- Nikola Jokic took the top spot in the player predictions for the 2023-24 season
- NBA fans criticized the list for the order
- It appears the list has preferred youth over experience
Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are predicted to be the No. 1 and No. 2 players for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Bleacher Report’s latest players rankings for the next season see the two bigs take the top two slots to be the best players, while LeBron James and listed at No. 7 on the sports site’s Top 20 names.
Here’s a quick look at the players touted to be the best for next season:
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Luka Doncic
4. Joel Embiid
5. Jayson Tatum
6. Stephen Curry
7. LeBron James
8. Kevin Durant
9. Devin Booker
10. Anthony Davis
11. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
12. Jimmy Butler
13. Kawhi Leonard
14. Damian Lillard
15. Anthony Edwards
16. Jamal Murray
17. De’Aaron Fox
18. Paul George
19. Jaylen Brown
20. Donovan Mitchell
Bleacher Report’s top 20 players for the 2023-24 season:
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Luka Doncic
4. Joel Embiid
5. Jayson Tatum
6. Stephen Curry
7. LeBron James
8. Kevin Durant
9. Devin Booker
10. Anthony Davis
11. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
12. Jimmy…
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 31, 2023
Much like how they predicted the wings and the bigs for the next season, B/R followed the same process they did for the best players’ predictions.
“B/R asked its best basketball minds to answer a series of random Player A vs. Player B debates. The question for each debate: Which player will rank higher by the end of the 2023-24 season?
“In total, we compiled 8,632 votes across nearly 20 participants, narrowing our final player pool down to a top 110. From there, a panel of experts ranked every player from 1 to 110. They used their own criteria, considering everything from individual production, impact on winning (during both the regular season and the playoffs), and also health/availability.”
The players who missed the cut and were listed by the site as honorable mentions include Jaden Ivey, Jakob Poeltl, Shaedon Sharpe, Ivica Zubac, Clint Capela, Mike Conley, Brandon Miller, Dillon Brooks, Wendell Carter Jr., and Jeremy Sochan.
NBA Fans React To The Top 20 Player Predictions
The list garnered immense flak again, with a few agreeing to the list. Fans of big and seasoned names thoroughly criticized the list.
That the likes of Stephen Curry, James, and Kevin Durant weren’t in the top five irked fans. We take a look at some of the reactions below:
Curry fans were unhappy.
Need to remind y’all https://t.co/3b0gENwHU2 pic.twitter.com/6gupYrwhUG
— CurryMuse (@Curry_Muse) August 31, 2023
Some believed Ja Morant to be on the list.
Anyone thinking Ja Morant isn’t top 20 this season make yourselves known. I have a lot of bookmark space https://t.co/OEWjR7EO00 pic.twitter.com/FdCwUOhUWv
— Cole 𝕏 (@CREAMYCOLE_) August 31, 2023
Shai Gilgeous Alexander over Jimmy Butler raised some questions as well.
Shai over Jimmy Is Very questionable especially since they got knocked out the play in https://t.co/5IejhZ39Gq
— K!NG (@LeekUnfazed) August 31, 2023
One of the fans had his own take:
There….fixed it for you Bleacher Report 😏
Tier 1
1. Jokic
2. Curry
3. Giannis
Tier 2
4. Luka
5. Tatum
6. Butler
Tier 3
7. Booker
8. LeBron
9. KD
Tier 4
10. Embiid
11. AD
12. Kawhi
13. Dame
Tier 5
14. Antman
15. SGA
16. Jamal
17. Fox
18. Trae
19. Morant
20. JJJ https://t.co/WuJmYIcqSb
— Kuldeep Singh (@Kuldeep__Singh_) August 31, 2023
As was Jayson Tatum over Stephen Curry.
TATUM OVER STEPH IS CRAZY https://t.co/mg81ud3KXj
— sydney fink (@sydn3yfink) August 31, 2023
Kevin Durant fans weren’t happy, either.
https://twitter.com/KBRTrolledYa/status/1697260343792452007
While the fans have their say, there is no doubt that everyone is entitled to an opinion, and in this case, B/R has their out in the open.
Our Thoughts On The Top Players’ Predictions: Youth Over Experience?
It most certainly looks like the site and the panel of experts that it’s reached out to have considered youth and the future of the league over the seasoned names that are placed after the top five.
It’s worth noting that the first five players are all under 30, and that their recent performances are an indicator of the fact that they are in their prime. This would mean better numbers, robust health, and the rising popularity would have been accounted for. That said, it’s still unfortunate that the players placed at 6, 7, and 8 — Curry, James, and Durant are placed relatively in the second half.
All three players have been having a longer prime than most in the league at the time of writing, and their experience, along with the impact make them proven match winners any day. In the top five, only Jokic and Antetokounmpo have a title, which shows why the veterans shouldn’t be written off just yet.
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