Rank 'Em: 15 Best NBA Players

[duncan228]

Rank 'Em: Best NBA Players
ESPN.com

Who are the best of the best in the NBA?

Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan have most of the les. LeBron James seems to have the inside track on the MVP. And nobody can stop Kevin Durant from scoring. But when it comes to considering every star's strengths and weaknesses, how do you see the pecking order among some of the NBA's best players?

As the regular season heads down the home stretch, we're looking for your take on individual excellence. Rank 15 of the NBA's best players.


Carmelo Anthony

Chris Bosh

Kobe Bryant

Tim Duncan

Kevin Durant

Kevin Garnett

Pau Gasol

Dwight Howard

LeBron James

Steve Nash

Dirk Nowitzki

Chris Paul

Paul Pierce

Brandon Roy

Dwyane Wade

*********************

Results at the moment, 157 votes in.

Points/(#1 Votes)

1 LeBron James 2,107 (88)
2 Kobe Bryant 2,042 (50)
3 Kevin Durant 1,794 (6)
4 Dwyane Wade 1,709 (1)
5 Carmelo Anthony 1,577 (2)
6 Dwight Howard 1,371 (0)
7 Dirk Nowitzki 1,101 (3)
8 Chris Paul 1,086 (2)
9 Steve Nash 914 (0)
10 Chris Bosh 804 (0)
11 Tim Duncan 776 (2)
12 Brandon Roy 636 (1)
13 Kevin Garnett 578 (2)
14 Pau Gasol 544 (0)
15 Paul Pierce 424 (0)

[badfish22]

I don't like where this thread is going. I'm just going to avoid it.



*cue butthurt spur fans claiming Duncan>Dirk and Lakerfans claiming Kobe>Lebron*

[JamStone]

1. LeBron James
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Kevin Durant
4. Dwyane Wade
5. Carmelo Anthony
6. Dirk Nowitzki
7. Dwight Howard
8. Tim Duncan
9. Pau Gasol
10. Chris Paul
11. Brandon Roy
12. Chris Bosh
13. Joe Johnson
14. Deron Williams
15. Amare Stoudemire

[Greg Oden]

1. LeBron James
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Kevin Durant
4. Dwyane Wade
5. Carmelo Anthony
6. Dirk Nowitzki
7. Dwight Howard
8. Tim Duncan
9. Pau Gasol
10. Chris Paul
11. Brandon Roy
12. Chris Bosh
13. Joe Johnson
14. Deron Williams
15. Amare Stoudemire

This is a pretty good list except I would switch Bosh and Pau.

[JamStone]

I wouldn't be that opposed to that switch.

But you think Bosh is a better defender than Pau? Pau might be a pussy at times, but so is Bosh.

[picc84]

1. Lebron.
2-4. Kobe, Wade, Howard, in whatever order you see fit.
5. Melo.
6. Dirk.
7-9. Durant, Deron, CP3, in whatever order you see fit.
10-12. Bosh, Gasol, Duncan, see above.
13. Roy.
14. Joe J.
15. Stat.

[gaKNOW!blee]

1. Lebron.
2-4. Kobe, Wade, Howard, in whatever order you see fit.
5. Melo.
6. Dirk.
7-9. Durant, Deron, CP3, in whatever order you see fit.
10-12. Bosh, Gasol, Duncan, see above.
13. Roy.
14. Joe J.
15. Stat.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Kobe
Durant
Lebron
Carmello
Wade
Dirk
Howard
CP3
Deron Williams
Duncan
Bosh
Roy
Gasol
Amare
KG

[gaKNOW!blee]

man....i'd really like to hear the reasoning on Durant > Lebron ^?

[redzero]

Damn, Paul goes down and people forget him that fast?

[Greg Oden]

KG

That guy doesn't belong anywhere near a top 15 players list.

[Metheny]

Or the reasoning behind Kobe> Lebron?

[Pistons < Spurs]

man....i'd really like to hear the reasoning on Durant > Lebron ^?

Lebron simply is bigger, stronger, faster and jumps higher than anyone else. I just don't think he's as good of a player as he is an athlete.

[JamStone]

Playing basketball at a high level often requires athleticism.

Take away Wilt Chamberlain's athleticism, strength, and height, does he go down as one of the greatest players ever? Take away Michael Jordan's athleticism, jumping ability, and gigantic hands, is he as great as he was?

The argument might have relevance if LeBron didn't put up the numbers he did and didn't help make his team one of the best teams in the league. But LeBron translates the traits of him being bigger, stronger, faster and higher jumper into production and wins.

LeBron is the best player in the NBA. I think even more and more Laker fans and Kobe fans have started to acknowledge it too. That tells you something.

[redzero]

Lebron simply is bigger, stronger, faster and jumps higher than anyone else. I just don't think he's as good of a player as he is an athlete.

LeBron is also a better playmaker, a more efficient scorer, a better defender and a better leader. What makes it even more ridiculous is the fact that you have Kobe above both of them.

[TheManFromAcme]

Playing basketball at a high level often requires athleticism.

Take away Wilt Chamberlain's athleticism, strength, and height, does he go down as one of the greatest players ever? Take away Michael Jordan's athleticism, jumping ability, and gigantic hands, is he as great as he was?

The argument might have relevance if LeBron didn't put up the numbers he did and didn't help make his team one of the best teams in the league. But LeBron translates the traits of him being bigger, stronger, faster and higher jumper into production and wins.

LeBron is the best player in the NBA. I think even more and more Laker fans and Kobe fans have started to acknowledge it too. That tells you something.

No doubt. Lebron is on his way up if he isn't already there regarding overall talent. Until Kobe displays real legit "slowing" down, I still give the warrior award to Kobe. But make no mistake, Lebron will perhaps cement an even bigger legacy left to his (and a proper team around him) own devices.

The boy is legit.

[picc84]

[BRHornet45]

Damn, Paul goes down and people forget him that fast?

son America has a short attention span and a "what have you done for me today?" at ude. facts and stats mean next to nothing because most "fans" are too ignorant to even know what they mean. its all about who ESPN tells them is the best and who makes the top 10 highlights on SportsCenter.

[Killakobe81]

with the injury this year you could rgue Paul shouldnt even make this list ...healthy he is top 10 easily ...

Good list only quibble is ...
I STILL would put Wade over Durant. Wade is the better defender when he tries and the beter assist guy. Eveybody getting all wet over Durant and I love his offensive game but overal Wade is still the better player
but all in all good list (OP's and Jamstone's)

Also kudos to durant for improving his rebounding
at the rate he is improving he maybe the 2nd best to "lebron very soon which will be amazing to overcome the rest of the field that quickly.

I think Howard has made strides as a player as well.
He is no tim duncan or Gasol in the post ...
but he is an amazing help defender and rebounder.
he has become effective at times in the paint. though still far from dominant
his FT shooting has improved.
To me the MVP race starts with lebron, then Dwight, then kobe ...
but Dwight is closer than you think ...
I dont think he is DPOY but should be 2nd in MVP voting ...

[gaKNOW!blee]

Lebron simply is bigger, stronger, faster and jumps higher than anyone else. I just don't think he's as good of a player as he is an athlete.

thats what makes him the best lol.

[Killakobe81]

If you went with pure skill I could accept Kobe Wade over Lebron maybe even melo and Durant ...

But since speed athleticism and power all come in to play in contact sports ...Lebron is the most dominant individual force.

Even Laker fans can admit it ...all we need to see for Lebron to cement his greatness is the les ...

[Killakobe81]

Pump your brakes on Durant, Killa. We get guys like him popping up every year. Four years ago it was Arenas, two season ago it was Granger, now its Durant. He's ok, but he'll never reach superstar status.

I hear ya luva ...
BUT read my line about "i love his offense" but the rest of his game needs work.
But he did improve his REBOUNDING ...

and my disclaimer WAS that IF he continues to IMPROVE at the SAME rate.

he could be the next Kobe he could be the next Gilbert Arenas everyone thought (agent zero) was on Kobe's level ...or getting close ...how did that work out? or TMAC?

BUT i think durant WILL be a SUperstar but we will see ...

[8FOR!3]

LeBron is in a level all by himself. Kobe is on the level below all by himself. Durant is in the same situation. Then there's the rest of the top guys.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

KD is already a great shooter with a scorers mentality. He's peaking early though, not to mention he's on a scrub team. If he could drop those numbers on a good team, then we can talk. I like his game but I have to see him for a few more years before I elevate him to Kobe's level. James is there already.

I'm not putting him on Kobe's level but the Thunder aren't a scrub team.

[picc84]

Durant doesn't have near the all-around game to be top 3 in the league right now.