It’s never been harder to make an All-NBA team.
Talent across the league is more stockpiled than ever. The players are marking historic lines and scoring outbursts. Today there is an extraordinary level of skill that continues to increase.
That makes selecting the 15 best players in the NBA a nearly impossible task. There will be snubs and plenty of new faces from last year’s nominees.
Many of the players who would have been considered for this list are not eligible due to the award’s new 65-game minimum requirement. That includes Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, Jimmy Butler, Jamal Murray and Kyrie Irving, among others.
The other major rule change to note is that All-NBA awards are now positionless. If voters want to select 15 point guards for the three teams, the NBA will allow it.
This is a true top 15 list, with no undeserving players.
NBA First Team Picks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Luka Doncic
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Jayson Tatum
- Nikola Jokic
Gilgeous-Alexander, Doncic, Antetokounmpo and Jokic have been head and shoulders above the rest of the field this season. They should be on every MVP ballot in some order.
Jokic has already proven that he is the best player in the league during last year’s championship. He is an unstoppable scorer thanks to a historically great touch on his floater. He’s also Denver’s best passer and a cheat code when games get tough down the stretch. He should be in line for his third MVP.
SGA is the main driver of the league, with tight control and excellent mid-range play. He has also become an excellent defender. The Thunder, who are the second-youngest team in the league, are way ahead of schedule thanks to him.
Doncic is truly impossible to defend. As a one-on-one scorer with an improved step back jumper, will destroy teams if they don’t bring in help, like he did by torching the Hawks by 73 points. He will also destroy double teams with precision passing.
Tatum completes fifth place. He has kept up his scoring volume, played solid defense and been the best player on the best team during the regular season.
All-NBA Second Team Selections
- Antonio Edwards
- Jalen Brunson
- Kawhi Leonard
- Kevin Durant
- Anthony Davis
The Timberwolves’ meteoric rise up the standings, from a 42-win team last season to a 50-plus win team this season, couldn’t have been possible without a leap from their star player Edwards. Along with his obviously prodigious scoring, he has wanted every difficult task late in games and stepped up when it matters.
Brunson has led the Knicks through a difficult year, taking over offensive possessions while they were shorthanded and dealing with intense defensive pressure. No one in the league has a deeper pocket than him. He sacrifices his body constantly in defense, classifying second in charges filed.
Leonard is back in form on both ends of the floor. The Claw has once again snatched the ball away from hapless opponents. He was in relatively good health and had one of his best years shooting the ball, making over 40 percent of his three-pointers.
Davis has been one of the top five defenders in the league this season, blocking 2.4 shots per game and switching all over the court. He has been one of the most efficient players on offense, grabbing 3.1 offensive rebounds per game and shooting a fantastic 55.4 percent from the field.
Don’t discount how special Durant still is at 35 years old. His 27.4 points per game fifth place in the league. He’s also one of the best 3-point shooters, hitting 41.8 percent from deep. He has even maintained his good defense and weakside rim protection.
All-NBA Third Team Selections
- Stephen Curry
- Tyrese Haliburton
- De’Aaron Fox
- Lebron James
- Victor Wembanyama
Curry hasn’t been as good as he was last season. His scoring, shooting and passing have all gone down a little bit. He remains one of the most impactful players in the league and the guy you want with the ball at the end of games. He has a good chance of winning the Clutch Player of the Year award.
Haliburton will be harmed by recency bias. The first half of his year was much stronger than the second half. He’s been missing Buddy Hield and a nagging hamstring injury has slowed him down, but don’t forget he was a top-10 player when he was healthy. His pull-up, his speed and his passing are special.
The Kings need to add a player to this list. Sabonis was one of the harsher snubs, but Fox gets the nod instead. The reliable point guard has improved in all facets of his game, including a much better 36.5 percent on 3-pointers to complement his blazing speed.
It’s surprising that LeBron is still so effective at the age of 39. It’s true that he now chooses his spots during games. When he improves, he is still capable of defending at an elite level and will always create an incredible shot for an offense.
Wembanyama might be a controversial pick given how bad Spurs are, but he earned it based on his individual play. He has been in the conversation for the best defender in the league and had tremendous offensive production per minute. He has done things that no one else would even dream of every night. The rookie completes my top 15.
All-NBA Final Vote
| First team | Second team | Third team |
|---|---|---|
| Luka Doncic | Jalen Brunson | Tyrese Haliburton |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Antonio Edwards | Stephen Curry |
| Jayson Tatum | Kawhi Leonard | De’Aaron Fox |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Kevin Durant | Lebron James |
| Nikola Jokic | Anthony Davis | Victor Wembanyama |
The biggest slights: Devin Booker, Domantas Sabonis, Paul George, Jaylen Brown, Bam Adebayo, Rudy Gobert, Tyrese Maxey, Kristaps Porzingis, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, DeMar DeRozan, Damian Lillard
