I'm a belittled master of hyperbole, but I'm serious about this one: Today's NBA boasts the deepest talent pool in the history of the game. The list of legitimate stars is lengthier than ever before. With that in mind, it's friggin' impossible to rank them in order, but I'm gonna try. Here's my criteria:
1. With the exception of the unselfish, ball movement offenses of the Warriors and Spurs, most NBA teams rely on one-on-one play down the stretch of tight games. So, can this player use the drive/pass/shoot threat to effectively manipulate opposing defenses at crunchtime? Can this star lead his team to victory with controlled, high-percentage, high-IQ plays under pressure?
2. Does this player have a positive impact on the on-and-off court culture of his club? Basketball is a team game and rhythm sport, so a selfish star can spiral a team in the wrong direction. A good attitude is contagious. That's a cold you want to catch.
3. Is this player consistently healthy?
(I'm not even going to mention physical ability because that's a given on this list, right? Well, I guess I just mentioned it anyway.) All right, let's go...
THE NEXT WAVE (Not there yet)
Nikola Jokic, PF/C, Denver Nuggets: Almost carried the under-the-radar Nuggets to the 8th seed in the West. Head coach Mike Malone nearly crushed Jokic's confidence during the first half of the season -- constantly changing his rotation and neglecting to consider complementary skillsets -- but the second half was an entirely different story. Jusuf Nurkic was dealt to the Blazers, Malone handed the keys over to Jokic and it became his team. He's an extremely talented all-around performer, and the Nuggets know who their Guy is going forward.
Andrew Wiggins, SF, Minnesota Timberwolves: Averaged 23.6 points per game this season after 20.7 last year and 16.9 before that. He's developing rapidly as a scorer, but why can't he generate wins playing alongside the ultra-talented Karl-Anthony Towns? These young Wolves need to figure out the fourth quarter. I'm surprised Tom Thibodeau wasn't able to help in year one.
Hassan Whiteside, C, Miami Heat: Can be a dominant two-way monster in the paint when he's on his game. His issues are unnecessary fouls and various injuries. Will continue to develop into an elite big under the tutelage of Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra.
Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers: I cannot believe how good this kid was. We had heard the hype and background noise during a couple seasons lost to injury, but I never expected him to average 20.2 points per game in just 25 minutes per night as a rookie. Simply incredible! He's a seven-footer with a beautiful midrange stroke, who also stretches beyond the arc with shocking comfort. In the paint, he's a Mutombo-esque eraser. "The Process" is under way, and the end result could be a dominant NBA superstar.
HONORABLE MENTION
Paul Millsap, PF, Atlanta Hawks: The guy is just a pure professional. He's tough, gets the absolute most out of his limited athleticism and plays smart, technical basketball. Millsap is a reliable midrange shooter who can also hit threes, rebound on both ends and block shots when you least expect it. He's a winning player.
Kyle Lowry, PG, Toronto Raptors: Critics are tough on him because of his consistently disappointing postseason showings, but I think it's a matter of lacking the pure talent of the Russell Westbrook's, Chris Paul's and Kyrie Irving's of the world. Lowry puts up big numbers throughout the regular season because he always plays hard and leaves it all on the floor, but the playoffs aren't simply about that. Playing hard with some talent isn't enough to dominate in the NBA playoffs. Lowry is small and less gifted than the game's true superstars. However, like his predecessor Millsap, he gets the most out of his body and skillset. And you know what, people always seem to knock the Raptors, but they always end up in the playoffs, don't they? There's something to be said about the combined leadership of Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.
JOHNNY FRO'S TOP 25 NBA PLAYERS
I think Dame and head coach Terry Stotts deserve some credit for McCollum's astonishingly quick development from a lost reserve to one of the world's premier perimeter shooting assassins. Confidence is the name of the game for shooters, and McCollum clearly has teammates and coaches who implore him to shoot the rock when the ball touches his hands.
Just a random food-for-thought question...if you swapped Lowry and DeRozan for Lillard and McCollum, could the Raptors knock off the Cavs? Point being...reputation is a matter of circumstance. Statistical production in the NBA is also (often) a matter of circumstance. Lillard and McCollum are the backcourt of a back-end West playoff team, a reality that turns them into afterthoughts on "best" lists. In a vacuum, I'd take Lillard and McCollum over DeRozan and Lowry, even though the latter pair consistently earns a higher seed in the postseason.
24. Mike Conley, PG, Grizzlies: Just a consummate all-around pro. Can dribble, drive and finish effectively with both hands, which makes him a constant headache for opposing defenses. Conley is quick, a solid perimeter shooter and savvy defensive player. He's the engine that makes the Grizz go; unfortunately, they are never talented enough to get over the hump in the playoffs. Nevertheless, Conley is one of those talented class acts that any team would welcome in a heartbeat. He leads by example, as well.
As far as Hayward's game, I think he lost a bit of his identity this season with George Hill running the point. Hill is an unselfish passer and wonderful teammate, but the sheer fact that he handles the ball has tinkered with Hayward's offensive game. In preceding seasons, Utah's lack of a quality point guard forced Hayward to handle the ball more, which in turn expanded his offensive repertoire. Many guards/swingmen produce better with the ball in their hands, which is why I wonder if Hayward could stomach Isaiah's ball dominance.
I really like Hayward's skillset and demeanor, but you know how proven stars simply know what their shots are? Like, we saw the same moves from Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce time and time again, right? Well, Hayward hasn't reached that stage of his career yet. He's still kind of taking opportunities as they come. To get into my top 15 or even 20, he'll have to define his game more. Maybe he will, maybe he won't. Will probably depend on which team he signs with long-term.
Perhaps even more importantly, his field goal percentage jumped from 42.7 to 44.9, then all the way to 48.2. This is a perimeter player improving to a shooting percentage that we see from some bigs who play 2 to 5 feet from the hoop. That's a reflection of the definition of Beal's game. He's a smooth three-point shooter, with an elite midrange game and the ability to score at the cup with both hands.
Head coach Scott Brooks quickly instituted the same, simple philosophy that he leaned on in Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook: I'm going to put the ball in the hands of my top two offensive players, and let them do whatever they want. Total freedom to carry the offense. In this case, Beal's partner-in-crime is of course, John Wall. It's worked out well for Washington, as they have advanced to the second round of the playoffs in Brooks' first year on the job, a feat that has proved daunting in the past. In the end, I'm a big Beal fan, but in order to move into my top 20, he needs to produce more in other categories and stay consistently healthy, year over year.
Anyway, Kemba is essentially the less glamorous, right-handed version of Isaiah Thomas. And no, that is not a backhanded insult; that is absolutely a compliment. He's a confident and electric one-on-one scorer who can often carry an entire offense, particularly in the 4th quarter. However, he simply didn't have the supporting personnel necessary to return to the playoffs this year.
And let's be real -- McCollum, Conley, Hayward, Beal and Kemba clearly aren't separated by much, if anything at all. So I'm giving Kemba the ever-so-slight edge because it's more difficult to average 23.2 points per game (a career high) when the opposing defense knows you are a one-man band. The preceding four get far superior support from talented teammates. Kemba also has that no-fear, killer instinct at crunchtime. Michael Jordan should be able to recognize that quality in a player, right?
20. Blake Griffin, PF, Clippers: First thing that comes to mind is...I'm not sure how much longer we'll be seeing "Los Angeles Clippers" next to Blake's name. I understand why Doc Rivers wants to keep the gang together -- it's painfully difficult to rebuild a franchise to the point where you have a superstar duo like Blake and Chris Paul together for an extended period of time -- but at the same time, it may simply be time for change. I've been defending the Clippers' talent level for years now, but one way or another (usually by injury) they fall short of expectations. As a free agent, Blake has awesome options like the Rockets, Thunder or Celtics (cap permitting). It will take a masterful pitch to keep him a Clipper.
As a player, talent wise, Griffin is definitely one of the top 12 to 15 in the game. He's still an athletic freak with incredible footwork and full-court speed for his size, but my favorite aspects of his game are his pure basketball skills: Plus dribbler, passer, midrange shooter and all-around scorer for his position. He's an excellent rebounder when engaged as well, though he tends to defer to DeAndre Jordan (because that overrated bum has to do something, right?). Blake has even expanded out beyond the three-point line, a la Al Horford, Brook Lopez and Marc Gasol. Bigs are evolving these days.
In the end, I have Blake ranked 20th because he can't stay healthy. As I mentioned in the intro, that's going to be a major factor on my list this season (and really should be every year). Last year he knocked himself out for the season punching out a team employee. That's childish, reckless and detrimental to your team. Totally unprofessional. This year it was a broken toe derailing the Clippers' hopes of a deep run in the postseason. Blake will play well wherever he ends up, but will he be on the court when it matters the most?
19. Klay Thompson, SG, Warriors: Klay can be a bit of a polarizing figure; some view him as a top 10 all-around player -- Charles Barkley even ranked him ahead of his two-time MVP teammate, Steph Curry -- while others pigeonhole him under the category of "shooter." I'm somewhere in the middle; as I tend to be. I think Klay is the second-best perimeter shooter in the world, and one of the greatest pure shooters of all time, but I don't view him as a standalone franchise player. He'd be a lights out shooter on any team in the NBA, but his overall value is at its peak on a team like the Warriors, playing alongside ball-dominant superstars like Steph and Kevin Durant.
As a player, talent wise, Griffin is definitely one of the top 12 to 15 in the game. He's still an athletic freak with incredible footwork and full-court speed for his size, but my favorite aspects of his game are his pure basketball skills: Plus dribbler, passer, midrange shooter and all-around scorer for his position. He's an excellent rebounder when engaged as well, though he tends to defer to DeAndre Jordan (because that overrated bum has to do something, right?). Blake has even expanded out beyond the three-point line, a la Al Horford, Brook Lopez and Marc Gasol. Bigs are evolving these days.
In the end, I have Blake ranked 20th because he can't stay healthy. As I mentioned in the intro, that's going to be a major factor on my list this season (and really should be every year). Last year he knocked himself out for the season punching out a team employee. That's childish, reckless and detrimental to your team. Totally unprofessional. This year it was a broken toe derailing the Clippers' hopes of a deep run in the postseason. Blake will play well wherever he ends up, but will he be on the court when it matters the most?
The situation he's been fortunate enough to blossom in has allowed him to gradually become a big name with both fans and analysts of the NBA. He's deserving of his stature because of the Warriors' success and his integral role in that success, but for the purposes of a list like this, I personally prefer a guy who can carry you by himself. Isn't that the true definition of a superstar? Isn't that was separates a franchise player from an all-star role player? Klay's average ballhandling and passing (if I'm being polite) make it impossible for him to carry you as a standalone. He needs fastbreaks, screens and/or set plays to get the looks he thrives upon. That's not a knock; it's simply categorizing him properly as a basketball player. I guess, if I'm being fair and consistent, that makes Klay the premier role player in the game, and not Draymond who I ranked 26th.
In conclusion, I was reading this article the other day and Danny Chau wrote, "After 12 undefeated games thus far in the Warriors’ postseason run, there’s one question my mind keeps circling back to. It doesn’t have anything to do with LeBron James or the Cavaliers, or the whereabouts of Steve Kerr or Klay Thompson." That final line certainly caught my attention. I've been watching the NBA Playoffs as intently as ever, but has Klay really played THAT poorly? Poorly enough to be considered a missing person?
Upon review of Klay's postseason gamelog, it's overtly clear that he hasn't been himself these playoffs. He averaged 22.3 points per game during the regular season, yet has only had ONE playoff game with 22 or more points (game 3 against the Blazers, where he went an underwhelming 8-of-21 for 24 points). That's ONE game out of 12. And we've seen this from him in the playoffs before. When he gets really hot he goes unconscious -- like the end of game 6 against the Thunder last year -- but in general, he's a little weird. Shot selection is a little off, shot making is off. He's just not as good in the playoffs so far. Klay's just a super role player in my eyes.
Sorry, Chuck.
18. Jimmy Butler, SG/SF, Bulls: See, this is what I mean about circumstance. With a healthy Rajon Rondo, the Bulls were up 2-0 against the reeling Boston Celtics -- boasting two impressive road victories! -- and well on their way to one of the bigger postseason upsets in NBA history. Sure, this year's Celtics are one of the weakest 1 seeds of all time, but nevertheless we were on our way to an 8 over 1, ultra-rare upset. But, as we know, Rondo went down and the Celtics ran off four consecutive wins.
In conclusion, I was reading this article the other day and Danny Chau wrote, "After 12 undefeated games thus far in the Warriors’ postseason run, there’s one question my mind keeps circling back to. It doesn’t have anything to do with LeBron James or the Cavaliers, or the whereabouts of Steve Kerr or Klay Thompson." That final line certainly caught my attention. I've been watching the NBA Playoffs as intently as ever, but has Klay really played THAT poorly? Poorly enough to be considered a missing person?
Upon review of Klay's postseason gamelog, it's overtly clear that he hasn't been himself these playoffs. He averaged 22.3 points per game during the regular season, yet has only had ONE playoff game with 22 or more points (game 3 against the Blazers, where he went an underwhelming 8-of-21 for 24 points). That's ONE game out of 12. And we've seen this from him in the playoffs before. When he gets really hot he goes unconscious -- like the end of game 6 against the Thunder last year -- but in general, he's a little weird. Shot selection is a little off, shot making is off. He's just not as good in the playoffs so far. Klay's just a super role player in my eyes.
Sorry, Chuck.
So where does Jimmy Butler factor into all this? Well, what would people be saying about Butler if the much-maligned, dysfunctional Bulls ripped off a shocking series upset over a 1 seed?
"Jimmy Butler is a true franchise player." "Jimmy Butler is an ELITE two-way player." "Jimmy Butler is the most underrated superstar in the NBA."
That's what happens when things break your way. All of the question marks turn into exclamation points. All of the knocks seem to fade out of discussion.
Jimmy Butler is a tough, athletic swingman who can drive, defend and has continued to improve his perimeter shooting throughout his NBA career. During the regular season, he averaged 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. If the Bulls were a top 3 seed with a better season story, he'd be a legitimate MVP candidate, right?
That's why it's all relative. For example, I'm going to rank Damian Lillard 12th on this list. Skill for skill, how much better than Butler is he? If you decide to place more weight on individual defense than I do, can you even rank Lillard ahead of Butler? I think a deadly one-on-one scorer is the hardest thing to find, but maybe you don't. Circumstance and subjectivity.
Long story short, I'm giving Jimmy the nod over Klay because I can give him the ball and say, "Drive to the hoop here and draw some contact. Get me a high-percentage attack of the rim."
"PG" averaged a career-high 23.7 points per game on 46.1% shooting this season, but he didn't make "the leap" like the aforementioned Beal, Towns, DeRozan and Antetokounmpo. He merely jumped from 23.1 ppg to 23.7 because his surrounding cast restricted his overall opportunity to shine.
Look, I'm not going to go on forever here either, because I feel like a lot of these players are similar in terms of talent and statistical production. At the end of the day, Paul George is a great all-around basketball player who needs to make a savvy decision in free agency. Pick the right spot and he can ascend into the top 10. Go the wrong route, and he could fall as low as 20 or 25. Circumstance.
I mean...seriously? The kid's a freak.
Super nice, super coachable. I'm truly shocked that the Timberwolves were as bad as they were this season. With Towns -- who on paper, is an undeniable superstar -- and Andrew Wiggins who is an electric scorer, I really thought they'd compete for a playoff spot with Tom Thibodeau at the helm. Maybe his stern, old school ways aren't right for this young group of players. Time will tell. Small sample size so far.
Anyway, there isn't much doubt that "KAT" is going to quickly become a top 10 overall player. He's a one in a million talent with as high an upside as I've ever seen. Maybe Zach LaVine's season-ending injury is what ultimately derailed the Wolves. I dunno. I'm still scratching my head over their utter lack of success, given the pure skill and talent they have.
Maybe as the old saying goes, they just don't know how to win yet. They better be better next year. If they aren't, maybe raw talent isn't as important as it once was.
DeMar DeRozan had an OUTSTANDING 2016-17 season. His 27.3 points per game trailed only Westbrook, Harden, Isaiah and Anthony Davis, and he shot a truly surprising 46.7% from the floor. This is a guy who shot 42.2% in 2011-12, 42.9 in 13-14 and 41.3 in 14-15. This drastically improved efficiency indicates DeMar's conscious effort to improve shot selection and drive to the rack with even greater frequency. DeMar's usually among the leaders in free throw attempts, and I love a scorer who racks up easy points at the charity stripe.
In another era he might be viewed as a front-line superstar, but backcourt play is too crowded these days. There are a scary number of immensely talented shooting guards and swingmen. I mean, DeMar efficiently scored more points per game than LeBron, Kawhi, Steph and Durant.
Does anyone talk about him like he belongs in that group?
The latest evidence comes out of Dallas. The Mavericks owned the 13th pick in that 2013 draft, and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson wanted Antetokounmpo, according to The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko.
Owner Mark Cuban shot that idea down. Instead of using the 13th pick, the Mavs traded down to select point guard Shane Larkin with the 18th pick, as the Mavs hoped a little salary savings could help them pay a free agent that summer. Dwight Howard was the main target, but it didn't happen. And while Larkin was involved in the trade that helped Dallas acquire Tyson Chandler this offseason, hindsight says the Mavericks missed an opportunity.
Cuban is still confident that he made the right call.
Ouch. Anyway, a lot of teams and scouts felt that way about Giannis from the get go. When I first saw "The Greek Freak" in game action, I wasn't quite sure what position he would end up playing. I mean, who wants a swingman who can't really shoot these days?
But, young Giannis has rapidly developed into a hybrid point guard, a la LeBron James and James Harden. They aren't ONLY point guards, but they can dribble, drive, penetrate, dish and score in a seemingly endless variety of ways.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a special, special player, and he's still only 22 years old. He averaged 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals per game. Honestly, I don't even know what to say about that.
Giannis and Towns undoubtedly represent the next wave of NBA megastars.
Only Steph Curry can rival Dame's seemingly-unlimited range beyond the arc, and his release is equally as blinding. Lillard is a flashy ballhandler with slippery ability in the paint, I just wish he'd stay more committed to the drive. Of course, the flip side for undersized drivers is nagging injuries, a la Allen Iverson, Kyrie Irving and recently Isaiah Thomas. But, Lillard would be utterly unstoppable if he drove as frequently as say, Harden, DeRozan or Kyrie.
Nevertheless, he's still a showstopping scorer. His long-term outlook is very simple: (1) He has to use the constant threat of his own shot to increase his assist average from 5+ to 9+ and (2) The Blazers will never go deep into the playoffs until their leaders become consistent defenders. I'm telling you, defense is all about effort. You think Damian Lillard lacks the physical ability to be an excellent NBA defender?
Of course he doesn't. He's lighting-quick, ultra-athletic and swift enough to maneuver around screens. There's no physical reason why he shouldn't be an impact defender at the point guard position. It's simply a matter of mental commitment. To this point in his impressive career, Dame has not shown that commitment, and the Blazers are limited because of that. That's why he's not in my top 10.
John Wall is absolutely one of the premier passers and playmakers in the game -- his 10.7 assists per game were second-best in the league -- and his breakneck ballhandling makes him a recurring nightmare in transition.
I love the way he keeps his entire team in rhythm. Ultimately, he's falling just shy of my top 10 because he's not as consistent a defender as he should be, and he can't shoot like the superstars in my top group. You know me...in the closing moments of a critical game...is the opposition petrified about leaving you open? Sure, he hit this one to push the East semifinals to a Game 7 (and it was awesome), but he closed that Game 7 going 0-of-10 from the floor. Does a top 10 player go 0 for 10 with the season on the line?
My stance is as follows...Game 7 of the NBA Finals...less than 2 minutes remaining...you need to lean on one player to make big shots for you -- and more often than not, opposing defenses will force you into perimeter attempts under those circumstances (think about Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant in those spots) -- who do you go to in today's NBA?
In the past, we would quickly say "Michael." After that we'd say "Kobe." Does everyone really say "LeBron" now?
LeBron James is the best basketball player in the world; no questions asked. (Yes, I just gave away the No. 1 spot on my list, but who is really surprised?) But...he's not necessarily "The Guy" under the circumstances I've laid out. Furthermore, what about clutch scenarios when his team falls behind and really seems lost -- like Game 4 against the Celtics, when Boston went up 16 early, carrying over their momentum from their gritty Game 3 victory -- was LeBron the one who took the ball and said, I'm single-handedly going to get us out of this hole?
No, he wasn't. Kyrie Irving was The One who stepped up, and we've seen that storyline before.
He doesn't have blind confidence, and that's exactly what I'm looking for in those types of situations. Not blind, reckless confidence -- like say, Russell Westbrook -- but blind, controlled confidence like Kyrie, Kawhi Leonard and Isaiah. And that's exactly what I told Sam Ytuarte: Final two minutes? I'm taking 1. Kyrie 2. Kawhi 3. Isaiah and 4. LeBron in that order.
To be honest, from a mental standpoint, I think Kemba Walker and Damian Lillard have more confidence than LeBron in those situations as well, but they don't have the postseason track record, and if I'm going to take one guy WITHOUT the track record, I'm taking Isaiah because he's been setting 4th quarter scoring records over the course of the past two seasons.
As far as full-game stats, in the past three seasons, "IT2" has jumped from 15.2 points per game, to 22.2 and now 28.9 on 46.3% shooting (both career highs). His 28.9 ppg were third only to Westbrook and James Harden, our two leading MVP candidates. The clear reality is that Isaiah Thomas is a rapidly-developing scoring machine who is accelerating toward his apex. He stretches you out with the range of his three-point stroke, then slithers inside around screens for deadly midrange jumpers. Although he's listed at just 5'9" -- which we all know, means he's probably shorter -- he has no fear of engaging the "trees" and attacking the rim.
If I find the time, I'll whip up another article fleshing out the LeBron/Isaiah clutch debate.
9. Kyrie Irving, PG, Cavs: I mean, many of you already know how I feel about Kyrie Irving. He's my favorite player in the world. He has the magic, intangible "it" factor. I've fleshed out my opinions about him a couple of times in the past, so I'll borrow from the last time:
LeBron James is the best basketball player in the world; no questions asked. (Yes, I just gave away the No. 1 spot on my list, but who is really surprised?) But...he's not necessarily "The Guy" under the circumstances I've laid out. Furthermore, what about clutch scenarios when his team falls behind and really seems lost -- like Game 4 against the Celtics, when Boston went up 16 early, carrying over their momentum from their gritty Game 3 victory -- was LeBron the one who took the ball and said, I'm single-handedly going to get us out of this hole?
No, he wasn't. Kyrie Irving was The One who stepped up, and we've seen that storyline before.
He doesn't have blind confidence, and that's exactly what I'm looking for in those types of situations. Not blind, reckless confidence -- like say, Russell Westbrook -- but blind, controlled confidence like Kyrie, Kawhi Leonard and Isaiah. And that's exactly what I told Sam Ytuarte: Final two minutes? I'm taking 1. Kyrie 2. Kawhi 3. Isaiah and 4. LeBron in that order.
To be honest, from a mental standpoint, I think Kemba Walker and Damian Lillard have more confidence than LeBron in those situations as well, but they don't have the postseason track record, and if I'm going to take one guy WITHOUT the track record, I'm taking Isaiah because he's been setting 4th quarter scoring records over the course of the past two seasons.
As far as full-game stats, in the past three seasons, "IT2" has jumped from 15.2 points per game, to 22.2 and now 28.9 on 46.3% shooting (both career highs). His 28.9 ppg were third only to Westbrook and James Harden, our two leading MVP candidates. The clear reality is that Isaiah Thomas is a rapidly-developing scoring machine who is accelerating toward his apex. He stretches you out with the range of his three-point stroke, then slithers inside around screens for deadly midrange jumpers. Although he's listed at just 5'9" -- which we all know, means he's probably shorter -- he has no fear of engaging the "trees" and attacking the rim.
If I find the time, I'll whip up another article fleshing out the LeBron/Isaiah clutch debate.
How many players in the world can consistently get all the way to the rim with their right or left, draw fouls, post-up, pull-up, hit mid-range shots with ease, fade-aways and hit threes? That's how rare Kyrie is -- he's the perfect offensive machine. Not to mention that he has balls of steel and is an immensely entertaining player to watch. Kyrie's the man; you can't convince me otherwise.
That just about sums him up. The reasons he isn't higher on the list are strikingly similar to Damian Lillard's: Doesn't use his uncanny scoring ability to open up opportunities for his teammates (just 5.8 assists per game for a ball-dominant "point guard") and rarely shows commitment to the defensive end of the floor. He saves it for the NBA Finals, haha. In a vacuum, you need all three of those qualities to be a franchise player. Right now, Kyrie is part of a perfect duo with LeBron, one hand washes the other, but what if they separate down the line? Can Kyrie propel an entire franchise the way LeBron does?
No, I don't believe he can, and that's the difference between the top 10 and top 5.
October 26th against the Nuggets: 50 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, 4 blocks with only 3 turnovers.
October 28th, his very next game, against the WARRIORS: 45 points, 17 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks and only 1 turnover!
November 23rd against the Wolves: 45 points and 10 rebounds.
November 29th against the Lakers: 41 points and 16 rebounds.
January 9th against the Knicks: 40 points and 18 rebounds.
All-Star Game: 52 points and 10 rebounds. That's just for shits and giggles.
March 11th against the Hornets: 46 points and 21 rebounds!
And, as a throw-in, he had a 59 and 20 game against Andre Drummond (a tough match-up) and the Pistons last year. Check out this interesting article about the scope of AD's statistical production.
I don't need to interpret these numbers for you. With his length, speed, quickness, athleticism and pure basketball talent, Anthony Davis is doing things that past bigs would never have dreamed of. He's an athletic and statistical freak. Plain and simple.
I think, to the general public, that he has the reputation as a guy who simply can't get it done. To me, that makes him one of those tragic sports figures like Ted Williams, Dan Marino, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing, Jim Kelly, and to a lesser extent, former local stars Carlos Beltran and Stephon Marbury.
I HATE when the media and public have loftier expectations of an athlete than they should. If a guy never wins a championship and has one or two bad moments under pressure, his career ends up defined by those individual failures. Yes, Beltran struck out looking to end the 2006 NLCS, but he also hit 8 homers in a single postseason for the Astros, which tied Barry Bonds' record at the time. Statistically, he's actually one of the best postseason performers of his era.
Well, the same could be said of Chris Paul. He's had a couple of bad moments, sprinkled somewhere within hundreds and hundreds of smart, clutch plays. He knocked the defending-champion Spurs out with a Game 7 winner on one leg. For his postseason career -- nine total appearances -- CP3 has averaged 21.4 points, 9.4 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.5 threes per game on incredible 48.4% shooting from the floor. This is a guy who averages only 18.7 points on 47.3% shooting during the regular season, so he has always turned it up a notch in the playoffs. Compare him to guards like Harden and Westbrook, whose playoff shooting percentages dip dramatically.
Chris Paul has all of the attributes of a player you want to carry you under duress. He's a legendary ballhandler and passer, and his midrange jumper is automatic. He weaves through defenders going both right and left, while keeping his turnovers down. He's never afraid to take and make a big three. He only attempts 3.2 threes per game during the regular season, but has averaged over 5 attempts per game in each of his past four postseason runs. He doesn't shy away from The Moment. He wants to shoulder greater responsibility, and does so with skill and crazy efficiency.
I'll always be a CP3 guy, but in the end, I agree with those who say the Clippers are cursed. No matter what, they just can't seem to get it done. What bothers me are the idiots who blame him for the failure. Chris Paul is one of the greatest all-around basketball players of our generation, on lazy regular season nights AND pressure-packed playoff platforms.
At the end of the day, so much has been written about Steph that I find him a boring topic, so I'll summarize by saying that he's the best version of the Kyle Lowry, Kemba Walker, Damian Lillard, Isaiah Thomas and Kyrie Irving point guard group. Stylistically, they are all similar smallish, shoot-first point guards, and Steph is the best of the best. He just doesn't have the physicality or potential solo dominance of the superstars in my top five.
5. James Harden, G, Rockets: Throughout the regular season, I was 100% confident that James Harden was the second-best basketball player in the world. I'm not talking about MVP voting or the race with Westbrook, I'm talking about ranking the best players in the game (like, LeBron isn't going to win MVP, but he is the best player).
4. Russell Westbrook, PG, Thunder: Here's another guy who just doesn't get it. Like Harden, Westbrook had one of the greatest statistical seasons in the history of basketball, but has similar postseason troubles. I say "similar" because both Harden and Westbrook play below their potential in the playoffs, but the specific nature of their failures is different.
3. Kawhi Leonard, SF, Spurs: You couldn't create a more perfect basketball concoction in a lab. Kawhi Leonard is a flawless basketball robot: He's big, strong, agile, long, talented, confident and coachable. He's a coach's dream AND a teammate's dream. He's the total package on both ends of the floor.
2. Kevin Durant, F, Warriors: Basketball had never before seen a player like Kevin Durant. He's an alien. As a seven-footer with a true center's wingspan, in the old days he'd be playing 2 to 3 feet from the hoop.
And I'll admit it, Harden tricks me. Every regular season I absolutely love tuning in to his games. He toys with opposing defenses with his drives, passes, finishes, free throws and jumpers. This year Mike D'Antoni rightfully gave him the keys to the Porsche, and "The Beard" responded by running the offense to the tune of one of the greatest statistical seasons in the history of the game. Harden is the perfect offensive machine.
But, the playoffs rolled around, and the real James Harden reared his ugly head once again. A couple of years ago, I pointed out that he acts strange during the postseason, and his disappointing numbers support that sentiment. I'll make this as simple as possible: He doesn't play the way he does during the regular season. Harden seems relaxed, smooth and unstoppable throughout the regular season. His posture, demeanor and swag indicate that he knows he can get whatever drive, kick or shot he wants. No team defense can stop him because he's such a willing passer once he penetrates into the lane.
That James Harden doesn't exist in the playoffs. When the going gets tough, Harden starts to act like he doesn't care. Drives to the hoop in slow motion, makes lazy passes, takes contested long twos and threes. Is that the mark of a legitimate superstar? Is that the attitude you want from your franchise player?
No one needs to bother answering those questions. In Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals, with the Rockets' season on the line and Kawhi Leonard out of commission for the Spurs, Harden responded with 10 points on 2-of-11 shooting, to go along with 6 turnovers and 6 fouls. This is a player who averaged 29.1 points per game this season, 29.0 the year before that, and so on.
You get the idea. Harden already had the record for most turnovers in a postseason game. He's a loser. He folds under pressure. He lets his teammates down. He doesn't have the heart of a champion. He should be the second-best basketball player on the planet, but I'm ranking him 5th because I wouldn't want him on my team in a big game. I'm done wasting words on this punk.
Harden gets passive. He shies away from the pressure, while Russ runs straight for it. He wants to do everything. He wants to push the ball faster than any player to come before him. He wants to take and make every single shot for his team. He wants to dominate every individual stat category.
But it doesn't work out that way because Russ fails to understand the concept of shot selection. He's been in the NBA for 9 seasons, and he still doesn't know a good shot from a bad one. You can't be a champion until you understand what good basketball is. Russell Westbrook takes all of the shots he can get off, but Russell Westbrook is the most (or second-most) physically unstoppable athlete in the league. You can see why that's a problem. Just because you can get a shot off, doesn't mean you should take it; so when you can get any single shot you want, things can really spiral out of control.
And that's Russ in a nutshell. Physically, he's either the best or second-best player in the world. He's faster, more explosive and determined than anyone. He can do it all on the court. But he lets his emotions get the best of him. He loses trust in his teammates. He doesn't choose his shots wisely, especially when the game is close late.
If you go back and review the tape, the Thunder actually had a shot to beat the Rockets this postseason. Player for player, Houston was a MUCH better team, but Russ is the great equalizer. OKC had chances to steal multiple wins, but Russ made the wrong plays at the wrong times. Forcing up long threes early in the shot clock, driving into triple teams and refusing to pass, etc. Make some mental adjustments, dude!
Russell Westbrook will never be postseason great, unless he learns how to play basketball the right way. That's a sad thought for a 9-year veteran, isn't it?
I mean, I want to feel bad for the Spurs that he went down at exactly the wrong time against the Warriors, but San Antonio has had plenty of incredible fortune in the past. Maybe they were due for a bad break. Anyway, Kawhi was already an NBA Finals MVP in the past, and he has only gotten better and better since then.
I never thought he would become the type of franchise player who you could just give the ball to and say, okay, take this home for us, but Kawhi has really developed as a ballhandler and primary playmaker. He's a student of the game with the best teacher of them all, Gregg Popovich.
Try to knock Kawhi's game. Go ahead. Seriously. He's a super-high percentage three-point shooter, a super high-percentage midrange shooter, strong finisher of both dunks and lay-ups, improved ballhandler, excellent free throw shooter and multiple-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Kawhi Leonard leads by example and is a role model in the ilk of Derek Jeter. Just a class act and consummate professional. If Kawhi had stayed healthy and the Spurs pulled off that Game 1 upset of the Warriors on the road -- which it certainly seemed like they were going to do -- who knows? Maybe they would have shocked the world and knocked off the Warriors.
But like I've been saying all along...circumstance. A poorly-timed injury derails your once promising season. All of these rankings and standings are so delicate. Seasons and franchises can crumble due to devastating injuries. Hopefully Kawhi will come back at 100% next season, and he'll have the opportunity to move up to the No. 2 overall spot.
But not KD...KD is a seven-footer (yes, he finally admitted that he's 7 feet tall with his basketball sneakers on) who dribbles like a point guard, shoots like a shooting guard, defends like a forward and blocks shots like a center. I mean seriously, what is that? He's definitely an alien.
You've all seen Kevin Durant play before; tell me this...how can a guy who shoots so many outside shots be connecting on 53.7% from the floor? How is that humanly possible? He's a 48.8% lifetime shooter, but in the past five seasons he shot 51.0, 50.3, 51.0, 50.5 and of course, 53.7. There's no such thing as efficiency like that when a player is often far from the rim (KD attempted 5.0 threes per game this season, 6.7 last year).
I could go on for days about this guy, but I'm getting tired of writing. My only knock on him is injuries; but he's more talented than Kawhi, and his mental makeup is a happy medium between Harden and Westbrook, so he truly belongs at the No. 2 spot. It's crazy that the Warriors have 3 of the greatest shooters of all time in the same starting lineup. Unfair.
So that concludes my list...please bring on the heated debates!
