Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Throughout the 2022–23 season, there were times when Booker was in a league of his own. This included scoring just 58 points in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans in December. In the playoffs, he later averaged a league-best 33.7 points on 59% shooting. Despite Phoenix’s second consecutive season of losing in the conference semifinals, it appears that Booker has found the ideal match in Kevin Durant. The two are a great compliment to one another. In 2023–2024, Booker should have more room to work with the addition of Bradley Beal.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
If the Greek Freak had not been battling injuries, we have no idea how Milwaukee’s NBA Playoff run would have gone. We do know that during the previous half-dozen years, Antetokounmpo, 28, has been the most dominant player in the NBA. Giannis has averaged 28.8 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists over that time. During the same time period, the player also earned two NBA MVP honors, the NBA Finals MVP, five selections to the All-NBA Defensive Team, and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He is also just starting to reach his prime.
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Tatum had his hallmark moment this past spring, despite Boston losing in the Eastern Conference Finals. In a series-clinching Game 7 victory over the despised Philadelphia 76ers in the conference playoffs, the former Duke star scored 51 points. This was the cherry on top of a season in which the 25-year-old Tatum averaged 30.1 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 47% from the field. Tatum will soon receive a $318 million deal from the Celtics as a result of this. He deserves that Brinks truck, that much is true.
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
In terms of statistics, Embiid, the current NBA MVP, was unmatched in 2022–23. For the second week in a row, he ranked first in the league in scoring (33.1 PPG). 20% of his games had 40 points or more as the final score. He added 30 more points, or in 65% of his games. We haven’t seen a big man as dominant in that area of the game since Wilt Chamberlain.
It also helps that Embiid recorded 3.9 defensive win shares and a.587 effective field goal percentage. Did we also mention that he made 55% of his shots and averaged 4.2 assists per game? That was the case last season, yes.
Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
Age is catching up to Durant, like it has to some other celebrities on this list. We are primarily discussing availability. Since the conclusion of Golden State’s 2018–19 season, the two-time NBA Finals MVP has participated in 137 games overall. However, KD continues to be an Easy Money Sniper when he is on the court. For Phoenix in the postseason, Durant averaged 29.0 points and 8.7 rebounds. Given that he joined the Suns in a sensational trade from Brooklyn and only appeared in eight regular-season games with them, it is absurd to observe.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
It’s absurd to consider James turning 39 in December. He is of an age to have fathered some of the top NBA players of the present. Watching one of the all-time GOATS play this past season would make you believe otherwise. Still, King James had a game average of 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists. Yes, his advancing years have caused a regression in his outside shooting and defensive play. However, that is expected. Simply put, as the four-time champion approaches 40, James keeps playing at a high level that bends the fabric of space-time and any type of objective truth. It is extraterrestrial.
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Doncic, who is only 24 years old, has the best five-year start of any player in NBA history. That is not exaggeration. Throughout his career, El Matador has averaged 27.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists. Doncic lost 50 or more points four times during the previous season alone. This included a triple-double in December against the New York Knicks with 60 points and 21 rebounds. Doncic is on his way to becoming one of the all-time greats, regardless of whether he is currently among the best NBA players.
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (best NBA player)
There isn’t much debate among his peers about Jokic’s reputation as a two-time NBA MVP and the current NBA Finals MVP. During the Nuggets’ run to the championship, Jokic averaged a nearly triple-double (30.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 9.5 APG) while shooting 55% from the floor and 46% from three-point range. This happened after Jokic was two-tenths of an assist short of averaging a triple-double throughout the regular season. Additionally, he had a higher win share total than both LeBron James and Stephen Curry put together. That is just crazy.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, guard, Oklahoma City Thunder
SGA would have been a legitimate NBA MVP candidate if OKC had fared better as a team last season. He was acquired from the Clippers in the historic Paul George trade in 2019 and has since developed into a top-tier all-around talent. Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points on 51% shooting, and he also recorded a victory share of 11.4 for the season. To put that in context, said figure was higher than Stephen Curry (7.8) and Luka Doncic (10.2).
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Curry entered the 2022–23 season as our greatest NBA player. He didn’t do anything to lose that championship, but in this version, others simply outperformed him in terms of speed. Even then, the four-time NBA champion averaged 29.4 points per game, which was his third-best scoring season. Additionally, he made an impressive 43% of his three-point attempts and had a.614 effective field goal percentage. Just absurd for a guard who is 35 years old and still looks and plays like he’s in his prime. We’re interested to watch how he does alongside Chris Paul, a 12-time All-Star, as his new jogging partner.
