The 2022-23 NBA season is steadfastly approaching its midway point, and already the storylines are overflowing. There have been countless surprises to begin the year, as well as glaring disappointments from some players and teams with big expectations. Instead of focusing on the storylines being created by teams, today we will focus on the ones that have been created by individual players nearly 30 games into the 2022-23 season. These players have been placed into 15 different categories that we have broken down.

Some of these categories you will see today are on the positive side of things, while other players don’t want to end up in certain categories we have listed below. Our selections were carefully selected, and readers must remember that this is solely based on the first third of the NBA season. Wipe out all knowledge of previous seasons and what you think may happen in the future to solely focus on the 25 or so games we have had in 2022-23. Regardless of reputation, the players below have been the best, and sometimes worst, in specific areas on the court.

These are the best NBA players by category for the 2022-23 season.

Scoring - Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic and the Mavericks got off to a hot start this season which has cooled off in a big way over the last 10 games. One thing that has kept the Mavericks relevant and still in playoff contention is the tremendous play of Luka Doncic and, more specifically, his scoring. Doncic is currently averaging 32.5 PPG, which is 2nd in the NBA behind Joel Embiid. The difference between them is that Doncic has played 7 more games than Embiid, with a significantly higher usage rate to begin the 2022-23 campaign.

Luka’s 32.5 PPG is a career-high so far in 2022-23 and 3.7 PPG higher than his previous career-high of 28.8 PPG. Doncic is still hovering around 70.0% from the foul line, which has been one of the knocks on his game during the early stages of his career. He is, however, shooting the highest percentage of his career from the 2-point range at 58.0% on a career-high 14.1 attempts per game. If Doncic keeps this up and the Mavericks can start winning some games, his first MVP award could be within reach.

Playmaking - Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic’s playmaking has already been highlighted during the first 4 seasons of his career. Doncic has taken his playmaking ability to another level in 2022-23, a scary thought considering how good he has been in his early 20s. For the 4th season in a row, Doncic is averaging more than 8.5 APG with the Mavericks. As we all well know, passing is not the not part of playmaking that matters.

The definition of playmaking is, in its name, the ability to make plays for yourself and others. Nobody does that better than Luka Doncic in 2022-23. He is the ultimate floor-raiser which holds especially true since the Mavericks are currently 1 game under .500 and would be in serious trouble without the play of Luka Doncic. He has been one of the most dangerous players in pick-and-roll situations because of his all-around ability to both score and find his teammates for easy buckets. If anyone embodies what it means to be a playmaker, it is Luka.

Rebounding - Rudy Gobert

Declaring Rudy Gobert as the best rebounder in basketball is nothing new. Gobert led the NBA in rebounds in 2021-22 with 14.7 RPG and is doing it once again in 2022-23 with 12.2 RPG. Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled to adjust to their new lineup in Gobert’s first season, currently sitting 8th in the West at 16-15 on the season. Gobert has been relied on to lead the team on the interior since word broke through about the trade that sent the 7’1’’ big man to Minnesota. He has answered that call and then some.

Rudy Gobert currently leads the NBA in RPG with 12.2, but he sits at just 3rd in the NBA with 316 total rebounds, 33 behind leader Domantas Sabonis. Gobert is tied for 5th in offensive rebounds with 95 and 8th in defensive rebounds with 221. The second chances he has earned his teammates have been critical to keeping their heads above water in the playoff hunt, and if Gobert continues to rebounds the ball this way, we could be looking at his 2nd straight rebounding title by season’s end.

Defense - Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokoumpo may not be the leader in the clubhouse right now for the Defensive Player of the Year award, but no one has been more impactful on that end of the ball than he has. Just Giannis’ mere presence in the paint is enough for opposing coaches to plan around him for the majority of the game. Even if they choose to attack him, Giannis has been pretty good at not getting into foul trouble and still doing enough to impede shots.

If we go off specifically just numbers, Giannis would not even be Top 10 in defense for 2022-23. He is currently averaging 1.0 BPG and a career-low 0.9 SPG. As a matter of fact, his teammate Brook Lopez could be argued as a better defender than him in 2022-23 based on just numbers. However, Giannis has had the same impact defensively this season that he has had for the past 4 seasons. No other player in the NBA right now causes more offensive adjustments than Giannis, and for that, he has to be selected as the best defensive player in the NBA.

3-Point Shooting - Stephen Curry

To no one’s surprise, Stephen Curry is still the best 3-point shooter in 2022-23 and to ever step on the court. The stories of Curry’s volume and efficient shooting are legendary, and everyone seems to be waiting for it to begin to drop off as he gets older. Curry has responded by only getting better at shooting the three-ball, which is a scary thought despite the early struggles from the Warriors in 2022-23.

Despite ranking 12th in 3-point percentage at 43.4%, no other player can match the volume with which Curry shoots the three-ball. Curry has attempted 302 3-pointers in 2022-23and is one of only 6 players with over 250 attempts. He leads the NBA in made 3-pointers as well with 131, 15 ahead of Anfernee Simons, who has 116. Compared to his 2016 unanimous MVP season, Curry is attempting the same amount of 3-pointers at a slightly less efficient rate. Anything close to those numbers deserves recognition in itself.

Finishing - Giannis Antetokounmpo

Once again, Giannis Antetokounmpo takes another category, and this time it stems from his work around the basket. Giannis has been known for the last 5 seasons as a physically gifted athletic freak who can catch lobs and throw down powerful dunks with ease. Once he gets a head of steam going, Antetokounmpo has been virtually impossible to stop at the rim by any one defender or any team, for that matter.

This season, Giannis is finishing 79.8% of his shots at the rim where 48.5% of his total shot attempts come from. Call me crazy but someone finishing nearly 80.0% of half their shot attempts is incredibly efficient basketball. Of anyone with at least 5.0 attempts from within 5 feet, Giannis ranks second at 79.8% from that range. If there is any player worthy of the finishing category, it is Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Athleticism - Ja Morant

Is there any point guard more exciting to watch this season than Ja Morant? The answer is a resounding no as Morant once again has silenced the doubters and has Memphis atop the Western Conference standings. The most exciting part of Morant’s game has been watching the way he uses the athleticism he possesses nearly every time he is on offense. It isn’t all about the thunderous dunks he throws down, either.

Morant has Memphis as the NBA’s leader in points in the paint, with 57.7 PPG in that area. The way Morant adjusts to the defense coming over to help when he gets by his man has been jaw-dropping, to say the least. No human being should be able to leap and contort his body the way Ja Morant does, but here we are. Of all the athletics freaks in the NBA, Ja Morant stands out among the rest due to what he does with it and how it impacts his team, which is substantial.

Clutch - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Another player who isn’t much of a surprise but has been a joy to watch break out is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder have struggled once again due to a lack of experience and having one of the youngest rosters in basketball, but their leader has been one of the best stories of 2022-23. One of the reasons he has been so exciting to watch has been his ability to deliver in the clutch and never shy away from a big shot, whether he misses or it goes in.

Shai’s clutch stats have been incredible so far in 2022-23. He currently leads the NBA with 79 points in clutch situations which are described as games that are within 5 points in the last 5 minutes. He is shooting 41.2% in clutch situations, and the Thunder are just 7-12 in their 19 close games this season, but Gilgeous Alexander has risen to the occasion in big-time games more than once. If any player deserves the clutch player award for 2022-23, it has been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander so far.

Efficiency - Nikola Jokic

For the 3rd season in a row, Nikola Jokic is once again the most efficient player in basketball. Efficiency goes well beyond how well someone shoots the ball. It takes into account efficient possessions and shot selections, as well as turnovers and missed shots. Jokic has been a historically efficient player over his last 2 MVP seasons and loos poised to lead the NBA once again as well as challenge for a 3rd straight MVP award.

Currently, Jokic comes in with a 32.53 PER which ranks first in the NBA and would be the 3rd consecutive year in which he led the NBA in that stat. Jokic is also averaging 3.7 turnovers per game, but when the offense is run through you, the ball tends to bounce the wrong way sometimes. Also, for the 3rd year in a row, Jokic is leading the NBA in offensive win shares and has a career-high 69.2% true shooting percentage. Is it possible that Jokic is playing better basketball than ever before?

Leadership - Giannis Antetokounmpo

There are more than a few players that can be chosen here for their leadership qualities, but once again, the best player in the world takes the cake. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been nothing but a leader since he became one of the top players in basketball just 4 years ago. Giannis has consistently stepped up to the plate when his team needs him most and leads by example both on and off the court.

If there is any indication of his leadership, it is the fact that he has rallied the Bucks this year despite not having his best teammate to start the year in Khris Middleton. The Bucks' season could have easily gone sideways when they went on a short losing streak a few weeks ago, but Giannis rallied his team both in the locker room and on the court. Leadership is something that cannot be taught. You are either a leader, or you’re not and Giannis has shown that he certainly is one.

Versatility - Giannis Antetokounmpo

To be versatile in the NBA means that you must be able to do many different things within the realm of the game on the court. Not only do you have to be able to do these things, but doing them all very well definitely stands out amongst your peers. Giannis Antetokounmpo may just be the most versatile superstar in basketball on both sides of the ball. The only knock on Giannis’ game is that he cannot shoot from three or the foul line. The thing is, Giannis doesn’t need those facets of his game to be dominant or lead the Bucks.

On offense, Giannis is a steamroller coming through the paint on his way to the basket. He can either finish with authority, or his eyes are always up looking for open teammates. He has become a great playmaker, especially from the position he plays, and currently averages the most APG in his career by a power forward. On defense, Giannis is a nightmare for bigs, especially as a weak side help defender. He can also step out and take on smaller players with his length and agility/lateral movement.

Handles - Kyrie Irving

Until Kyrie Irving retires, and as long as handles is a category we have to select a player for, he will be the choice 100 times out of 100. Irving has been one of the most fascinating players in NBA history to watch with the ball in his hands. The way he moves side to side with his dribble and possesses the ball with such control is almost like art that should be preserved in a museum.

It isn’t just about the raw beauty or the look of the way he handles the ball that makes him so special. It is the way he can control or take over a game with those moves. With almost any defender in front of him, Kyrie can get by him with his change of direction, speed, and control of the ball, which looks almost effortless. If he doesn’t want to attack the rim, he can set up any sort of jump shot he wants with the way he controls possessions. It may be time for everyone to admit that Irving has surpassed Allen Iverson in the handles department.

Underrated- Devin Booker

We have reached yet another NBA season where Devin Booker has become the most underrated player in the NBA. No other player has received as much criticism over the last 3 seasons for playing extremely well as Devin Booker has. All Booker has done is get better as time goes on, yet snubbed by fans or media members in every sense of the word. I am even guilty of this myself having him ranked outside the Top 10 in our latest MVP rankings.

Over the past 3 seasons, Booker had led his team to the NBA Finals and been named to his first All-NBA First Team. All I have heard from fans and media members is how he hasn’t deserved it or blaming Booker solely for the Suns’ Game 7 blowout loss to the Mavericks. Enough is enough. Devin Booker is one of the best shooting guards in basketball, and it is time he starts getting recognized as such. By the way, I am a Dallas Mavericks fan.

Overrated - Trae Young

If there is one player deserving of the overrated title so far in 2022-23, it has been Trae Young. One season after leading the NBA in total assists and total points, Young has led a very disappointing campaign for the Hawks in 2022-23 thus far. Young has the Hawks at just 16-15 on the season so far, with much of the blame to fall on his shoulders. The Hawks had immense expectations placed on them heading into 2022-23 with the addition of Dejounte Murray in the offseason. The hope was that Murray’s defensive ability could somehow mask Young’s deficiencies, but the opposite has occurred.

Trae Young is by no means a bad basketball player, and that isn’t what overrated means. Many claimed that Young was a Top 3 point guard in basketball heading into 2022-23 when, realistically he is barely Top 10 this season. While still averaging over 27.0 PPG and 10.0 APG, Young is doing it with abysmal efficiency. He is shooting a career-low 41.2% from the field overall and 29.3% from three. Not exactly Top 10 material from a player who shoots over 20 shots per game.

Overall - Giannis Antetokounmpo

It is no secret who is the best player in the NBA right now. Giannis Antetokounmpo has once again run away with the best player in the world honors to begin the 2022-23 season. Currently, Giannis has the Milwaukee Bucks atop the NBA with a 22-8 record as he is averaging 31.0 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 5.2 APG, and 1.0 BPG. No one player has had more of an impact on both ends of the court than Giannis and that has been evident for the first 30 games of the season.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Giannis’ hot start is the fact that he had Milwaukee in this position without his 2nd-best player, Khris Middleton for most of the year. Giannis’ versatility and leadership have energized the Bucks who are determined to prove that their 2021 NBA title wasn’t a fluke. His play and energy have rubbed off on his teammates such as Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis who are having career-best seasons on either side of the ball. Once again, Giannis has the Bucks geared toward another championship run. Can they keep it up and win their 2nd title in 3 years?

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