Just days after announcing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the MVP, the NBA made its final award announcement ahead of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. This time, it was the reveal for the annual All-NBA teams, which sparked major conversations across the community.
For perhaps the final time, the ‘Inside the NBA’ crew gave the results live on the air, starting with the All-NBA First Team. This year, since the 2023-24 campaign, the league has adopted a “positionless” format, meaning only the best players will make the cut.
As the top three players in the world right now, and the frontrunners for MVP, Giannis, Shai, and Nikola Jokic were obvious inclusions. After winning 64 regular-season games, the Cavaliers needed a representative, and Donovan Mitchell was the perfect choice with averages of 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game on 44.3% shooting. After proving himself with a championship last year, Tatum earned his place on the First Team after stepping up and leading the Celtics with 26.8 points per game.
– Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
– Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
– Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
– Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
– Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Next was the All-NBA Second Team, which featured some very familiar faces. Interestingly, only two of the five players have avoided an early elimination this season, which is Jalen Brunson (26.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists) and Anthony Edwards (27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists). Still, you have to recognize the record-breaking achievement for LeBron James, who was just voted to his 21st All-NBA team for leading the Lakers to the third-best record in the West (50-32). Meanwhile, Stephen Curry makes his 11th appearance on the list after averaging 24.5 points per game at 37 years old.
– Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
– Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
– Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
– LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
– Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Finally, there’s the All-NBA Third team, which showed us some of the best young risers in the NBA. The best among them is the guy currently fighting for a spot in the NBA Finals: Tyrese Haliburton. With a modest stat line of 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game, he earned his place as one of the league’s top players. In a shocking twist, Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden also made the cut for the first time in 2021.
– Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
– Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
– James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers
– Karl Anthony-Towns, New York Knicks
– Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
The panel, which consisted of [], had no easy task trying to fill out the All-NBA rosters. While some will argue higher or lower for certain players, others were outraged over players they felt were snubbed entirely.
Trae Young is one example, and many of his fans felt a sense of familiarity after thinking back to his snub from the All-Star team. There’s also Jaylen Brown, who somehow didn’t get the nod despite averaging 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game for a 61-win Celtics team.
It’s important to remember that some players didn’t qualify for the teams (65-game minimum requirement), which explains why players like Luka Doncic and De’Aaron Fox missed out despite otherwise excellent seasons.
Overall, while some players may feel left out, it’s hard to disagree with the results given what we’ve seen this season and now in the playoffs. Either way, there’s no going back on the process now and players will have to wait until next season to prove why they belong with the best.
