Best NBA players right now

Time for more sports, yay! Primarily, the only sport that I watch or care about at all. With the NBA and Olympics being completely wrapped up now, and with the next season about two months away still I wanted to look back and see who the best players currently in the league are. Suffice to say, it’s hard to truly quantify any of this, so this is all my own personal opinion and you can think whatever you would like.

10. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

It’s hard to deny the ascension of Edwards over the last couple years. Garnering his first All-Star selection in the 2022-23 season and following it up by being named to the All-NBA Second Team this last season, he capped it off with an outstanding playoff run where he brought the Timberwolves to the Conference Finals for only the second time in the history of the team. While a lot of it can be attributed to the defense that was brought along with a new system, and the best defender in the NBA in Rudy Gobert, you need a true star to get to that next level. With each season, Edwards is proving himself to be cut from that mold. With his combination of on-ball scoring moves and efficiency, along with his defensive prowess that has been improving every season, he seems to be inching closer and closer to those Jordan comparisons each year. The athleticism is perfect for producing a highlight or two every single game, and he really knows how to leverage it to give himself the best possible scoring opportunity on a large majority of possessions. While his playmaking could stand to improve a little bit still, as he will occasionally get tunnel vision and display his relative lack of quick decision making, he projects to be one of the top players in the NBA for many years to come, and a face of the league that will be promoted endlessly.

9. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

To be completely honest, if it was not for this past Olympics run, Anthony Davis would have made it onto this list in place of LeBron James. But the way he was still able to completely take over games in the group stage and knockout stage, it is undeniable that when James is on, he is still one of the greatest on the planet. While his defense in the regular season has tapered off drastically from his peak in the Miami days, where he was arguably worthy of a DPOY, he can still control a game completely on the offensive end with his top-tier creation. With the increase of his 3pt percentage to a career-high 41% on five attempts, he has opened up his elite driving and finishing game more than ever. While his athleticism has declined since his peak, it has not stopped him from having godly finishing eras, converting at an elite 73% in the restricted area over his 21st season. You can’t overstate his passing skills, either. One of the greatest playmakers in the history of the game, the way he sees the floor is something that will likely never fall off, no matter how long he sticks around in the league. The way he is able to manipulate the defense with only a single look to an open cutter is the thing of beauty, and always makes me think of his gorgeous no-look pass to Ante Žižić in 2018. While the Lakers overall fared poorly over the season, it is hard to blame any of that on James, who had a stellar season on his way to All-NBA honors, where he willed the Lakers to the playoffs. Only so much he can really do when he gets matched up against the defending champs, though.

8. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

I don’t think anyone could have expected Brunson becoming a top-10 player when he signed with the Knicks for what is now viewed as a felony-level steal of a contract. Leaving the Mavericks on a four-year, $104m deal to go to the Big Apple, he is now coming off a season where he averaged career highs in both points per game and assists per game, while being named to both the All-Star Game and the All-NBA Second Team. And somehow, this isn’t even the best part. In the 2024 playoffs, he became only the fourth player to score 40+ in four consecutive playoff games, something not done since Michael Jordan in 1993. And he is doing all of this while standing at just 6’2” as the shortest player on this list, barely beating out the next player. His playmaking, while not the strongest part of his game, is strong enough to get his teammates involved and find the best shot possible when the other team inevitably throws a double team at him. While his stature will always prevent him from being a stellar defender, something he has struggled at even disregarding his physicals, the way he is able to will his teams to a win is something that we have to admire and respect, and that winning attitude has vaulted him up in the NBA. Even with an incredibly hobbled team, he was able to push his team to a Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs, which is worth respecting greatly. I am incredibly excited to see what he can do with a full-strength team, featuring a newly acquired Mikal Bridges, and I truly believe he is a good enough player to lead a team to a championship.

7. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

What is there to say about the Skyfucker that hasn’t been said a billion times already? The way that he bends a defense just by flying off of endless screens is the thing of beauty. His insane off-ball gravity gives him a layer of playmaking that probably no one else has, where he doesn’t even need to look towards the ball to create an open shot. Don’t even get me started on his shooting; is there any one skill in the NBA that is so greatly dominated by one player? For scoring, you could name a Michael Jordan, a Kevin Durant, a Wilt and have an argument. Rebounding you have Wilt and Bill Russell, along with players like Dennis Rodman and Moses Malone. Interior defense? Bill Russell and Tim Duncan and Hakeem. But for shooting, who can you really argue over Steph? Sure, Ray Allen and Reggie Miller may have blazed the trail for what Steph is able to do, but there is really no argument for them being over him. The volume, the efficiency, the impact on the game is undeniable. Steph has completely changed the way that the game is played nowadays, ushering in a new era with the three-point revolution and altering how everyone is building their teams. He can let it go from any place on the floor, and has shown to be one of the few little guys in NBA history who can truly lead a team to a ring (not to discount the other contributors to the Warriors dynasty). Even his defense, which was previously lackluster, has greatly improved to where he is likely a slight positive when he is on the court. And while he is known to throw some pretty crazy passes that lead to sloppy turnovers, he is still a pretty strong on-ball playmaker when he is given the opportunity. His team this last year was a shade worse than a disappointment to say the least, but there is only so much one man can do on his own when everyone around him is imploding. 

6. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

I see that a lot of people are down on Tatum following his Finals performance and his lack of playing time and shooting capability in the Olympics, and I understand. I don’t necessarily agree with all of it, but I get it. From the outside, if Tatum isn’t hitting his shots as an offensively-minded player, what does he provide? His assists, steals and blocks don’t stand out on the stat sheet most of the time, with only his points popping out a majority of the time, but the stats don’t tell the whole story. Not even close, when it comes to the newly-crowned champion and two-time gold medalist. His value lies in his adaptability, his swiss army knife-like nature. Sure, his shooting has taken a big fall since the beginning of the NBA playoffs, but he is still a significant positive on the offensive end. He brings a strong amount of playmaking that does not show in his assists count, purely due to the amount of secondary playmakers that he has on his team. According to nba.com for the playoffs, he sits right outside of the top-20 in secondary assists (also known as hockey assists), and his potential assists is comfortably within the top-20, generating 10.1 potential assists per game as well. He also sported his best assist percentage AND ratio of his career this past season. And when his shot is going down, he becomes one of the premier creators in the league, still getting his own 27 points per game, while still providing stellar defense and being an underrated rebounder that is victim to a team scheme that spreads them around evenly. He is one of the most switchable players in the league, having the foot speed to keep up with smaller guards, and the strength and verticality to hold his own against plenty of centers in the league. That latter skill is what made the Mavericks so much more exploitable in the Finals, with Tatum’s ability to break up lobs completely trumping one of the most efficient plays for star player Luka Doncic. Without being ball-dominant, he has managed to become a player capable of almost anything you ask of him, and has finally climbed that final hurdle by proving he is able to be the best player on a championship team. 

5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Please do not assume that there is any bias in play. While he may be from the same country I am, and the same city as a matter of fact, this list is (almost) entirely based on objective facts that have formed my opinions. Shai has catapulted from being a promising young role player in his rookie year, to a second option on a playoff team in his second, to blossoming into a full-blown megastar upon being handed the reins to the Oklahoma City Thunder. With his herky-jerky style that probes and pokes a defense endlessly, he is able to generate an outstanding shot for him or a teammate probably 95 percent of the time. Even some of the greatest perimeter defenders in the league currently, the Herb Jones and the Jrue Holidays of the NBA, can’t do a whole lot anymore to stop him. His scoring is out of this world, using an array of spins, pump fakes, stutter steps and whatever else you can think of to get to his spot, or draw a foul and get easy points at the line (where he is a career 85% shooter). Averaging over 30 points per game in both of the last two seasons, he lives in that mid-range area for most of the game, but give him too much space and he is liable to pull up from 3 as well, where he has gotten up to a respectable 35%. The scoring overshadows his playmaking drastically, but he is one of the best creators of open shots due to his gravity when going up against a solo defender. When looking at potential assists per game in the playoffs, he lies behind four of the greatest playmakers in the NBA, with only Jokic, Tyrese Haliburton, LeBron, and Luka generating more possible shots for his teammates each match. While he may have only averaged just over 6 assists per game, he balanced that out with an outstanding 2.2 turnovers, his lowest since his sophomore season. His defense is nothing to sneeze at either, playing excellent man defense while playing strongly within the team’s defensive scheme. Generating 2 steals per game this past season, he is creating easy transition opportunities for a young team that has better legs than anyone else in the league. With his play on both sides of the ball, and his ability to carry the Thunder to the first seed after just having been out of the playoffs the previous season, he has done more than enough to earn a place as one of the greatest players in the league, and looks to be that way for many years to come. 

4. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

I would like to open this by saying that I am one of the biggest Embiid haters you will find. As a Raptors fan, this man has caused unspeakable pain to me, as well as being there for some of the best moments in the history of the franchise. The way he plays is so aesthetically unpleasing, and for the life of me I cannot figure out what he was doing on that Olympics team. He is historically a playoff dropper, and he injured my favorite role player (when they were on the same team, nonetheless). And yet, I cannot for the life of me place him any lower than this on a list of this sort. Sure, he sucks to watch, but damn if it does not work. Coming off of what projected to be a career season before being derailed by injuries, coming off of an MVP too, he was looking like undeniably the greatest player on the planet. His scoring arsenal has kept growing every season, being able to score efficiently from every spot on the court, and his ability to draw a foul damn near everytime he goes to the paint is a smart, albeit annoying as fuck, strategy. Nearly leading the league in scoring over the last three seasons (only prevented by being injured), you can’t do a whole lot to stop him from getting his. And with his improved passing this season, averaging a career-high 5.6 assists per game, you can’t send doubles at him nearly as much as you used to be able to. By finding a way to punish teams for whatever they decide to do, he has become one of the most unstoppable players on offense… in the regular season. Historically, his scoring has dropped significantly through his career when he makes it to the playoffs, featuring an even larger dropoff when the fourth quarter comes around. Averaging a paltry 5.3 points per game in the fourth quarter of playoff games, on only 41 percent shooting, he has yet to prove that he could carry a team to the next level, despite his offensive gifts. Now thankfully, not every part of his game drops off when the games get tighter. His defense is one of the most underrated parts of his game, despite him having multiple All-Defensive selections. He protects the rim with the best of them, and is able to shut down the lane completely to people attempting to generate easy points at the rim. While he is not the most mobile when being brought out to the perimeter, he can hold his own on occasion when not being put up against the quickest players in the league. While I am here, one more dig at him; this man cannot stay healthy or conditioned for the life of him. A large part of his playoff woes lies in the fact that, whenever he makes it to the playoffs, he either cannot stay healthy enough to impact the game as much as he can in the regular season, or his conditioning lets him down in the more grinding games of the postseason, explaining his drastic fourth-quarter drop. Despite all of these shortcomings, I can’t really look past his polished offensive game and his dominant paint defense, and he still lands quite high on my list. 

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

While his team may have let him down this past season, how much of that can you really put on Giannis? The two-time MVP somehow managed to put in his best season this past year, being named to his sixth consecutive All-NBA First Team and managing to carry an old ass team to a high seed. While you may chalk some of that credit up to the addition of Damian Lillard, you would be wrong as he had his most underwhelming, and quite frankly worst, season since 2015-16. Giannis was thrown out on the floor with a bunch of geriatric patients that are showing their age more with each passing season, and he is showing out every single night. Averaging 30 points per night, on a disgustingly efficient 61 percent from the field, Giannis has taken the archetype of “run-and-dunk man” to its absolute limits. While he is rightfully docked points in many people’s books for his lack of shooting range, that has not done a whole lot to prevent him from hitting the highest peaks possible for a player, proving himself capable of being the far and away best player on a championship team. It just breaks my heart that he is not able to get the right team, or even the right staff, placed around him anymore to make that happen again. He is still bringing DPOY-level defense to the table every night, even with the dropoff in defensive capability surrounding him, and is able to set the table for his teammates every night as well. Averaging an outstanding 12.9 potential assists per game in the regular season, good for 11th in the league, he is exerting an incredible amount of energy on both sides of the ball day in and day out, and has become a bit of an underrated player in the process (sounds ridiculous, but hear me out). The fact that he wasn’t ever really in MVP talks over this past season is ridiculous to me, with people somehow blaming him for the organization hiring shitty coaches and trading the perfect complementary player in Jrue Holiday for an aging, past his prime superstar that does not fit in the team’s proven scheme. Despite being the outright best two-way player in the NBA, he does not get the love from the media or some of the fans that I believe he deserves for doing everything he is able to every single game.

2. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Honestly, this top 3 could be organized in any way and I would not judge you. I see all three of these players to be a good head above the rest of the competition, and I can’t really see anyone else challenging them for a good few years. The boy wonder, Luka Magic himself, has cemented himself since his second season as one of the best players in the NBA, and has managed to figure out how to improve year by year after reaching such a ridiculous high so early. His virtuosic playmaking, second to only the best player in the league in my opinion, warps defenses and creates mindfucks of assists pretty much every single game. He can see angles and paths for his passes that have not even registered for most people till a few seconds after the pass has been made. He can enhance the play of any player around him, requiring only some defense around him in order to construct a strong team. For god’s sake, he managed to make Dwight Powell a viable starting center for a period somehow. The magic of Luka’s game is harder to explain than it is to just sit and watch, the way he is able to completely bend a defense to his will and do whatever he wants. Leading the league in scoring for the first time this past season (and surely not the last), he is able to score as efficiently as the best of them from all parts of the floor on any defender you throw at him, and there’s not point in double-teaming him either or he will manage to teleport the ball to whoever you have left open. Sure, his defense is lackluster at best. He misses rotations at times, and gets blown by more often than you would like due to his slow feet. His defensive rebounding, however, is outstanding for a guard due to his strength and positioning, and he is on constant triple-double watch. He is an offensive powerhouse of the James Harden mold, but on crack. It’s scary to think that he is still only 25 and can stand to improve even more, coming off of a Finals run for the first time for the Mavericks since their ring in 2011. We just have to hope that those improvements aren’t on defense, or the rest of the league pretty much stands no chance. 

1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Yeah, there was no other way this was gonna go. Despite the Nuggets flaming out early in the playoffs this past season, the three-time MVP did everything he could to will his team to the Finals for the second year in a row, despite an underwhelming Jamal Murray not doing a whole lot outside of two game winners in the first round. The combination of playmaking and scoring efficiency seen from Jokic is unparalleled in NBA history, and he has cemented himself as one of the greatest offensive powerhouses in the history of the league. Most of the attention for Jokic goes to his passing skills, and rightfully so, but I want to discuss his scoring a little bit. The unlimited post moves that he has in his bag, having counter after counter to fool the best defenders completely out of their shoes half the time, prove him to be nearly unguardable in single coverage. This is where the tricky part comes from; if you can’t guard him with one man, you gotta send a double team, right? But then he’s just gonna burn you with a pass through endless traffic, landing the ball right in the pocket of one of the many shooters the Nuggets have had. So, how exactly do you guard that? It’s pretty simple in my eyes: you don’t. All you can really do is hope to get lucky that the shooters miss their shots, or that Jokic has an uncharacteristic miss in the most efficient area of the court. With an outstanding 14.9 potential assists per game in the regular season, it seems that most teams are choosing the first option of those two, but it does not work all that well most of the time. His ability to dismantle an opposing team is a thing of beauty to see in action, and his combination of size, height, and passing vision allow him to make passes nobody else in the league is able to see. Even his defense has gotten better as the years go by. While he has gotten a reputation as being below-average, his smart positioning and active hands have elevated him to being slightly above average, despite not being a traditional rim-protecting center. Pair this with smart defenders on the wing and backcourt, such as Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and his defense is not the issue that most think it would be. There’s really not a whole lotta holes in his game at this point in his career, and he stands to run the league with his wholly unique and entertaining playstyle for years to come.