I didn't really base mine off skill, but rather listed people who I respect because of their general disposition. In no particular order:
Tydeus - Knows pretty much everything there is to know about game mechanics. I'm not entirely sure how he does.
Sherben - stuck with dfc through the thick and the thin.
LUBU - One of the nicest players I know, and one of my favorite players to watch fight. Those damn spins.
Rhuell - ...zebras... Also one of the favorite guys to hang out with in-game and in TS.
Dexxtaa - the turquoise monster. What can I say, good admin, good guy in TS, good player.
Mano - Whipped my ass fairly regularly when I first started playing (and continues to do so), but generally a laid back guy.
Marcus - one of those people who's just fun to play with & talk to.
Johnny - a little excitable, but plays on NA ping just to hang out with his friends (and still a damn good player).
Meow - Probably the most helpful dev on TS, at least during the hours I'm on. Plus he's a cool dude.
Shik - Seems like a nice guy, but his single man conquests in strat are the stuff of legend.
Okin - Also active and helpful on TS, I think I did a really convoluted trade with him one time or something, and he was pretty patient about it.
Tanken - Really seems to have done a lot to make KUTT into a force to be reckoned with, both through recruiting and tactical play.
Doom - Hates ace-cuses as much as I do. Another one of those guys who chose his friends over his ping.
I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting at the moment.