After numerous requests, I’ve finally decided to take on what seems to be an unanswerable question. Who is the best player in the NBA right now?
For the past 10 or so years, it’s been pretty safe to call LeBron James the best player in the league. He went to eight straight NBA finals from 2011 to 2018, winning three of them while also consistently being the best player on his team for each of those runs.
But after winning his fourth NBA championship in 2020, James tailed off a bit. In 2021, he missed time with injury and ultimately lost in the first round to the eventual Western Conference Champions in the Phoenix Suns. And here in our current season, his Los Angeles Lakers are off to a slow start.
Meanwhile, we’ve seen players like Giannis Antetokounmpo win their first championship and two MVP awards at just 26 years old. Antetokounmpo has quickly ascended to the top of the league due to his immense talent and his impressive recent success. Averaging 27.0 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, the Greek Freak is a walking double-double that plays elite defense and will surely be in the running for his second Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
It would be a crime to not mention Kevin Durant either, who has returned to elite form since his injury in 2019 with a quality season last year and another impressive one this season, averaging 28.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game so far.
Durant is a true offensive weapon that simply can’t be stopped due to his versatility. His ability to post-up with ease, shoot from anywhere and blow by defenders is simply unguardable and requires the attention of the entire defense. Luckily for KD, his teammate James Harden — an elite player in his own right — prevents that from happening.
Along with Harden, there are several players deserving of honorable mentions. A healthy Kawhi Leonard has proven time and time again that he is one of the league’s best and if he was playing this season, he may very well be at the top right now.
Last year’s MVP, Nikola Jokić, is also among the league’s best, although he barely brings any defensive value and his passing numbers have dipped this season.
The last player I want to mention here is Luka Dončić, who at just 22 years old has already cemented himself as one of the league’s top stars due to his impressive ability to fill up the offensive stat sheet while hitting numerous clutch shots.
While all of the players I’ve mentioned thus far have worthy arguments for being the top player in the league, I think the crown has to go to Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. I know, I know — ‘He doesn’t play any defense, Ethan! How could you put him at number one?’ Well, let me explain.
After a forgetful 2020 campaign due to injury, Curry bounced back last season with a career-high in points and rebounds per game while his team was absent of any notable second scoring options. All the while, Curry led the Warriors to a berth in the NBA’s play-in games.
As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Curry is having an even better campaign this year, averaging 28.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game with his scoring being tied for tops in the league.
For the people saying he doesn’t play defense, how does 1.8 steals per game sound? I mean, Curry is leading a team with a 18-2 record with Andrew Wiggins as their second-leading scorer. Curry completely changes the way teams play defense, opening the floor for teammates while forcing defenders to double him the moment he crosses half-court. That impact on offense is unprecedented and makes him, in my opinion, the best player right now.
The cases for Durant and Antetokounmpo are strong — I know — and if James puts together a late-season surge and impressive playoff run, he may be right back at the top of the leaderboard. But based on what Curry has done in his last couple of full seasons, accompanied by a likely MVP campaign this year, he’s gotta be at the top.
