ESPN Player Rank; Your Top 10?
10. Russell Westbrook
He's an unfinished product but one of the best ball players out there today. Completely unstoppable and isn't even done improving. When he gets his jump-shot and decision-making under control, we can see him rise a lot higher than 10. For now, as a 2nd option, I can't put him any higher than the following guys.
9. Kevin Love
The numbers guy. One would assume if the best player on a team efficiently scored 25PPG and was the leading rebounder in the league, he would lead his team to the playoffs. He hasn't. This might be the T-Wolves year though and if it is, we could see Kevin Love higher on the list.
8. Deron Williams
One of the most underrated superstars in the game today. Overshadowed by the shadyness in Utah and how he left that team, he is the best all-around point guard in the league today. Not only can he score in a myriad of ways (better shooter than Rondo, Rose, and Westbrook. Better driver/post up player than CP3) but he is also a pure-point guard in a league that has very few of them.
7. Derrick Rose
There are various reasons why I have Derrick Rose at 7. 1) He didn't play much last season and didn't show much when he did because of injuries. 2) Will he be back to his old MVP form? And if he does, will it be in the 2012-2013 season? 2013-2014? 2014-15? Who knows? 3) He is the only superstar in the league that gets away without playing defense and is not crucified. To be a top-5 player in this league, you have to atleast put some effort and Rose is usually lost and uninterested on that end.
6. Kobe Bryant
Year after year, we think Kobe is going to take a step-backwards and age will catch up. Year after year, he proves us wrong. This is the year his numbers take a hit though and not in a bad way. With more passing options and open looks off double-teams, this could be the first time in 8 years that Kobe might get some open shots. This could really help his effiency as well as his passing, two things that have been knocked at his entire career.
5. Dwyane Wade
Here it is, finally. Dwyane Wade will finally be the best SG in the league (How long have we been saying this for?) Dwyane Wade completely and utterly shut down every SG in the playoffs and showed why he's the best 2-way guard in the league for the last 5 years, even while injured. Now that he took a summer off to help his injury woes, we could see a rejuvinated Wade next season that could step up his game.
4. Dwight Howard
After a year and a half, the Dwight-Drama is over... for now. He's by far the best center in the league and the best interior defender in the league. (Yes, Chandler. He's better than you.) The only reason Howard did not win the DPOY this season is simply because his image took a hit and he was losing the popularity contest. He was basically boycotted because of the negative exposure the league would get (Remember the '11 MVP award; LeBron does). Still, I would not be surprised if Dwight Howard averages 24+ PPG and shoots over 58-60% from the field this season... unless his back has anything to say about it.
3. Chris Paul
He took the laughing stock of the last 30 years in the NBA to the 2nd round of the playoffs. He did it while playing without Billups, a spot-up shooting shell named Caron Butler, a chucker in Nick Young, Reggie Evans as their 6th man, and the most pass-dependent (superstar) in the NBA today. He's not a numbers guy, he's a results guy. He's proven this for years and proved it again this season.
2. Kevin Durant
How can you NOT like KD? He's a winner, he's a hard-worker, he's humble and he's only getting better. Unfortunately for him, the Thunder have been matched up against the eventual NBA champions three consecutive times (Lakers in '10, Mavs in '11, Heat in '12). He will win championships in his career (I'm leaning towards 2) but as of now, he's improving and so is the team around him. His numbers go up year after year and so does his team success, can he seal the deal?
1. LeBron James
Fresh off the most successful season by ANY NBA pro since Jordan in '92. He won an MVP award, Finals MVP, NBA Championship, and Olympic Gold. Not only that, he was the main catalyst for his team during the regular season, playoffs, and Olympic trial. He's only getting better. He's getting hungrier. He is one of the greatest two-way players in the NBA today and challenges Jordan for that title all-time. He is the best defensive player in the league and I would not be surprised if he wins 2 DPOY when it's all set and done... as a perimeter player. LeBron has a chance to do something very special and this is his chance to cement his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time. 3x MVP, NBA Champion, x2 Gold Medalist, Finals MVP, 8x All-Star, 6x NBA 1st Team, 4x All Defense 1st Team..... Oh, I forgot to mention, he's barely half-ways through his career.
LeBron haters, you have another 8-9 years of hating, so why not just enjoy greatness as it unfolds right before your eyes.
I disagree with you 110% about Derrick Rose's defense. You could've made that argument maybe during Rose's first two seasons, but that's no longer the case.
According to Synergy Sports Technology ratings, Rose is one of the best defenders at the toughest position to defend in the league. Other than Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo, nobody gives up less points per possession or points in isolation situations.
Rose isn't a great defender, but he's a very good one who could become elite.
Synergy doesn't take into account the fact that he plays with Deng, Brewer, Noah, Gibson and has the best defensive coach in the NBA. It simply takes into account numbers and percentages. He gets beat to the paint but his opponent still misses because of the help-side defense and all Synergy shows is that Rose's opponent missed a shot while defended by him even if he did little to nothing to stop it.
Can't you say the same about Rondo though? He's a part of a great defensive system as well. I can't count how often he gambles and gets beat, but the Celtics help covers up his mistakes.
Not saying Rose is a great defender, but he's a very good defender who could become elite.
1. Lebron James - hands down the best player on the planet and if you have any argument what so ever thats due to your hate for lebron and your bias for who you would say is better
2. Kevin Durant - best scorer in the nba hands down
3.Dwight howard - i put him here because he still more dominate then alot of the othert superstars in the nba not named Lebron and durant
4.Derrick Rose - no he may not be the best PG at the postion but, IMO hes the best Player at the position and might be the best guard in the nba and when healthy he makes opposing pgs look avg, he easily dominates paul rondo and williams who are considered the top of the pg class and if he comes back to full strength i believe he could rival dwight for that number 3 spot
5. Dwayne Wade- when healthy is the best SG in the league im probably going to get alot of negatives for putting he and rose ahead of kobe but i dont really care yes kobe is still good but we still think about kobes previous greatness, when in reality kobe is up there not in age but in miles and his game is predicated on pump fakes and fadeaways hes not the same anymore
6. Kobe Bryant - still a great player but no longer top 5 to me
7.Chris paul - best PG at the position hands down but dosent have that gear anymore or he would have been higher on that list
8.Deron williams -3rd best pg in the nba
9.Kevin Love - i honeslty wouldnt have put him top 10 because i think carmelo anthony is better then him deron and westbrook but i gotta go with what was listed
10. Russell Westbrook- good player more of a sg then pg him and durant work off each other perfectly, they help each other do what they do
1. LeBron James - He's grown on and off of the floor. His offensive game is improving (less three-pointers, better post game and off of the ball activity) and he has the best body, athleticism and probably endurance in NBA history.
2. Kevin Durant - He's the best offensive player in the NBA, but can still get so much better. Imagine him with added strength and a dominant low post game where you have to double him. He's already a very good all-around player and is still improving.
3. Dwight Howard - When healthy, he's the most dominant big man in the NBA. He's a monster defensively and on the glass... Offensively, he's very good (look at his numbers), but still not a go-to player. His free-throw shooting is an issue.
4. Derrick Rose - When healthy, he's a lion. He's the best player at his position in my opinion and does whatever it takes to win. How he returns from his injury remains to be seen. I'd have no problem switching Paul and him places since Rose was hurt most of last season. I thought Rose was better before the injury though.
5. Chris Paul - He's the most complete player at his position (little to no holes in his game), but I feel he's lost a gear since his knee injury. He dribbles too much and waits too long to take over games. He's still very clutch though and can carry a team. It's really hard to nitpick him.
6. Dwyane Wade - Due to Kobe's age, Wade has finally surpassed him as the best shooting guard in the NBA. He just has more impact on a game. I felt Wade coasted too often though last season, letting LeBron carry the load.
7. Kobe Bryant - It's no longer about being the MVP, best in the NBA, etc for him. It's about getting another ring or two. It's not a disrespect to him that he's #7. The fact he's quite a few seasons past his prime and still in the handfull of best players in the NBA says something.
8. Deron Williams - He's a complete point guard with size, but he's just missing something in my opinion. I can't quite put my finger on it.
9. Kevin Love - He's the game's best rebounder and he's a great shooter, but I don't think he belongs in the top ten. He's never won during his career despite his numbers, which says something. He fills a stat sheet, but it doesn't lead to wins.
10. Russell Westbrook - His talent and ability is undeniable, but his decision making and shot selection keep him out of the top ten. He's made some improvements every season, but I'd like to see his assists go back up and just overall better decision making.
1. Lebron-He's Lebron James
2. Dwight- He affects more parts of the game than anyone else on the list besides Lebron
3. Chris Paul, tremendous leader, great pure point guard but can definitely score with the best, check his 4th quarter of any game, also pesky in the passing lanes.
4. Kobe Bryant, has slowed down a little but still good at everything, his brain actually gets taken for granted on list like these. He knows the game of basketball better than anyone on the list besides maybe Lebron.
5. Kevin Durant, I'm going to catch flack for putting Kevin Durant at 5, but he's still a very limited defender, a limited passer, and he is really only a scorer. He also still hasn't developed a post game, and he has problems with strength on the court. Ron Artest(Metta World Peace) made his games tougher, and Lebron did an even better job. Besides rebounding, you can't say he does anything greatly better than Kobe.
6. Derrick Rose- I think he and Russell Westbrook are a toss up, but Rose gets the edge for being a better "Point Guard," really turnovers and assists wins him the battle in my opinion.
7. Russell Westbrook- one of the best competitors in the game right now. See everything Derrick Rose does and then add his turnovers.
8. Dwyane Wade- I honestly think he and Westbrook's playing styles are very similar, this is just young dog got the old dog.
9. Deron Williams, I honestly think it's a toss up between the 2 best point guards in the NBA between him and CP3, but your team has to win, I'm predicting Deron Williams to be top 5, after this season.
10. Kevin Love- Great shooter, still needs to work on post moves, amazing rebounder, Horrible defender.
Nota Bene(Please Note)- I think Carmelo should be in the top 10. I don't think there is much of a difference between he and Durant, but Durant is the more likable and bankable player so he doesn't get all of the backlash that Carmelo gets. Also Carmelo is in New York, that makes the microscope on him amazingly larger. I would take out Kevin Love.
I feel like you're really nitpicking and selling Durant short.
He can get better as a defender, but we're talking about a player who ranked 5th out of small forwards in steals at 1.33 per game and 2nd in blocks at 1.17 per game. He made strides as a defender last season defending on the perimeter and in the post.
He was 4th amongst small forwards in assists at 3.5 per game. He made strides as a passer/playmaker last season, but did average too many turnovers. Post game wise, he doesn't bully anyone, but I thought he did a solid job posting up on the low, mid or high block. Like I said, he's not bullying anyone, but he's turning around and shooting over any defender.
Just don't understand how you can say there's not much difference between Durant and Carmelo Anthony when Durant is better at just about every offensive statistic.
If you're usin Carmelo Anthony's career as his worth, then you're nitpicking. Because everyone saw once Mike Dantoni left, how great Carmelo's last month and a half were. 29.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals. while shooting 50% from the field. If you compare career stats they are almost identical. I think Kevin Durant gets to much credit.
Career stats Carmelo 24.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists on 46% shooting VS. Kevin Durant 26.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists on 47% shooting.
People are seriously nitpicking on Carmelo for no reason. I'll just wait until next year and we'll see the argument again. Carmelo should be top 10.
I don't see how Westbrook is better than Wade. Dwyane Wade can do everything that Westbrook can do except he does it all under control, doesn't force, is efficient, and doesn't turn the ball over.
If you take away all of the negatives that Westbrook has and add better perimeter and post defense, you get Dwyane Wade.
I ended D-Wades with it's a young guard taking the old guard thing. Dwyane Wade gets injured too much now. He and Westbrook both do the same exact things.
Russell Westbrook playoff averages 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.55 steals to Dwyane Wade's 22.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks, the only stats Dwyane Wade leads in are steals and blocks, and the steals are right there with each other. Also Dwyane Wade played more minutes a game.
So if D-Wade wasn't injuried every year he'd be higher than Westbrook and probably a few other players. But his injuries have hindered his game and halted his production. Westbrook is better right now. Maybe this year will be different. So there isn't anything wrong with putting Westbrook over Wade right now.
I meant top 10, but regardless he wasn't very good that season at all. He bounced back this year a bit, but he's no longer a top 5 player. I know this site has an abundance of Laker fans but Kobe just simply isn't at the top anymore and it's pretty obvious when you watch him play. He's still great, but he's not top 5.
People forget... CP3 is one of those few players that you can put on a team and they instantly become a playoff threat. Put Chris, KD, or Lebron on the Bobkittens and they go to the playoffs.
1. Lebron
2. KD
3. Cp3
4. Dwight
5. Drose (I think he's 3rd when healthy)
6. Deron
7. Kobe
8. Dwade
9. Russ
10. KLove
Kobe not a top 15 player in 2010-11 thats a joke.
Also Dwight Howard is not a top 3 player.
Can hit a jumper and up till the last year or 2 his post up game wasn't that great either.
He is the best Center but Bynum isn't top 10 or close there is no way Howard is that much better than Bynum, Love, Aldridge or any other top big man.
1. Lebron he's been the top player for a while now and now the ring shuts up the haters.
2. Durant is a great scorer and is improving his all around game.
3. Chris Paul will need to produce more in the playoffs to earn this high a ranking.
4. Kobe he's lost a step but still clutch and a lethal scorer when he gets hot.
5. Rose seems injury prone who knows if he'll be the same when he comes back and he needs to improve his mid range game.
6. Wade dropped because of the playoffs last year but that could've been the injury taking a toll on him.
7. Howard the best big man, rebounding and shot blocking numbers are great. Obviously needs to hit his free throws and stay out of foul trouble.
8. Westbrook his jumper and decision making are improving.
9. Rondo is no longer just a passer on offense and he was the best PG in the playoffs.
10. Love scoring is up needs to make the playoffs now with the supporting cast getting much better.
In my opintion, Westbrook is easily better than D-Will. D-Will is still a top 10 player, but Westbrook is just so much more explosive, and he can score almost at will, his defense is better than D-Will's also. I know we don't like his decision making, but that will come with time. This is the year my boy Westbrook cements himself as a top 5 player in the league.
@Y2G, In 2010-11 Kobe was
1st Team All NBA
1st Team All Defense
3rd in Scoring and 3rd in Field Goals Made...
And he Finished 4th in MVP Voting..(4TH in MVP in Voting) in 2010-11..That Means a Panel of Experts Thought He had the 4th best year out of all the Players...So Why wasnt he a Top 5 player in 2010-11? That was just last year? So why are you saying Kobe was NO GOOD in 2010-11? Sure,I 'll agree he had lost a step and rarely shows the hops that he once had...But he wasn't as Bad as you're saying....
Do you honestly believe that he earned any of those? He got them all due to name value. Hell almost all of his 1st team defenses are completely undeserved. Not to mention being 4th in MVP doesn't mean they thought he was the 4th best player, they just gave him his annual MVP votes because of his name. 2010-2011 was the worst season Kobe had since he got significant playing time, which is why people made such a big deal about his knee surgery thing this season. He was clearly better this past year even though he got a little shot happy because of it, but make no mistake Kobe Bryant was not THAT good in 2010-2011.
@NBAnflguy...Ask any NBA Coach or GM who they hate seeing with the ball in their hands in the final seconds of a game,they'll say the 34 year old Kobe Bryant....And even at 34 he's still a top defender,1 of the most clutch players and maybe the best 1 on 1 player in the league...
I Love Durant,he's 1 of the top 3 players in the nba right now..But until he starts playing both sides of the ball and start making his teammates better..20 years from now,he's going to be in the same Category as players like Dominique Wilkens & George Gervin...Durant isnt a bad defender,but he isnt a presence on the defensive end,like a Lebron,Kobe or Wade....
Now that they've done 11-15, who are you guy's top 10?
It's obvious these are the last 10 players, where would you rank them?
(Note: they are in alphabetical order by last name, no ranked)