The NBA has changed tremendously over the past decade since guards are no longer to be playmakers, and big men are actually playing like wingmen and sometimes guards! While that is due to the paradigm shift of rules that is catering to offensive players instead of defenders, credit must go to the slew of talent that has come through the league.
- Scoring – Luka Doncic
- Shooting – Stephen Curry
- Rebounding – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Playmaking – Nikola Jokic
- Ball Handling – Kyrie Irving
- Post Defense – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Perimeter Defense – Kawhi Leonard
- Shot-Blocking – Nic Claxton
- Post Moves – Joel Embiid
- Footwork – Luka Doncic
- Steals – Jimmy Butler
- Athleticism – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Triple-Doubles – Nikola Jokic
- Clutch – De’Aaron Fox
- Heart – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Leadership – LeBron James
- Work Ethic – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Winning – LeBron James
- Longevity – LeBron James
- Dominance – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Most of the top players in the world have incredible skill sets that make them invaluable to their teams. But even as the NBA is becoming more and more a positionless game, the top players in the game are still required to engage in the most critical classes, including scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending, and shot-blocking, among others.
Recently, I wrote two articles that are very similar to this one: ‘The GOAT In Every Category‘ and ‘The Best NBA Player For Every Situation.’ Now, it is time to write about the current best players.
In 2023, the NBA is filled with talent, with only the elite players dominating particular categories. To get an indication of the world’s best players, here is the best NBA player in every category right now.
Scoring – Luka Doncic
In terms of putting the ball in the basket, Luka Doncic is the best in the world right now. He can score at will around the paint, using his strength and size to finish his drives and often draw fouls against helpless defenders. Luka is also very proficient on the fast break and can get from one end of the floor at his own pace and often pulls in a couple of defenders on him at a time.
The Slovenian is simply the most dominant scorer in his position and one of the top scorers in the entire world. This season, Luka is behind Joel Embiid with 33.4 PPG, which is second among all players. Joel is nailing shots at a higher efficiency, but Luka can do more because he is a guard and can get the ball anytime he wants. Whether it is creating his own offense from the perimeter or using his elite footwork in the post, Luka is unstoppable this season.
Shooting – Stephen Curry
This one is not very close. The best point guards in the NBA actually prefer to score rather than create for others, and Stephen Curry is the better shooter than the rest. Steph can attack and score at the rim exceptionally well, but he is more dominant from the perimeter. He is a long-range sniper and still the best we have ever seen. Even at age 34, Curry has continued to show that he will make shots on a consistent basis for the Golden State Warriors.
Curry’s ability to consistently be a sharpshooter from beyond makes him one of the most valuable players in the game. To many fans, media members, and NBA players, Steph is one of the only untouchable players in the game because he has singlehandedly changed the game for good. No player gets hotter than Steph, and through 35 games, Curry is nailing 42.7% of his threes and 92.1% of his foul shots, numbers which continue to prove the point guard is the best in the game as a marksman.
Rebounding – Giannis Antetokounmpo
There are clearly many great rebounders in the NBA right now. Domantas Sabonis has a very strong argument, thanks to his ability to snatch down at least 12 or 13 rebounds in a game with ease. Even Rudy Gobert can put up monster rebounds, although he is not considered to be as dominant as other elite centers in the game. All things considered, taking stats and impact into account, Giannis is the best rebounder in the NBA.
He moves easier than anyone in his position, so he can snatch rebounds at a better rate than his peers. Thanks to his leaping ability, quickness, and length, Giannis is the best rebounder and takes this category. In 2023, Giannis is posting 12.0 RPG, which is right behind Sabonis’ average of 12.4 RPG.
Playmaking – Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic amazingly has an argument for this category since he averages the most assists and makes the most scoring plays off of assists at his position. Nikola is a gifted playmaker as he can read the floor like a point guard and can set up plays thanks to his leadership and basketball I.Q. Even if Tyrese Haliburton is averaging more assists, thanks to the fact he is a pure point guard, Jokic is unstoppable as a playmaker on the fast break and at half-court.
How many times have we seen Jokic handle the rock for the Denver Nuggets and get the likes of Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Aaron Gordon open shots? Even on the break, Nikola has outstanding court vision and always makes the right play. At 6’11″ and 284 lbs, defenders can’t stop the center from making pinpoint passes, and Jokic is almost averaging a triple-double with 9.9 APG this season.
Ball Handling – Kyrie Irving
No player in NBA history has the right to ever take this basketball category. Kyrie handles the ball better than any point guard and makes easy plays that are necessary for his team to win games. He has great handles that allow him to alter his speed anytime he wants, beat his defender with dribble moves, and maintain possession of the ball when he is moving through traffic.
Kyrie hardly, if ever, gets stripped, and his ability on the ball makes him the best in this category. The point guard is doing everything right for the Brooklyn Nets this season, posting 27.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 5.3 APG on 48.6% FG and 37.8% 3-PT FG. Irving’s handles allow him to create space and score from the perimeter or inside the paint, and nobody has ever done it better without disrespect to Allen Iverson.
Post Defense – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Not too many players in the NBA now are required to defend the ball and switch out to shooters consistently. Adam Silver has continued to address the seeming lack of defense in the NBA, as it has never been easier for players to score points and get cheap fouls. But the very elite defensive players get the job done, and luckily for Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis plays for them. The Greek Freak is simply the most dominant all-around defender in the NBA ever since he won Defensive Player of the Year in the 2020 season.
Giannis is always the most athletic player on the floor and can guard anybody on any night. He is tall and lengthy enough to bother bigger players’ shots and especially be a nightmare to attack if you’re a guard. Giannis can shut down the paint and even shut down the perimeter, as he is posting 0.8 SPG and 0.8 BPG for the Bucks. Giannis might win his second Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
Perimeter Defense – Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard has not been healthy, but when right, he is the best perimeter defender in the NBA. Marcus Smart won Defensive Player of the Year last year, but he does not have Kawhi’s 6’7” height nor the 225 lbs muscle build. In other words, Kawhi can legitimately guard any perimeter defender through size, skill, power, and speed.
O.G. Anunoby also deserves a shout-out because he combines length and size at 6’7”, but he has not accomplished as much as Leonard has on the defensive end. In a do-or-die game for all the marbles, almost every head coach will choose Leonard to be the primary defender over anyone else this season.
Shot-Blocking – Nic Claxton
There are a few elite shot-blockers in the NBA right now: Myles Turner, Mitchell Robinson, and Brook Lopez among them. Even rookie Walker Kessler is doing a fantastic job blocking shots with a 2.0 BPG average. But the man leading all shot-blockers is an athletic and explosive big man, Nic Claxton.
At 6’11” with a 7’2” wingspan, Claxton has the size to be an elite shot-blocker, but he can also explode off his feet and has a very high vertical (36”), which makes him even more deadly. This season, Nic Claxton is averaging 2.7 BPG, which leads all players, including Brook Lopez (2.5 BPG), Myles Turner (2.4 BPG), and Walker Kessler (2.0 BPG).
Post Moves – Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid is perhaps the only big man in the NBA with elite post moves. The superstar center is often overlooked because Nikola Jokic is such a triple-double machine, but Embiid is doing his thing on the offensive end. He can certainly shoot the three, as he is nailing 35.9% from deep this season, solid numbers for a center.
But Joel is a dominant low-post scorer, and the more he feeds inside, the better the 76ers are as a team. Embiid is posting 33.6 PPG this year and doing it at alarming efficiency with a 53.4% FG. What Philadelphia’s superstar can do down low is truly amazing, and hopefully, he continues to dominate inside instead of falling in love with the three.
Footwork – Luka Doncic
Watching Luka Doncic go to work with his feet is a thing of beauty. He is similar to a world-class soccer star with the way he can dominate with his feet, especially when he starts pivoting and fooling players left and right. Even at his young age, Luka is ahead of most with his footwork because he is a skilled basketball player more than a terrific athlete.
Doncic is averaging 33.4 PPG this year, and he does it with a mix of outside shooting and inside scoring. The Slovenian already has a mix of elite footwork, and by watching him, there could be a lot to learn for most players in the NBA right now.
Steals – Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler is one of the game’s most elite defensive players, as evidenced by the fact he leads all players in steals at 2.1 SPG ahead of De’Anthony Melton (1.9 SPG) and Tyrese Haliburton (1.8 SPG). With his 6’7” height, Butler can play passing lanes with ease. In fact, he has been one of the game’s best defenders for a long time.
Butler has improved tremendously as a one-on-one defense since becoming an All-Star, and at age 33, he is a superstar on the defensive end. His height, length, and ability in stealing the ball mean Butler is truly a dominant defender right now and could be a 7-time All-Star this season if he gets voted in.
Athleticism – Giannis Antetokounmpo
In terms of pure athletic ability, Giannis is a different breed. He is long, quick, and has incredible reach when he lifts his arms up. There probably isn’t a player in history with the build of Giannis, as he literally moves like a point guard. This is what makes him exceptionally dominant, and the big man has not slowed down one bit as he recently turned 28 years old. No doubt, Giannis is still in his prime.
Credit should go out to Ja Morant, who is the most explosive and entertaining guard in the NBA right now. As a speedy player with an incredible bounce, Morant has already created some iconic posters this season, and the way he contorts his body in the air is a thing of beauty. But nobody can do what Giannis does because, at 7’0”, he moves like a guard and can do more on the court due to his size.
Triple-Doubles – Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic is the most efficient superstar in the NBA right now since he has all the tools to be effective without having to shoot the ball too much or overdribble. Jokic, mainly thanks to his incredible size and skill, can literally do everything on the basketball court and not even try too hard. Nobody makes it look as simple as Jokic does when it comes to rebounding, pushing the ball, and passing to his teammates.
Jokic also shoots a very high percentage from the field (62.9%) since he takes most of his shots close to the basket and still managed to average over 25 points per game doing so. Jokic averages the most points, rebounds, and assists on his team and is simply the most efficient player in the NBA when looking at what he can do on the court in such a short amount of time. Jokic has also surpassed Luka Doncic (10) and Domantas Sabonis (6) with the most triple-doubles with 15 total this year.
Clutch – De’Aaron Fox
When it comes to clutch, Damian Lillard and DeMar DeRozan are always the first two names mentioned. After all, their track records speak for themselves. But nobody has been more clutch than De’Aaron Fox this season. Likely a first-time All-Star this year, Fox is doing everything to get the Sacramento Kings into the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season. The stats also prove no one has been more efficient in the clutch than Fox.
Fox is one of the fastest players in the NBA, and his speed and dribbling make him impossible to stop on the break or in the half-court in one-on-one situations. With a whopping 40 clutch baskets, this year and an unrivaled efficiency of 61.5% on those makes, Fox is killing it in critical moments, and he is the biggest reason the Kings hold onto a playoff spot with a very solid 28-21 record which is good for 3rd in the Western Conference.
Heart – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Nobody plays harder than Giannis Antetokounmpo in the NBA right now. The Greek Freak is a superstar on both ends of the floor and simply never stops running or attacking on offense or defense. At 28 years old, his age also allows him to compete non-stop as he is right in his prime.
Russell Westbrook has been the player with the most heart since Allen Iverson retired, but he has seemingly taken his foot off the pedal slightly in his older age, although he still competes at a high level. But nobody is in attack mode nonstop like Giannis, and he has the most heart right now.
Leadership – LeBron James
There are few players in the NBA right now who are truly considered exceptional leaders on a mature and stable level. Giannis is not at that level yet due to age, as LeBron James is still the greatest leader in the NBA. Even at age 38, LeBron still has the special ability to be the best player on a championship team and make everyone around him better at the same time. LeBron is so dominant that he attracts the attention of the entire defense, and he is unselfish enough to get guys easy shots all game long.
His high basketball I.Q. and consistent production make him the best leader. By simply looking at the Lakers standing, it might seem that LeBron is doing his job. But The King means everything to the Lakers, and if not for him, the team is by far the worst in the NBA because they have zero offense outside of the often-injured Anthony Davis. James is handling an abnormal load at his age, posting 30.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 7.1 APG while somehow trying to guide the Lakers to a play-in seed.
Work Ethic – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Who has worked harder on his game than Giannis Antetokounmpo? The Greek Freak made the All-Rookie Team in 2014 by posting 6.8 PPG as a skinny player who was decent but unspectacular. His work in the gym eventually allowed him to become the Most Improved Player in 2017 by posting 22.9 PPG and 8.8 RPG while making his first All-Star Team. Only two years later, Giannis became an MVP.
Despite winning back-to-back MVPs and showing tremendous improvement by also capturing Defensive Player of the Year, many were doubting the player could win it all. He proved the doubters wrong, capturing the NBA title and Finals MVP, and continues to work on his game today.
Winning – LeBron James
Giannis might have an argument here, but LeBron James deserves this category. He is a unique forward who simply has it all as a leader, passer, and scorer. He is bigger and taller than almost any player in the NBA and can read the defenses very well. On offense, he knows when to finish inside and when to take the defender outside for his spin jumpers. His ability to make the right plays makes him a very good high-IQ player.
Even though Giannis can do it all on the court and is a more dominant player, LeBron has every single tool in his arsenal and unlimited experience to back it up. James will never take a bad shot when a better one is available and is the smartest player alive at age 38. The King is no longer in his prime, but his mind is beyond everyone else’s and can influence winning the most, as his resume suggests.
Longevity – LeBron James
Still one of the best players in the world, LeBron James is the player with the most longevity right now. Despite being 38 years old, he can get from one rim to the other in a few dribbles, can still dunk over defenders, and has an elite basketball IQ to make plays for his teammates when double-teamed.
The King’s numbers are indicative of an unstoppable player, posting 30.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 7.1 APG while chipping in 1.0 SPG and 0.6 BPG. No player can do more when it comes to leading his teammates right now, and James has not slowed down since he entered the league. As great as guys such as Chris Paul and Kevin Durant have been for so long, James is the king of longevity.
Dominance – Giannis Antetokounmpo
It is rare to see dominant players in the NBA since the days of an unstoppable big man in the paint could be over. Joel Embiid is the most dominant physical player in the paint right now, and LeBron James is still a locomotive when he attacks. But nobody dominates like Giannis right now, and is the modern version of Shaquille O’Neal when looking at his athleticism.
Antetokounmpo is 7’0”, weighs 242 lbs of pure muscle, and has the best athleticism in the game. He can score around the rim with ease since he is only a few feet from the rim standing. But he can leap and explode with ease and must be defended by three players at least to stop him, meaning he’s the most dominant right now.
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