, and is probably the biggest threat to Tatum for the MVP.

5 (Tie). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 188 Cup Points:  51 Games, 31.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 27.5 PER, 8.7 WS. (#3 on last ranking)

Gilgeous-Alexander went to his first All-Star Game, and is shattering last year’s averages, which were already good.  He is currently fifth in PPG and SPG, and is second in Win Shares (8.7).  How great will this Canadian be?  

5 (Tie). Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, 188 Cup Points:  43 Games, 33.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 30.9 PER, 7.7 WS.  (#7 on last ranking)

Embiid continues to climb the list, and moves into the top five.  He is currently leading the league in PPG (33.4) and is second in PER (30.9).

7 (Tie). Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies, 180 Cup Points:  46 Games, 27.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 8.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 24.1 PER, 5.3 WS. (#5 on last ranking)

Morant is the face of the Grizzles, and he is posting similar numbers from last year, when he took Memphis to the next level.

7 (Tie). Julius Randle, New York Knicks, 180 Cup Points:  58 Games, 24.9 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 20.9 PER, 6.5 WS. (#8 on last ranking)

Randle continues to climb the list, and currently has a higher PPG (24.9), than his All-Star year two years ago (24.7).

9. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks, 170 Cup Points:  50 Games, 26.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 10.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 21.9 PER, 4.5 WS. (#9 on last ranking)

Young is the face of an intriguing Hawks squad, but was unable to make the NBA All-Star Team.  

10 (Tie). LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, 162 Cup Points:  44 Games, 30.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 25.1 PER, 4.6 WS.  (#10 on last ranking)

How was your week?  LeBron is now the all-time leading scorer, and is still an elite performer who could put it forever out of reach.

Kevin Durant, now of the Phoenix Suns, has fallen off the top ten

Our next update will happen after the first player breaches 210 Cup Points.

Originally selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 1986 draft, Pat Hentgen embarked on a gradual progression through the minor leagues. He made a brief three-game appearance in late 1991 and established a versatile role, appearing in 28 games as a reliever during the historic 1992 World Championship season. Although he was not included on the 1992 postseason roster, the front office recognized his potential as a foundational player. When a spot in the rotation became available the following spring, Hentgen secured it with a determined, competitive spirit that would characterize the next decade of Toronto baseball.

Hentgen’s official breakout during the 1993 season was remarkable. Establishing a reputation for confidently challenging hitters with a robust, sinking fastball and a sharp curveball, he earned a place on the American League All-Star team in his very first summer as a full-time starting pitcher. He achieved an impressive 19–9 record during the regular season, serving as a key component of manager Cito Gaston's rotation. In addition to his outstanding win-loss record, advanced metrics and league voters extensively acknowledged his dominance during that period, resulting in the 24-year-old receiving a distinguished sixth-place ranking in the American League Cy Young Award voting. Unlike the previous autumn, Hentgen was a pivotal factor when October arrived, delivering a masterful six-inning performance to secure the critical Game 3 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies and contribute to Toronto's second consecutive World Series championship.

In the years that followed, the championship core fractured as high-profile veterans departed and the Blue Jays slid into a prolonged mid-1990s rebuild. Yet, Hentgen remained the immovable, local highlight of the entire organization. He beautifully validated his frontline status with a second consecutive All-Star nod during the strike-shortened 1994 campaign, eating up valuable volume while the roster transformed around him.

Everything culminated in his absolute professional masterpiece during the legendary 1996 season. Operating as the undisputed, old-school ace of a rebuilding squad, Hentgen put together an astonishing exhibition of durability. He led all of Major League Baseball by racking up a massive, volume-dense 265.2 innings pitched across 35 starts, throwing an incredible ten complete games and three shutouts. He paired that suffocating workload with a brilliant 20–10 record and 177 strikeouts to comfortably edge out Andy Pettitte for the 1996 American League Cy Young Award, while also claiming The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year honors.

He carried that precise momentum into the 1997 campaign, earning his third career All-Star selection while leading the major leagues yet again in complete games (9), shutouts (3), and total batters faced (1,114). The sheer physical toll of those massive, back-to-back workloads eventually caught up to him over the next two summers, as his efficiency dipped and the front office ultimately traded the veteran workhorse to the St. Louis Cardinals in November 1999. Following successful interleague detours that included an All-Star comeback with Baltimore, Hentgen beautifully returned to Toronto in 2004 to pitch one final, emotional season before officially retiring in a Blue Jays uniform.

His numbers in Toronto showed a 107–85 record, a 4.28 ERA, and 1,028 strikeouts across 307 games. In 2016, he was deservedly enshrined in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Looking at the early days of the Toronto Blue Jays’ rise in competitiveness, it's tempting to think of their exciting, heavy-hitting offenses. However, the true foundation of their journey from an expansion team to a force in the American League was actually built on the quiet strength of a humble, steady left-hander from Alabama. Jimmy Key didn't need a blazing fastball or dramatic mound antics; he simply outsmarted major-league hitters with careful precision, perfect control, and remarkable mental calmness. He started in 1984 as a flexible rookie reliever, earning ten saves, but the team quickly saw his real potential as a starting pitcher. When he moved into the full-time rotation the next spring, Key became the quietly reliable, highly effective cornerstone of the entire organization.

Key’s emergence as a key front-line pitcher became clear during the groundbreaking 1985 season. In his first summer as a regular starter, the southpaw baffled American League hitters to a 14–6 record, earning his first All-Star selection and leading the Blue Jays to their first-ever American League East division pennant. This breakthrough put him in the spotlight, but his true masterpiece came in the legendary 1987 season. Relying on a devastating slider and a sinking fastball that caused endless weak contact, Key dominated the Junior Circuit. He won the American League ERA Title with a low 2.76 and posted a league-leading 1.057 WHIP, finishing with a solid 17–8 record to place second in the AL Cy Young Award voting and earning The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year honor.

After his outstanding 1987 season, Key had to demonstrate his strong competitive spirit rather than just rely on his usual efficiency. In May 1988, an elbow injury threatened his progress, leading to arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips. Although he was sidelined for ten weeks, Key made a quick comeback by adjusting his pitching style to overcome any lingering discomfort. He finished the season with an impressive 12–5 record, providing stability for a pitching staff in dire need of his workload.

By 1989, Key pitched a total of 216 innings over 33 starts, securing 13 wins and acting as the steadying force that helped lead the team to the postseason. While players like Dave Stieb made headlines nationally, Key stayed focused on his performance, leading to a personal best of 16 wins in 1990 and anchoring the rotation for a team that was actively building a championship-ready roster.

That consistent development led to a standout 1991 season. With the Midsummer Classic hosted in Toronto, Key achieved his second All-Star nod and was the winning pitcher in the 1991 All-Star Game, played before his home crowd at the newly opened SkyDome. Although Key’s regular-season contributions provided essential stability, his most significant moment came in October 1992. In his last games with the team, he pitched an exceptional Game 4 and secured an important relief win in the 11th inning of Game 6 against Atlanta, giving Toronto its first-ever world championship banner.

Following his 1992 Fall Classic victory, Key entered free agency and signed a four-year deal with the Yankees, maintaining his elite performance with two All-Star selections, a league-leading 17 wins in 1994, and another World Series title in 1996. He finished his 15-year career with the Orioles. His nine-year Toronto stint included a 116–81 record, 3.42 ERA, and 944 strikeouts over 317 appearances.

Having discovered and signed out of the renowned shortstop sanctuary of San Pedro de Macorís, Tony Fernandez arrived in Toronto as a slender, highly agile adolescent, destined to redefine the position for an ascending franchise. Making his Major League debut in late 1983, he spent a year in a part-time capacity before definitively assuming the everyday shortstop role in 1985. His timing was impeccable; his first full season at the helm coincided directly with the Blue Jays’ historic breakthrough to their first American League East division title, thereby immediately establishing him as a central figure in the team's transformation from an expansion underdog to a legitimate powerhouse.

From 1985 to 1988, Fernandez established a distinguished period of shortstop performance that garnered the attention of the entire baseball community, earning him consistent votes for the American League Most Valuable Player award. He exemplified exceptional consistency at the plate, achieving at least 160 hits and maintaining a batting average well above .280 in each of those four consecutive seasons. Notably, his 1986 season was extraordinary, during which he recorded a career-high 213 hits—a record for a shortstop in Major League Baseball at that time. His distinctive, low-hand stance and highly disciplined approach rendered him a formidable challenge for opposing pitchers seeking to complete innings.

Although his batting was impressive, it was his defensive prowess on the artificial turf of Exhibition Stadium that elevated his status to that of an icon. Equipped with exceptional flexibility and a unique, sidearm flick throwing motion, Fernandez demonstrated an extraordinary range that enabled him to field ground balls deep in the hole and execute throws across his body with ease. This exceptional defensive skill earned him four consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1986 to 1989, marking him as the first infielder in Blue Jays history to receive this accolade and supporting a sophisticated defensive strategy that contributed significantly to the success of Toronto's pitching staff.

Fernandez, a three-time All-Star during his initial tenure in Canada, was reluctantly transferred to San Diego following the 1990 season in a major trade intended to reacquire Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter. Nonetheless, his career remained profoundly connected to Ontario. In June 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays orchestrated a mid-season trade to reinstate their cherished shortstop for the final stages of the season. Fernandez responded positively by batting .306 during the concluding period and delivered an exceptional performance in the 1993 World Series, where he set a shortstop record with nine runs batted in, culminating in his first championship victory.

The later stages of his career turned into a nomadic journey through Cincinnati, New York, and Cleveland, but the pull of the True North always brought him back. Fernandez returned for a third stint in 1998, defying Father Time by batting a brilliant .321, followed by a sizzling .328 mark in 1999 that earned him his fifth and final career All-Star appearance. After a brief foray into Japanese baseball, he came full circle in 2001, returning to Toronto one last time to finish his 17-year major league journey exactly where it began, wearing his iconic number 1 uniform.

The Infielder compiled 1,583 Hits, 172 Stolen Bases, and a .297 Batting Average as a Blue Jay and would later be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Fernandez is also a member of the Blue Jays Level of Excellence.