- The core requirements per NBA position have remained the same
- There is a new wave of young stars who will take steps up in 2024
- Older superstars and legends are no longer the best at their positions
The NBA has always been a league defined by its superstars, and the 2023-24 season is no exception. As the NBA landscape continues to evolve, so does the hierarchy of talent among its players. This article delves into the dynamic world of professional basketball to identify and rank the three best players at each position for the 2023-24 season.
In a league where versatility, athleticism, and skill are at an all-time high, assessing the top players by position provides a unique perspective on the game’s ever-changing landscape. While the game has become more positionless, the core attributes and requirements per position have remained the same, more or less.
As a result, we will explore the point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards, and centers who have distinguished themselves on the court, taking into account factors such as statistics, impact on their respective teams, and overall contribution to the game. Here are the three best players in the NBA by position for the upcoming campaign.
3 Best NBA Point Guards Right Now
1. Luka Doncic
2022-23 Statistics: 32.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG
2. Stephen Curry
2022-23 Statistics: 29.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 6.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG
3. Damian Lillard
2022-23 Statistics: 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
It does not matter if Damian Lillard will be sharing the ball with Giannis Antetokounmpo and to a lesser extent, Khris Middleton because his numbers will still be very impressive as he looks to make his first Finals appearance. Lillard is not only a dominant offensive player but a clutch performer that the Bucks can rely on in critical games. Dame might not average at least 30 points per game in 2024, but as long as he does what he does best which is shooting and attacking the basket, he will be a top-three point guard in the world with the best chance to win it all.
Stephen Curry is still the best player on the Golden State Warriors by a wide margin. The greatest shooter of all time averaged 29.4 points per game on 49.3% from the field, 42.7% from three, and 91.5% from the free-throw line last season. The point guard is still at the top of his game and will continue to be next season based on these numbers alone. Even if Curry misses some games due to rest and attrition, he will prove to be a top-two point guard in the world at his position, although one player might have surpassed him.
Luka Doncic has a chance to be the MVP in the upcoming season. In just his first five seasons in the league, Luka Doncic had earned four All-Star and four All-NBA selections and was considered one of the top young talents with the potential to lead the Dallas Mavericks to championship contention as he already has a Western Conference Finals appearance to his resume. Hopefully, his partnership with Kyrie Irving will achieve success in 2024. In terms of pure dominance and impact, Luka is the best point guard in the world right now.
3 Best NBA Shooting Guards Right Now
1. Devin Booker
2022-23 Statistics: 27.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG
2. Anthony Edwards
2022-23 Statistics: 24.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG
3. Donovan Mitchell
2022-23 Statistics: 28.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Donovan Mitchell is in his prime right now at 27 years old and combines athleticism with exceptional scoring ability. The shooting guard scored 71 points last season and averaged a career-high 28.3 points per game, meaning he will have the juice to return as one of the best shooting guards in the world in the 2024 campaign. However, the player must make it out of the first round of the playoffs if he wants to be regarded higher.
Meanwhile, as of 2023, Anthony Edwards boasts an impressive career-high average of 24.6 points per game and has earned a coveted spot on the All-Star Team. Edwards’ development and growth as a player have garnered keen attention, making him one of the ascending stars in the NBA. His future potential and his capacity to contribute to the Timberwolves’ success will boost the offensive star to reach another level and based on what we saw from him with Team USA, the best is yet to come.
Devin Booker is easily one of the league’s premier scorers and is the best shooting guard in the world. His strengths include exceptional scoring ability, three-point shooting, and offensive versatility, a reason why the Phoenix Suns made the NBA Finals in 2022 and look to be primed for another deep run in 2024. In last year’s playoffs, Booker posted 33.7 points per game on 58.5% shooting from the field, 50.8% from three, and 86.6% from the free-throw line in 11 games. The 26-year-old is at the top of his game right now and nobody comes close to him as a shooting guard.
3 Best NBA Small Forwards Right Now
1. Jayson Tatum
2022-23 Statistics: 30.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.7 BPG
2. LeBron James
2022-23 Statistics: 28.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 6.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG
3. Jimmy Butler
2022-23 Statistics: 22.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Jimmy Butler is the star of the Miami Heat because he is the best defensive stopper on the team, the go-to clutch player, and the emotional leader. After all, the player has led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances in four seasons. Butler will likely continue his trend of being an All-Star in the regular season and a bonafide superstar in the playoffs which is why we can never count out the Miami Heat to push for a title even if Damian Lillard was not acquired.
As the 2024 season looms, LeBron James will reach the age of 39—a stage at which most basketball players have long transitioned from being franchise leaders. Though expecting James to play at least 65 games during the season might be a stretch, he will do enough when he plays to show he is still a top-two small forward in the game. Last season, King James was dominant in the regular season but might have run out of steam by the time the playoffs came. That means there is a new sheriff in town.
LeBron James is no longer the best small forward in the world. That title belongs to Jayson Tatum. In the 2023 season, Tatum showcased his career-best performance, averaging an impressive 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, while maintaining a solid 35.0% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc. Tatum’s ascent has already positioned him as the leading player for the Boston Celtics, a team that reached the NBA Finals in 2022 and now harbors serious aspirations of clinching the championship in the upcoming season with the arrivals of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
3 Best NBA Power Forwards Right Now
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
2022-23 Statistics: 31.1 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 5.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG
2. Kevin Durant
2022-23 Statistics: 29.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.4 BPG
3. Anthony Davis
2022-23 Statistics: 25.9 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2.0 BPG
Anthony Davis needs to be exceptionally great for the Los Angeles Lakers to meet their goals next season. The big man is not only a dominant presence inside the paint but has the skills to be a better outside shooter as well. The Lakers will need Davis to play like a top-three power forward in the game because if he does, the team will be in great shape in terms of contending for the championship in the deep Western Conference.
Devin Booker might be the best player on the Suns right now because Kevin Durant is constantly hurt and does not seem to be at his elite best anymore. Even so, Durant is still a top-two power forward in the game because he will be driving Phoenix’s small-ball lineup built on pace, shooting, and offense. Last season, Durant averaged over 29 points per game and he can easily hover around that number even if he takes a backseat to Booker at times.
With seven NBA All-Star selections and two NBA Most Valuable Player awards to his name, Giannis Antetokounmpo has steered the Milwaukee Bucks to deep postseason runs and even the NBA title in the 2020-21 campaign. After two straight seasons of early exits, Giannis is back with superstar Damian Lillard by his side. At just 28 years old, and widely considered one of the best two-way players globally and will continue being a top-3 player in the world next season. In terms of power forwards, no player can do what The Greek Freak can do which is why he will be in the MVP conversation.
3 Best NBA Centers Right Now
1. Nikola Jokic
2022-23 Statistics: 24.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 9.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
2. Joel Embiid
2022-23 Statistics: 33.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.7 BPG
3. Bam Adebayo
2022-23 Statistics: 20.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Bam Adebayo is not the best player on the Miami Heat, that title belongs to Jimmy Butler. That doesn’t mean that Adebayo isn’t a top-three center in the world. The big man is being heavily recruited by Team USA because he is an All-Star on both ends of the court and his basketball IQ is off the charts. Expect Adebayo to post at least 20 points and nine rebounds per game again in 2024 as he looks to lead the charge alongside Butler to fight for another NBA Finals appearance.
The NBA’s reigning 2023 MVP is easily a top-two big man in the world and will continue his back-and-forth with Nikola Jokic in terms of who will win the award again in 2024. Joel Embiid is the better scorer and defender, but he has not shown leadership qualities just yet by failing to lead the 76ers to the NBA Finals. To get there, the 76ers need to find a way to bring in an All-Star in return for James Harden because if that does not happen, it will be another season for the Camerronian going after the scoring title and MVP trophy.
Nikola Jokic was the best player in the world all season long last year, capturing the NBA title and Finals MVP trophy. He certainly had support with Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Bruce Brown playing pivotal minutes, but the Serbian was simply unstoppable. When the big man isn’t scoring the ball, he is creating easy scoring opportunities for his teammates which is why he is in the running for his third MVP award in 2024 and is by far the best center in the world. Could we also see a center average a triple-double for the first time?
