When discussing basketball, one of the most common topics is debating who the best NBA player is. We waited until now, when the MVP has been announced, before ranking the league’s greatest players. This list could help, so let’s delve straight into it.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
As the NBA’s best player, Giannis Antetokounmpo has firmly established himself. This season, basketball fans were still unanimous in their belief that Kevin Durant was the better player, despite his excellent playoff run from the previous season, and it was hard to disagree after he nearly single-handedly destroyed the Bucks in a seven-game series without his teammates Kyrie Irving and James Harden. You cannot argue with the fact that Giannis should come out on top here. He became the first player in NBA history to score at least 200 points, 100 rebounds, and 50 assists in a playoff series. Without Khris Middleton, Giannis was able to accomplish a great deal in the series, even if he lost in Game 7 and struggled in Game 6. Even though he is still a youngster, he has already won the NBA Finals MVP award in 2021.
- Kevin Durant
It was evident that Kevin Durant was the NBA’s No. 2 player before he was sidelined by a torn Achilles tendon. Following all, in spite of having a heel injury that has affected the trajectory of greats before him, Durant was able to maintain his high level of play. Durant became the top scorer in the NBA while playing for the Thunder. He improved his passing and defensive skills while playing for the Warriors. Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Kevin Durant is a versatile player capable of making any type of pass, rebounding well, and utilizing his length to harass opponents. Is there any player you’d trust to take the final shot against Durant if the game was on the line?
- LeBron James
Because he aspires to be the greatest player of all time, James is driven to compete at the top of his game. Even though he’s 37 years old, he continues to show that his professional career is far from over. In the 2021-22 season, James averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists, showing no sign of slowing down. Few expected LeBron James to be this good at 37, let alone on the verge of earning the NBA’s all-time leading scorer award. The Lakers’ elimination from the playoffs stopped the King from winning the scoring title.
- Nikola Jokic
Many people believe that two-time MVP Nikola Jokic has cemented himself as the NBA’s best big man right now. Averaging 27.1 points per game over the past two seasons, he’s shooting 58% from the field and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 7.9 per game. However, he has to be given credit for playing without his co-star Jamal Murray in the previous two postseasons, as well as Michael Porter Jr. in this year’s playoffs due to their respective injuries. He will be fine. Other than that, you have no reason to doubt his abilities on the court. It was evident in his lone appearance in the postseason this year that he was reaching the end of his abilities. In 32 minutes, he scored 30 points, 19 rebounds, and 8 assists on the road in his final game of the season.
- Joel Embiid
Joel “The Process” and “Joe” Embiid led the Sixers to the Eastern Conference’s top seed in 2020–21 by playing at an MVP-caliber level. Averaging more than 30 points per game this season, Embiid has become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and the first center to accomplish so since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. This is the first time in NBA history that a foreign player has won a scoring title and the first time since 2005 that a Sixer has led the league in scoring. He’s averaging 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, according to stats.
Conclusion
These are the five best players on our list for the 2021–2022 season.