- This player will average over 50.0 PPG
- This player will not need a superteam
- This player would be like the Thanos of the NBA
There have been numerous times in which we have tried to create the perfect NBA player by assigning specific players and their best skills to make that build. We have traveled through time and created the best player from the 1990s and 2000s. We have created the greatest player position by position in NBA history as well. Now, it is time to apply this same method to today’s game and create the best player for the upcoming NBA season.
- Scoring – Kevin Durant
- Passing – Nikola Jokic
- Handles – Kyrie Irving
- Hustle – Marcus Smart
- Mentality – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- IQ – LeBron James
- Shooting – Stephen Curry
- Defense – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Finishing – De’Aaron Fox
- Athleticism – Ja Morant
- Clutch – De’Aaron Fox
- Footwork – Kawhi Leonard
- Height – Victor Wembanyama
- Strength – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Speed – De’Aaron Fox
- How Would This Player Perform In 2023-24?
This player will have 15 different skills assigned to him in order to create the best possible All-Star imaginable. Each one of these skills is crucial for every player to be successful in the NBA and giving our player the best of the best will only add to his title of the best player in the world. Each skill will be broken down as it pertains to our player and the other attributes he accumulates along the way.
This is how you create the perfect NBA player for the 2023-24 season.
Scoring – Kevin Durant
To kick things off with the scoring category, we could have gone with the two-time defending scoring champion Joel Embiid or any of the other six players who averaged 30.0 PPG or more for the 2022-23 season. Those selections wouldn’t have been necessarily wrong, but they wouldn’t have been the best choice available.
That selection has been reserved for one of the best scorers in NBA history, Kevin Durant. In 2022-23 with the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant averaged 29.1 PPG in just 47 games played. That is not where the story ends. As he has been most of his career, Durant was the most efficient scorer in the NBA last season as well. He became the first player to record 55/40/90 shooting splits on mostly a mid-range and perimeter game. With a scoring skill set as unmatched as Durant’s, he is the only correct choice for our player heading into 2023-24.
Passing – Nikola Jokic
When it comes to the passing category, you could almost guarantee that we were going to go with a guard for this category. That would definitely be true if there was a guard who could be labeled the best passer in the NBA. In 2023, however, that title belongs to center, reigning Finals MVP, and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
For the past four seasons, Nikola Jokic’s full arsenal as a basketball player has been on full display for the world to see. The best tool in his arsenal by far has been his ability to read defenses and pick them apart with his court vision, height, and passing ability. Jokic is the best in the world at finding his teammates when the defense ultimately collapses on him, even if that means slinging a dime across the court or a full-court pass in transition. Since 2018-19, Jokic has recorded at least 7.0 APG every season, but it has gotten even better in recent years. He recorded a career-high 9.3 APG in 2022-23, and for our player, adding this to Durant’s scoring already makes him an MVP favorite.
Handles – Kyrie Irving
Our player already has the scoring of Kevin Durant and passing of Nikola Jokic. Now, we need somebody who can handle the rock and make these situations easier on himself and his teammates. When it comes to handling the ball, there is only one choice in the NBA right now and his name is Kyrie Irving.
Kyrie himself is one of the most talented pure scorers in the game right now, especially when it comes to finishing at the rim. The reason he can be so creative and efficient in his ways is the way he controls the ball so gracefully and fluidly like he was born with the ball attached to his hands. Irving is equally skilled in moving laterally and vertically with the ball in his hands and it makes him one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NBA. With Irving’s handles, Durant’s scoring, and Jokic’s passing, our player is already built like the best offensive player that ever lived.
Hustle – Marcus Smart
Hustle on the basketball court is not something that will ever be measured with stats and numbers. It is one of the many intangibles of the game that separate the greats from the average players. No player has given more of his blood, sweat, and tears on the court during his time in the league than Marcus Smart. Smart is a three-time winner of the NBA’s Hustle Award and a back-to-back winner in 2022 and 2023. Although he will be wearing a different uniform in 2023-24, you can bet that Smart will be the same old defensive menace, diving for loose balls and energizing his team when they need it most. A player with the heart and hustle of Marcus Smart is a player that any coach would love to have and any player would love to share the court with.
Mentality – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Humility, passion, courage, and sacrifice. These are the words I think of when I see the words mentality in front of me. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the first player I think of as well with his consistent and genuine display of these traits every time he steps on the court.
Giannis has spoken with humble words when it comes to being compared to current superstars or all-time greats. He has shown his passion for the game through his work ethic and willingness to go to battle with his teammates. His courage and sacrifice were on full display during Milwaukee’s 2021 NBA championship run when even a hyperextended knee couldn’t stop him from dominating. He lets the bad roll off his shoulders and the good remains to build on for the future. Any player with Giannis’ approach and mindset is a welcomed addition to our player.
IQ – LeBron James
Say what you will about LeBron James‘ defensive decline, his poor shooting in the 2023 NBA playoffs, or the fact that he will be 39 years old in the 2023-24 season. One part of his game that will never decline is his IQ and understanding of the game itself. James’ ability to read defenses and communicate that to his teammates is something we have never seen before. His ability to not only read the game himself but help his teammates understand is part of what makes him one of the greatest players that ever lived. We want the player we are building to have as much of an understanding of the game as he possibly can. There is no player in basketball history more suited for this selection than LeBron James.
Shooting – Stephen Curry
It does not matter what year it is or how old Stephen Curry gets, as long as he is in the NBA, his shooting will reign supreme over everyone else. You do not become the NBA’s three-point king and suddenly fall off and Curry definitely has not since breaking that record early in 2021-22.
Over the last two seasons, even as he battled injuries, Curry remained the top three-point shooter in the game. He shot 40.2% from three in those 120 games while attempting 11.6 threes per contest. It has remained consistent as the games got more important in the postseason. Over the last two years, one of which included an NBA title in 2022, Curry has shot 39.7% in the NBA playoffs on 11.0 attempts. As long as the greatest shooter that ever lived is still in the NBA, he will always be the selection when our player needs shooting.
Defense – Giannis Antetokounmpo
For the defensive category, it all depends on what you value in a defender. Although the gap in importance has narrowed over the last few years, interior defense still reigns supreme over perimeter defense. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the NBA’s best interior defender for the last several seasons, ever since he was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.
Since that time, Giannis has averaged 1.0 SPG, and 1.1 BPG in 254 games played. He is disruptive on both the perimeter and in the post but has especially excelled as a weak side help defender. In transition, his speed and athleticism allow him to disrupt the flow the offense is trying to regulate on fast breaks. His 104.7 defensive rating since 2020 gives him the 6th-best defensive rating over that time and makes him a lock for our selection and addition to the perfect player for next season.
Finishing – De’Aaron Fox
When I think about finishing, it isn’t all about dunks or flashy finishes like layups, finger rolls, and so on. I want an elite finisher to be efficient first and foremost, boasting one of the best percentages in the NBA while attempting more than any other player in the NBA. Of course, big men are going to be the elite of the elite in that category, but with the addition of a little more skill, we decided on a guard.
When we talk about efficiency at the rim at a high volume, no guard was better than the Sacramento Kings’ All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox. Among guards who shot at least 150 shots at the rim in 2022-23, Fox led all of them with an absurd 76.5% field goal percentage on those shots. Fox was incredibly intelligent and methodical in his ways in 2022-23, which led to the Kings making the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. That direct impact and consistency at the rim is exactly which player I would want in addition to the offensive juggernaut we have already built.
Athleticism – Ja Morant
I am going to make a bold claim about the athleticism of Ja Morant. It is the kind of athleticism I have only seen from guards like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Yes, it is that elite and I do not think many will disagree. From the incredible heights he reaches on his dunks and layups to the speed with which he plays the game constantly, Ja Morant has become a star in the NBA on the back of his athletic ability. One play that stands out is his halftime buzzer-beater in a game against the Spurs in 2022. Right after posterizing Jakob Poeltl in violent fashion, Morant followed it up by receiving a full-court pass in mid-air, contorting his body toward the basket, and sinking the jumper all in one fluid motion before the buzzer sounded. That isn’t normal or human, by the way. Adding this to our player is the icing on the cake as far as making him unguardable.
Clutch – De’Aaron Fox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnVWsRkoITY
Let’s be clear, there are a ton of players in the NBA who can be defined or anointed as the most clutch in the NBA right now. The NBA defines clutch time as the last five minutes of the game when the margin between the two teams’ scores is five points or less. In simpler terms, it’s the most chaotic time on the court in a close game.
According to the NBA and myself, the most clutch player in the NBA last season was De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings. Fox finished second in the NBA with 547 fourth-quarter points scored in 2022-23 but really excelled during that clutch time criteria. In that time, he led the NBA in scoring with 5.0 PPG while shooting 52.9% overall from the field, 31.8% from three, and 86.0% from the foul line. Give me those numbers any day heading into 2023-24.
Footwork – Kawhi Leonard
Yeah, I know. It’s hard to give our player any attribute from Kawhi Leonard, considering how many games he has missed over the last three years. One thing that Leonard does better than anyone else in the game though is apply his footwork. On offense, Leonard is patient yet explosive, using his feet to misdirect opponents, especially when he gets even a small head of steam. On defense, his footwork still makes him one of the most intimidating defenders in the NBA. Even with his knee injuries, Kawhi’s footwork has been second to none in recent years. Let’s just see if it will hold up in 2023-24.
Height – Victor Wembanyama
Even though he hasn’t played a game in the NBA yet, we can still take an attribute we would like from the French phenom Victor Wembanyama. Standing at 7’4’’, Wembanyama will be the tallest player in the NBA in 2023-24 and is one of the 15 tallest players in NBA history. Wembanyama’s height will give our player distinct advantages when you consider he will have the shooting of Curry, the scoring ability of Kevin Durant, and the handles of Kyrie Irving. As hyped of a prospect as Wembanyama is himself, he wouldn’t come close to the player we built today, and we aren’t done quite yet.
Strength – Giannis Antetokounmpo
With just one look at how he is built, you can tell that Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the strongest players in the NBA. When he steps out on the basketball court, that becomes even more apparent in his playstyle. In the open court, Giannis is a brick wall running with the speed and strides of a gazelle who will run through or jump over any defender that stands in his way. He will take whatever bumps are necessary to get the job done and very seldom complain about it. I have never personally tested the strength of NBA players, but are you going to say it isn’t Giannis?
Speed – De’Aaron Fox
You can ask any NBA fan, any NBA player, or any NBA analyst who they think the fastest player in the NBA is today and I am willing to bet 90.0% of them say the same name. De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings. In 30 seconds of watching him play, you will see why. It takes mere seconds for him to switch gears and run the length of the court. In a flash of black and purple, Fox sprints through the paint from the perimeter with a burst of speed rarely seen in NBA history. With the ball in tow or riding solo, De’Aaron Fox is the quickest player in the NBA for 2023-24.
How Would This Player Perform In 2023-24?
When it comes to the player we built today, there is no doubt he would be the best player in the NBA today and the heavy MVP favorite for years to come. Look at his offense for example. We have made him a passer like Jokic, a shooter like Curry, an overall scorer like Durant, and a finisher like De’Aaron Fox with the height of Victor Wembanyama and the strength of Giannis. As far as forces in the NBA go, we could be looking at the most dominant of all time. You’re looking at a player likely to average 55.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, and close to 15.0 APG as well.
He is no slouch on the defensive end, either. Again the height of Wembanyama and the strength of Giannis will be key to his success, as will Giannis’ overall defensive instincts. With the addition of Kawhi’s footwork and Morant’s athleticism, this player is also likely to be a multiple-time winner of Defensive Player of the Year as well. There is no telling the number of records this built player could break, but there is no doubt in my mind that we built not only the best possible player for 2023-24, but we may have built the GOAT without even really trying to.
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