These rankings are based on personal opinion of who the top five NBA players are going into the 2016-2017 season. Past or potential future performance are not taken into consideration. The rankings are based on the assumptions that all players are 100% healthy.
Ranking The Top Five Players In The NBA
1. LeBron James
LeBron James proved once again that when the time comes, he remains undoubtedly the best player in the world. James has held this title since the beginning of this decade (if not longer), and while many in the media had handed that title over to Stephen Curry for the past two seasons, this year’s NBA Finals showed that James has not fallen off his pedestal quite yet. Leading both teams in all major categories, James dominated the Finals in a fashion we had never previously encountered.
2. Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry took the NBA by storm over the past two regular seasons. He brought home back-to-back MVP trophies and leading the Golden State Warriors to the NBA’s all-time best regular season record at 73-9 this past season. Curry broke his own three-point record with a ridiculous 24 games left to play. His shooting touch rivals anyone who has ever played. His play has dazzled fans over the past two seasons, leading him to be considered the NBA’s best player, taking LeBron James’ throne until the NBA Finals.
Curry is still in the conversation for the best player in the world. He must elevate his game when it matters most to either claim or reclaim his place on top, depending on who you ask. It will be very interesting to see what the addition of a certain free agent signing to the Warriors. Which also leads us to our next player…
3. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant has been a scoring machine since he stepped foot in the NBA. Durant is already one of the best scorers to ever play in the NBA. He is an all-time great player and is only missing one thing from his resume; a championship. His move to Golden State will give him a tremendous chance to erase that single black mark. It will be interesting to see how he will fit in with an already great team and how much it will affect his scoring rate, if at all.
Durant’s all-around game has been underrated. He has been a top 2-3 player in the league for quite some time now. If it weren’t for LeBron James, Durant may have been number 1 on this list a few years ago, and he still may have another chance whenever James really starts to decline. He and new teammate Steph Curry are neck and neck when it comes to fighting to dethrone James. This year could settle the debate on who is the better player.
4. Russell Westbrook
With Kevin Durant leaving Oklahoma City, we will really get to see what Russell Westbrook is capable of as the main man. Although Westbrook has always played as if he were the lead guy, at times it was hard to tell who was the alpha dog in OKC. That question no longer remains. Westbrook went on a triple-double tear last year and his numbers should rise without Durant. Westbrook will be a fascinating watch this season and we should see just how good he really is. His tenacity and all-around game make him one of the league’s best players.
5. Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard came into the league known as a stellar defensive player. He formed himself into the best perimeter defender in the NBA. However, his climb into the top five comes from his offensive game starting to resemble the dominance of his defensive performance. Leonard has transformed himself into one of the best catch and shoot players in the NBA, He has also developed an offensive game on the Spurs that allowed him to average over 20 points per game for the first time in his career. Leonard’s fantastic two-way game earns him a spot in the top five.
Honorable Mentions: James Harden, Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving
Main Photo
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant (R) vies with Philadelphia 76ers Evan Turner during the NBA pre season basketball game between Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, north-west England on October 8, 2013. Oklahoma City Thunder won 103-99. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images)
