Continuing our series following our December 2023 rankings, it is time to list the 25 Best NBA Players By Tiers for the month of January. This tier system separates the best talents in the NBA from the rest, along with seeing some stars rise in the rankings due to their elite play. With two weeks of the New Year complete, there has been some movement in the tier system.
The January 2024 rankings will show which two players are above the rest right now along with seeing who are behind them in that regard. Remember, a player’s status is not considered but rather the performance and impact over a month based on stats, impact, and all-around play regarding team performance.
Tier 1
Nikola Jokic (Tier 1 in previous month – December)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Tier 2 in previous month – December)
Nikola Jokic is proving again that he is the best and most impactful player in the NBA. He is averaging 25.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game while shooting over 58% from the field. The Nuggets are third in the Western Conference with only 1.0 games behind the number one-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. His game-winner against the Golden State Warriors earlier this month shows just how impactful Jokic can be as he is the best player on the floor every night. The rest of the NBA is worried about the Nuggets mainly because their reigning Finals MVP is back with a vengeance this season.
So far this season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a perineal MVP candidate and the second-best player in the league. Over the season, the superstar guard is averaging 31.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game while shooting an incredible 55.8% from the floor. An unstoppable athletic force, Gilgeous-Alexander has the Thunder in a pole playoff position behind the Timberwolves with a chance to actually lead a team to a deep postseason run. Don’t be surprised if the guard starts stealing MVP votes from Jokic as the months go by.
Tier 2
Joel Embiid (Tier 1 in previous month – December)
Luka Doncic (Tier 1 in previous month – December)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Tier 2 in previous month – December)
Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the world, obviously, but he is just a notch behind Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander as we sit in the middle of January. He was back with a vengeance against the Houston Rockets after missing a few games, dropping 41 points in a victory. Embiid has had to endure a ton of drama and roster inconsistencies over his time in Philadelphia but he has improved every year as a player. Posting 34.6 points per game this season, Embiid will probably work his way back to full health and go back up to Tier 1 at some point.
The same goes for Luka Doncic, a superstar player whose levels have dropped ever so slightly due to Kyrie Irving’s dominant displays alongside him. Doncic will be in Tier 1 at some point this season, but it would be unfair to have anyone in Tier 1 if they can’t match what Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander have been doing. Averaging 33.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game, Doncic has been a dominant force all season long and the Mavericks could actually be a title contender this season.
When discussing the top five players in the game, you can never disregard Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP might not win the award this season for the third time, but he doesn’t need to. No player in the top-five can defend multiple positions like Giannis can along with being a dominant offensive player. The Greek Freak is posting 31.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game which is a major reason why the Milwaukee Bucks are gunning for the NBA title as Damian Lillard gets more comfortable with his new team.
Tier 3
Jayson Tatum (Tier 2 in previous month – December)
Tyrese Haliburton (Tier 2 in previous month – December)
Kawhi Leonard (Tier 5 in previous month – December)
Kevin Durant (Tier 3 in previous month – December)
Damian Lillard (Tier 5 in previous month – December)
Domantas Sabonis (Tier 4 in previous month – December)
Jayson Tatum is the best player on the Boston Celtics this season, a team that has the best record in the NBA. Tatum is one of the best offensive players in the league and also arguably the smoothest player right now, and his offense is truly a joy to watch. He won’t win an MVP award because of the number of stars he has alongside him, but that won’t knock him out of Tier 3. It is hard to see Tatum ever falling out of Tier 3 at the minimum because of his sheer offensive talent and his role as the top guy on the Celtics all year.
Tyrese Haliburton’s fall into Tier 3 is not due to his own performances, but mainly because Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander have shifted everyone aside so far. Haliburton is posting 23.6 points and 12.5 assists per game meaning he is an entire offensive system behind the number-one-ranked offense in the league. No team is scoring as well as the Pacers are, averaging 126.1 points per game, and Haliburton is pulling all the strings. The second-highest scorer on the team is Myles Turner (17.3 PPG), which shows just how much Haliburton means to the Pacers right now.
Kawhi Leonard is in the conversation for being a top-five player in the world when healthy and competing at his normal level. No one can deny how dominant Leonard can be on both ends of the court as he is posting 24.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 43.5% from three. The Clippers have been on fire and look to be the second-most-likely team to be in the Western Conference Finals other than the Denver Nuggets. While James Harden has done a terrific job as a point guard, Kawhi Leonard has been the impact star this year.
The Phoenix Suns have been disappointing but we can’t hold it against Kevin Durant. There is no depth on the team and Bradley Beal has only played 15 games, meaning Durant has had to carry a heavy burden this season at 35 years old. Averaging 29.0 points per game on nearly 50-40-90 shooting splits, Durant is doing his best to keep the Suns afloat but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like this team is built for any postseason success.
Once Damian Lillard really finds his footing, the Bucks are going to be a major problem. His game-winner this past week has put everybody on alert that Dame Time is coming. The point guard is getting back to his superstar levels, averaging 25.2 points and 6.8 assists per game on 35.4% shooting from three. Whether he scores or leads the offense with playmaking, Lillard is a difference-maker and has become a stalwart in Tier 3.
Sabonis might be one of the most underrated players in the NBA right now. Averaging 20.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game, Sabonis is a walking triple-double threat and the most impactful player for the Sacramento Kings right now. The Kings are proving last year was no fluke because they are a strong team offensively and Sabonis is at the heart of everything they do.
Tier 4
Kyrie Irving (N/A in previous month – December)
Tyrese Maxey (Tier 3 in previous month – December)
LeBron James (Tier 3 in previous month – December)
Anthony Davis (Tier 3 in previous month – December)
De’Aaron Fox (Tier 3 in previous month – December)
Anthony Edwards (Tier 3 in previous month – December)
Devin Booker (Tier 5 in previous month – December)
Kyrie Irving makes his Tier debut as of January 2024. The reason? He has been cooking and just look at his past three games. 44 points against the Knicks on 6-10 from three, 33 points against the Pelicans on Saturday, and 42 points again against the Pelicans on Monday. Kyrie is making a difference for Dallas this season as his season averages of 25.8 points and 5.4 assists per game put the team in a playoff spot.
Tyrese Maxey hasn’t snuck up on teams as much as he has to start the season but he is still an All-Star and one of the most valuable players in the league. Averaging 26.1 points and 6.6 assists per game, Maxey has basically replaced James Harden in the lineup and is proving to be Joel Embiid’s trusted sidekick. It will be a great thing this season when both Embiid and Maxey suit up for All-Star Weekend.
The King is still one of the 20 best players in the world and that is the minimum. He is averaging 24.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game while shooting 52.1% from the field despite the Lakers’ poor season. Without LeBron James, it is hard to imagine where the Lakers would be as there would have been riots outside the stadium. Regardless of the Lakers’ season, James will be making his 21st All-Star appearance this season.
Anthony Davis is another star who is having an excellent individual campaign despite a team record. Davis has been dominant at times, posting 25.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. The big man has been the only real defensive force for the Lakers and without him defending the rim, we could be looking at a defense ranking at the bottom of the league. The team record still has an effect, and Davis is in Tier 3 as a result.
De’Aaron Fox’s numbers have been solid this season as he is averaging 27.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game as the driving force behind the Kings. Sabonis has been more dominant across the board but Fox is the go-to scorer on the team and is only getting better. The point guard still needs to make sure his numbers are up to par because 21 points on 5-15 shooting like he had against the 76ers could affect his ranking.
Anthony Edwards might not be receiving as much love as he should, but there is just simply too much competition in the NBA right now. He is a top-20 player in the world, but the player himself might feel like he is top-10. Averaging 26.0 points per game this season, it won’t be long before we start talking about Edwards as an MVP candidate because his capabilities are truly off the charts.
Devin Booker has been on fire over the past two games, dropping 31 points against the Lakers and following it up with a 34-point performance against the Trail Blazers. Booker’s production has been a blessing because the Suns have solely relied on Kevin Durant all season long and the forward needs more help. As long as Booker keeps scoring as he has been, he will be a threat to keep climbing the tiers.
Tier 5
Lauri Markkanen (N/A in previous month – December)
Paul George (N/A in previous month – December)
Alperen Sengun (Tier 5 in previous month – December)
Stephen Curry (Tier 4 in previous month – December)
Zion Williamson (N/A in previous month – December)
Donovan Mitchell (Tier 4 in previous month – December)
Bam Adebayo (Tier 4 in previous month – December)
Lauri Markkanen might be disrespected by some, but not by us. When it comes to his performances this season, it is hard to argue that the forward is an All-Star. Averaging 23.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, the Finnish star was named NBA Player of the Week after performances such as his 29-point showing against the Lakers and a 26-point, 12-rebound performance against the Nuggets.
Paul George just usurps James Harden in Tier 5 because his numbers look better. George is posting 23.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game on 41.8% from three this season and is the second-best player on the Clippers who are on fire. If George is healthy (and obviously Kawhi Leonard as well), the Clippers are a major problem in the West and the league is on notice.
The Houston Rockets have hit a rough patch in the season, going 4-6 over their last 10 games, but Alperen Sengun is still primed to make his first All-Star appearance by averaging 21.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. The Houston Rockets are no longer a negligible team in the West and despite their poor form recently, they will slowly get back to winning games behind Sengun’s back.
Stephen Curry is not having a great year. His numbers look excellent on paper (26.7 PPG), but he has not been able to impact the Warriors’ record. Golden State is only 18-21 this season and Curry has had some bad games including his 9-point performance against the Raptors which he followed up with a 15-point performance against the Pelicans. Regardless, Curry is still the best shooter ever so we can’t kick him out of Tier 5.
Zion Williamson is showing the world why he is so dominant when healthy. The big man is averaging 22.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season but his recent performances have been spectacular. Williamson posted 30 points against the Nuggets and 30 points against the Mavericks, so he can dominate almost any matchup he finds himself in. Not to mention, the Pelicans are 24-17 in the Western Conference.
Donovan Mitchell is a top-three shooting guard in the league, and his 27.9 points per game average this season proves that. Even if his future is uncertain in Cleveland, Mitchell has focused on what he can do on the court and the Cavaliers have been a solid team that ranks 4th on defense and 11th in net rating. As the best scorer on the team, Mitchell has a heavy burden to carry and he has done a great job so far.
Bam Adebayo is the best performer on the Miami Heat this season, even if Tyler Herro is the leading scorer (22.4 PPG). Adebayo is posting 22.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 51.2% shooting from the field this season while being a contender for Defensive Player of the Year. The Heat will only go as far as Adebayo can take them on defense, and the likes of Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler can take care of the rest.
