Why is there so much attention paid to being a top 10 player in the NBA? When you think about it, the honor means nothing. There is no official award for being one of the ten best. It’s mostly about clout, respect, and bragging rights. It’s also a helpful tactic in arguments. “Oh, he’s not just top 10, he’s top 5!”
In reality, those arguments are silly. Who can really tell the difference between the 10th-best player and the 11th-best player? For that matter, how can we really decide who the best and second-best player is? But it is inevitable to end up discussing who is the best in the league, especially with a new season around the corner.
In trying to pinpoint where players land in the hierarchy, I tried the best way to measure their impact. Basically, I assigned point values to each player in categories. Scoring, passing, and durability were some of the factors, but some consideration was given to things like playoff resumes and age. All of this hopefully gives a picture of the margins that separate who is considered to be in these top 10 conversations.
Top 10 Players Ranked:
1.) Nikola Jokic – (C) Denver Nuggets
Three of the last four MVP’s have gone to Nikola Jokic. No, that is not because he is a statistics darling like many will complain about, but because his value is so clearly unmatched. The Denver Nuggets without Jokic wouldn’t just be worse; they would likely be at the bottom of the Western Conference. We’ve seen him drag less talented rosters to playoff births, and last year, he nearly ran through the Western Conference while his team was reeling from a grueling title defense.
Last season, Nikola Jokić was named the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player for the third time. In 2024-25, he has a chance to become the sixth player to win four or more MVPs.
Jokić and the @nuggets tip off their season on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 10 p.m. ET on @NBAonTNT when they host… pic.twitter.com/1b9I41rQ9w
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) October 18, 2024
As the best scorer, rebounder, passer, and, yes, at times, defender, Jokic firmly holds the mantle as the NBA’s best. Clearly, there will be some voter fatigue this season in regard to MVP voting. However, nothing can diminish what Jokic does nightly for the Nuggets. Until there is a steep decline in production or a durability question pops up, Jokic holds the title as the NBA’s best.
2.) Giannis Antetokounmpo – (F) Milwaukee Bucks
The forgotten one in this discussion. It’s been no secret the disappointments of the last two seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo has faced the brunt of it as the team’s best player. However, some re-evaluation of the Bucks’ issues isn’t really Giannis-related. He’s been consistent in his production, but what has waned is his durability. Who knows what their outcome would have been if he played in round one against the Pacers?
The great thing about Giannis is how much he wants to compete. The obstacle for Giannis is that the Bucks core around him has been depleted over recent seasons. Since the 2022 playoffs, Giannis’ greatness hasn’t been enough to pull the Bucks back to the top. That being said, as the best two-way player in the NBA, Giannis’s teams will never be bad, and there are plenty of things to motivate him this year to get back to the top of the league. Expect him to challenge anyone in his way.
3.) Luka Doncic – (F) Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic had his coming out party last season. That’s crazy to say after he has made four 1st-Team All-NBAs up to that point. But it’s true when you consider just how effective Doncic was last year. From the All-Star break through three rounds in the postseason, no one was orchestrating an offense better than Doncic.
For anyone wondering how Luka is so effective, think about what he does. At 6-feet-7-inches, he is too big for guards to match up with, and his ball handling makes him hard work even for elite wing defenders. His shooting off the dribble allows him to pick on whatever matchup he likes or drive and kick to open shooters when the defense collapses on him. Basically, he can dictate the pace, spacing, and movement every time he goes down the floor. His play in rounds 1-3 of the playoffs was a masterclass of big-time shotmaking. Plenty say that style of play is unsustainable in the quest for a title, but outside of the Celtics, no teams were able to solve it.
4.) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – (G) Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander caught many people by surprise two years ago when he averaged 31.4 points for a young Oklahoma City Thunder team that just barely made the playoffs. He took an ever greater leap last season, leading the Thunder to the number one seed in the West. For a 25-year-old, his playstyle is already refined. He can get anywhere, score from anywhere, and turn around on the defensive end and be an elite perimeter hound. Right now, he is the best guard in the NBA.
What should be scary for other teas is there’s also room for him to get even better. Sam Presti has done a fantastic job of adding players who not only complement SGA but can also make his life easier. His usage will still be high because of his efficiency, but there could be different opportunities this season. Even though he is so lethal as a ball handler, with the scoring options they have at their disposal, SGA could receive more open looks, especially behind the three-point line.
5.) Joel Embiid – (C) Philadelphia 76ers
No one, and I mean no, can question how good of a player Joel Embiid is. Like Jokic, his impact as a center is higher than almost every other player. Just by nature of being 7-foot-3-inch and having his offensive game, Embiid puts every defense on edge when he’s on the floor. He’s used his size to his advantage to force defenders (and officials!) into countless bad spots. When he plays, he is the best player on the floor. Unfortunately, that will forever be the story with Embiid when he plays.
The top 10 centers in Overall Gravity
1. Joel Embiid
2. Nikola Jokić
3. Anthony Davis
4. Alperen Sengun
5. Domantas Sabonis
6. Jaren Jackson Jr.
7. Kristaps Porziņģis
8. Naz Reid
9. Bam Adebayo
10. Victor Wembanyama— BBall Index (@The_BBall_Index) October 18, 2024
While on any given night, he is the most dominant force in the league, those nights are increasingly fleeting. That’s mostly why he can’t considered to be among the top three on this list. Durability is as crucial as it has ever been in the NBA. The hypotheticals for a healthy Embiid season could mean another MVP and a championship run.
6.) Jayson Tatum – (F) Boston Celtics
It used to be that the best player on a championship team was crowned as the proverbial best player in the world. The argument made sense for a long time. But as things have changed, as teams have gotten “Big Threes” or added multiple superstars, that narrative has shifted. It came true in 2024 when Jaylen Brown was named NBA Finals MVP over Jayson Tatum. Brown was a deserved winner, but there is no doubt that Tatum is the Boston Celtics’ best player. Many have tried to discredit Tatum’s ability for some of those very reasons. “Teams too good” is a common refrain.
It’s silly because the Celtics are built around Tatum. Just watch the defense when he has the ball. They want to stop him at all costs. Boston has added to their roster to make it so Tatum’s scoring burden is less, but he is still the orchestrator and the focal point. Tatum has had the luxury of being on good teams his entire career. He’s also gotten better ever since being selected third overall in 2017. There’s something to be said for that career arc, and at age 26, it’s fair to bet on Tatum getting better.
7.) Anthony Edwards – (G) Minnesota Timberwolves
No player has been more vocal about wanting to be the league’s best than Anthony Edwards. It takes a lot in this day and age not to have people turn on you with that sort of bravado, let alone the possible failure to meet those expectations. However, Edwards has taken whatever hurdles, criticism, and setbacks in stride on his way to becoming a top-10 player.
Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves young guard led his team to a Western Conference Finals appearance and set career highs across the board. The enthusiasm he brings on both ends is not only impactful, but it’s also a joy to watch. What will be interesting to see from him this season is how he handles mandates from teams to limit his production. Every star has to deal with defenses cracking down on them early on in their career. With how competitive Edwards is, we all know he will be excited for whatever challenges he faces this season.
8.) LeBron James – (F) Los Angeles Lakers
There might be better players, but LeBron James still firmly holds his place in the top 10. Not the athlete he used to be, LeBron is effective because he knows the most about how the game works. Thanks to his 20 years of NBA service, LeBron’s mind is his most useful weapon. Still, the 40-year-old can turn back the clock and dominate athletically for stretches.
How has LeBron James been able to stay healthy for 20+ years in the league?
Starting five is now playing. pic.twitter.com/ocLoxUBHiB
— Netflix (@netflix) October 12, 2024
That sort of greatness was on display over the summer in the Olympics, captaining the team of superstars to a gold medal. That’s been the story of James’s career. Around good to great NBA players, he can play any role and effortlessly impact the game. However, too often, his burden with his teams in Los Angeles has been too large. This shouldn’t diminish how good LeBron still is. For however long he continues to play, he will have the honor of setting an unrealistically high standard for players over 40.
9.) Stephen Curry – (G) Golden State Warriors
Another over 35-year-old all-time great keeping pace in the top 10. What’s remarkable about Stephen Curry’s career up until now is that a few seasons into it, it seemed unlikely he’d even play to age 35. The fact that he’s been able to stay as durable as he has, at his size and with his injury history, is something to marvel at. Curry’s Olympic moment against France he reminded everyone how his potent shooting can flip any game at any time. That has stayed with him and probably always will.
Curry’s shooting isn’t the only thing keeping him in the top 10. He has had to carry more of a responsibility as the orchestrator of the Golden State Warriors offense with Draymond Green‘s absences. He’s had to be more crafty as a scorer by going to the basket more than he had earlier in his career. There are some signs of his production waning as he enters his 16th season, but as long as he can clear the 40% shooting number from behind the three-point line, Curry will still have the biggest superpower in the game.
10.) Anthony Davis – (C) Los Angeles Lakers
There were a few options to consider with the last spot in the top 10. Players like Jalen Brunson and the duo for the Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, have strong cases to be made. When considering the total impact that I laid out at the beginning, Anthony Davis is a more than worthy pick. Davis is a tremendous two-way player. Last season, fans were fully able to appreciate that two-way ability because Davis was as healthy as he ever had been since coming to LA.
Anthony Davis, coming off a gold medal summer that followed career highs in rebounds and games played and nearly a career high in FG%, says he is coming into this season with the mentality of “being dominant every game” pic.twitter.com/ZDFrCAM5IL
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 20, 2024
Beyond his defense, Davis has carved out an offensive game that is less reliant on shooting from the outside or off-the-dribble jumpers. Utilizing his size and finesse around the rim, Davis shot a staggering 77.4% inside of three feet. Focusing his efforts on offense as a low post scorer and lob threat, Davis is usually going to make a high-percentage play.
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Matt Strout is an Editor for Back Sports Page. Matt studied Journalism and Sociology at Temple University for four years and graduated in May of 2022. While there, Matt wrote for multiple student and professional publications covering sports and the City of Philadelphia. Matt is originally from Maine and now resides in California. He has written content primarily for the NBA and PGA Tour. You can catch Matt frequently as a guest on the “Cut The Nets” podcast featured on the Back Sports Page network. When Matt is not writing, he enjoys cooking and playing golf. Follow Matt’s social media on Twitter @TheRealStrout or Instagram @matt_str.out96
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