It has never been harder to make an All-NBA team.
The talent throughout the league is as stacked as it’s ever been. Players are putting up historic lines and scoring outbursts. There is an extraordinary skill level today that keeps on rising.
That makes selecting the 15 best NBA players a near-impossible task. There will be snubs and plenty of new faces from last year’s nominees.
Many of the players who would have been in consideration for this list are ineligible 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 important rule change to note is that All-NBA awards are now positionless. If voters want to select 15 guards for the three teams, the NBA will allow it.
This is a true top 15 list, with no undeserving players sneaking through.
All-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 single MVP ballot in some order.
Jokic has already proven that he’s the best player in the league via last year’s championship run. He’s an unstoppable scorer thanks to a historically great touch on his floater. He’s also the best passer and a cheat code for Denver when games get tight down the stretch. He should be in line for his third MVP.
SGA is the league’s premier driver, with a tight handle and killer midrange game. He’s also become an excellent defender. The Thunder, who are the second-youngest team in the league, are way ahead of schedule because of him.
Doncic is truly impossible to guard. As a one-on-one scorer with an improved step-back jumper, he will destroy teams if they don’t bring help, as he did in torching the Hawks for 73 points. He will also destroy double-teams with precision passing.
Tatum rounds out the fifth spot. He has kept up his volume scoring, played solid defense and been the best player on the best team during the regular season.
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All-NBA Second Team picks
- Anthony 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, could not have been done without a leap from their star player Edwards. Along with his obviously prodigious scoring, he’s wanted every tough assignment late in games and locked down when it matters.
Brunson has led the Knicks through a gritty year, taking over offensive possessions while they were shorthanded and dealing with intense defensive pressure. Nobody in the league has a deeper bag than him. He sacrifices his body constantly on defense, ranking second in charges drawn.
Leonard has returned to form on both ends of the floor. The Claw is back to ripping the ball away from hapless opponents. He had relatively good health and one of his better years shooting the ball, hitting over 40 percent of his 3s.
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 floor. He’s been one of the most efficient players on offense, hauling in 3.1 offensive rebounds per game and shooting a terrific 55.4 percent from the field.
Don’t discount how special Durant still is at age 35. His 27.4 points per game rank fifth in the league. He is one of the best 3-point shooters as well, hitting 41.8 percent from deep. He’s even kept up his good defense and weakside rim protection.
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All-NBA Third Team picks
- Stephen Curry
- Tyrese Haliburton
- De’Aaron Fox
- LeBron James
- Victor Wembanyama
Curry hasn’t been quite as good as last season. His scoring, shooting and passing are down a smidge. He’s still 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 very good chance to win the Clutch Player of the Year award.
Haliburton is going to be hurt 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 that he was a top-10 player when healthy. His pull-up shooting, speed and passing are special.
The Kings need to get one guy on this list. Sabonis was one of the toughest snubs, but Fox gets the nod in his place. The reliable guard has improved in all facets of his game, including a much better 36.5 percent from 3 to complement his lightning-quick speed.
It is amazing that LeBron has still been this effective at the age of 39. He admittedly picks his spots now throughout games. When he does ramp up, he’s still capable of guarding at an elite level and will always create an amazing shot for an offense.
Wembanyama might be a controversial choice given how bad the Spurs are, but he’s earned it based on his individual play. He’s been in the conversation for best defender in the league and put up tremendous offensive production on a per-minute basis. He’s done things that nobody else would even dream of on a nightly basis. The rookie rounds out my top 15.
MORE: Victor Wembanyama is already a top-15 player in the league
Final All-NBA ballot
| First Team | Second Team | Third Team |
|---|---|---|
| Luka Doncic | Jalen Brunson | Tyrese Haliburton |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Anthony Edwards | Stephen Curry |
| Jayson Tatum | Kawhi Leonard | De’Aaron Fox |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
| Nikola Jokic | Anthony Davis | Victor Wembanyama |
Biggest snubs: Devin Booker, Domantas Sabonis, Paul George, Jaylen Brown, Bam Adebayo, Rudy Gobert, Tyrese Maxey, Kristaps Porzingis, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, DeMar DeRozan, Damian Lillard