Who Are the Top 25 Players in Our 2023 NBA Player Rankings?
As I sat down to compile our 2023 NBA player rankings, I couldn't help but think about that heartwarming moment when LA Tenorio reunited with Jimmy Alapag in Sacramento last Friday. Watching these two legends embrace just before the Kings' game against the Los Angeles Clippers reminded me why I love this game so much - it's about connections, legacy, and the incredible talent that continues to evolve each season. Having covered the NBA for over fifteen years, I've developed my own methodology for evaluating players that goes beyond just statistics, though numbers certainly play a crucial role. My system weighs current performance (40%), historical consistency (25%), impact on team success (20%), and that intangible "clutch factor" (15%) that separates good players from truly great ones.
The conversation about who deserves to be in the top 25 this season is particularly fascinating because we're witnessing a transitional period in the league. The established superstars are being challenged by an incredible influx of young talent, creating what I believe is the most competitive landscape I've seen in my career. When I look at players like Nikola Jokić, who's coming off another historic season averaging 27.2 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 7.9 assists while leading the Nuggets to championship glory, he absolutely deserves that number one spot in my book. His basketball IQ is simply off the charts, and what makes him special isn't just the triple-doubles but how he makes everyone around him better. I've had arguments with colleagues who prefer Giannis Antetokounmpo for his sheer dominance or Joel Embiid for his scoring prowess, but Jokić's complete package of skills, especially his playmaking as a center, gives him the edge in my evaluation.
What really excites me about this year's list is seeing how players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have exploded onto the scene. The Oklahoma City guard has elevated his game to unbelievable heights, putting up 31.8 points per game while leading a young Thunder team that many analysts, myself included, underestimated at the beginning of the season. I remember watching him play early in his career and thinking he had potential, but I never imagined he'd make this kind of leap so quickly. Then there's Luka Dončić, who continues to put up video game numbers - 34.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game before his recent injury. The Mavericks star has that rare ability to control the game's tempo that reminds me of legendary point guards from previous eras, though I do wish he'd improve his defensive consistency to truly cement his status among the all-time greats.
The veteran presence on this list cannot be overlooked either. Seeing LeBron James, in his 20th season no less, still averaging 27.3 points and 8.3 rebounds at age 38 is nothing short of remarkable. I've been fortunate to cover his entire career, and what amazes me isn't just his statistical production but his basketball evolution. He's completely transformed his game multiple times, adapting to different eras and team constructions while maintaining elite performance. Stephen Curry, another veteran who makes my top 10, continues to redefine shooting in the modern game. His 49.3% field goal percentage and 42.7% from three-point range at age 35 demonstrate a level of shooting efficiency that I believe we may not see again for generations.
When compiling these rankings, I pay particular attention to two-way players who impact the game on both ends of the floor. That's why I have Kawhi Leonard in my top 15 despite his injury history - when healthy, he remains one of the most complete players in the league, capable of locking down the opponent's best scorer while efficiently creating his own shot. Similarly, Anthony Davis deserves his spot in the top 12 not just for his 26.3 points and 12.4 rebounds but for his defensive presence that anchors the Lakers' entire system. I've had readers question why I value two-way impact so heavily, but in today's positionless basketball, players who can contribute meaningfully on both ends provide exponentially more value to their teams.
The international influence on this year's list is more pronounced than ever, with approximately 40% of my top 25 coming from outside the United States. This global talent infusion has fundamentally changed how the game is played, bringing diverse styles and basketball backgrounds that have enriched the entire league. From Jokić (Serbia) to Dončić (Slovenia) to Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) to Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), the NBA has truly become a global game, which makes moments like Tenorio and Alapag's reunion - celebrating Filipino basketball heritage on an NBA court - even more meaningful in today's basketball landscape.
As we look toward the future, what strikes me about this current group of elite players is how the definition of positional basketball has blurred. We have centers who handle the ball like point guards, forwards who shoot like specialists, and guards who rebound like big men. This evolution has made creating these rankings both more challenging and more interesting than ever before. The players at the very top of my list have separated themselves through their ability to excel in multiple facets of the game while elevating their teammates' performance - that's the common thread connecting Jokić, Antetokounmpo, and the other superstars in my top tier.
Reflecting on this year's rankings, I'm reminded that basketball excellence comes in many forms, from the statistical dominance of Joel Embiid's scoring titles to the quiet leadership of Chris Paul organizing his team's offense. What makes the NBA so compelling year after year isn't just the individual brilliance but how these extraordinary talents intersect, compete, and occasionally come together in moments of shared basketball history, much like that reunion between Tenorio and Alapag that caught my attention before I even began writing this piece. The beauty of our game lies in these connections between past and present, between statistics and stories, between individual greatness and collective basketball heritage that continues to evolve with each new season.
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