The NBA's Top 10 Players

I was sitting at lunch with a friend of mine today and amidst conversation about the NBA, I asked him to list his top 10 players. In no particular order, he said: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Chris Bosh, Brandon Roy, Andrew Bynum, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki.

Obviously the Lakers are his favorite team (Bynum) and obviously he's an idiot. It's a really bizarre list. The point here is, he really struggled as he sifted through the teams and players in his mind. As he blurted out this peculiar group of 10, I realized that after the top five, this list isn't easy to form. Not at all, really.

But of course, I have to give it a go now. This is not my MVP rankings, it's simply the best 10 players in the NBA. Here's my list:

#1-Kobe Bryant, SG-Los Angeles Lakers

The gap has closed this year -- I've been more impressed with LeBron than ever -- but Kobe is still the best player in the NBA. He's far superior to LeBron on the defensive end, he's clearly a better outside shooter, has the three rings and a slightly better basketball IQ. Not to say that LeBron lacks court awareness (he's actually quite savvy for his age), but Kobe knows exactly when to turn it on on both ends of the floor. LeBron doesn't know when to kick it in gear defensively.

Of course there is all the crap about Kobe getting his teammates more involved this season blah, blah, blah. Yes, he's more unselfish than he has been in recent years, but the major difference is that his teammates are actually knocking down shots and finishing plays down low. Kobe spoon fed his teammates plenty of times during the last two seasons, only to have Kwame Brown miss dunks and Maurice Evans miss wide open threes in the corner. Not this year. The Lakers are a legitimate title contender and Kobe will probably get that ever-elusive first MVP award.

#2-LeBron James, G/F-Cleveland Cavs

I've already talked about him a bit already, but I guess King James is worthy of some more discussion. Why has he grown on me this year? Because his teammates absolutely suck. The Cavs were struggling mightily early on and yet LeBron has single-handedly turned things around for a team whose second best player is probably Daniel "Booby" Gibson.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a reliable center but is far from spectacular at this stage in his career. Larry Hughes is a disgrace. He appears to be extremely athletic and talented, but he gets worse and worse every season. His jumper has flattened out and his decision-making is horrifying. I could go on and on about how bad LeBron's supporting cast is (Drew Gooden has also grossly underperformed) but the point is it's amazing that he finds a way to win with these bums. I know the East is a joke -- especially after the top three -- but the Cavs are far ahead of more talented teams, like the Nets and Knicks, in the standings. It's all LeBron. If the Cavs finish in the top three in the East he's probably more deserving of the MVP than Kobe.

#3-Steve Nash, PG-Phoenix Suns

This one was really tough. I've shuffled Nash back-and-forth with Garnett in my mind many times. I think the key here is that Nash has two of the last three league MVP awards and he's not slowing down this season -- the Suns are first in the mighty Western Conference.

Nash truly "makes" players, meaning he improves their game to a level that no one else could take them to (except maybe Jason Kidd). He turned Shawn Marion into the player he is today and despite a strong first outing with the Heat, I don't know if "The Matrix" will be a consistent offensive force without Nash. Now don't get me wrong here, Amare Stoudemire is an absolute beast -- but many of his dunks, lay-ups and free throw attempts are a direct result of gorgeous dimes from Nash. Nash has taken the careers of Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to another level as well.

The one knock on Nash is of course, his defense. He's frail and clearly devotes more effort and energy to his offense. It's not all bad -- that extra offensive energy makes the Suns the prolific scoring team that they are -- but the lack of size and defensive skill can certainly hurt Phoenix in late-game situations against point guards who like to post up. In a one-on-one playoff situation I could see Nash having serious problems with strong PGs like Baron Davis and Deron Williams.

Regardless, Nash is still the third best player in the league because he elevates the play of his teammates better than anyone else, and can also create many easy looks for himself.

#4-Kevin Garnett, PF-Boston Celtics

Talk about turning a franchise around. Yes, KG has been out for about seven games with an abdominal strain, but we've seen him do it all in the games leading up to the injury. Like Kobe, Garnett is a true two-way player. I wouldn't say Kobe is a lock as a top five defensive player, but Garnett definitely is. He communicates incredibly well with his teammates and knows his rotations as well or better than any other big man in the NBA. Garnett gets steals, blocks, disrupts passing lanes and turns away slashers who try to get to his bucket.

Offensively, my complaint with Garnett is that he's too unselfish. That seems to be working just fine with Boston, but it hurt his team in the long run with Minnesota. KG has an unusually soft touch for a power forward and his footwork is virtually impeccable. He's an excellent passer -- particularly out of a double-team -- who finds his shooters (Pierce, Allen, House, Posey) open behind the three-point line.

Why is he behind Nash? Because he had too many poor seasons in a row with the Timberwolves. That was his franchise and he never took his teammates or the franchise as a whole to a consistently competitive level.

#5-Tim Duncan, PF-San Antonio Spurs

I think this is really the last no-brainer in the top five. The order is obviously subjective, but I think there is a clear divide from No. 6 on.

Duncan is the best player on what has been the most consistent and best team over the course of the past six seasons. There's no question that he's deteriorating physically, but I don't see any loss of skill. Duncan is the most intelligent big man in the league and second-most experienced under pressure (after Shaq). He may be the league's premier team defender and he's Old Reliable on both ends of the court. Like Garnett, he's a terrific passer out of the box and has a plethora of post moves.

Don't forget about the three rings. So why is he behind Garnett, who has zero rings? Because KG has the fresher legs and clearly has plenty of all-star seasons to come, while Duncan's longevity is now in question. KG is slicker in the post and quicker defensively. His turnaround jumper is pure and almost automatic, whereas Duncan's consistent use of the glass causes odd bounces and awkward, line-drive misses. Not that "the bank" hasn't served Duncan well, it's that Garnett's paint game is higher percentage at this stage in their careers.

Also, the Spurs appear to be sliding toward the middle of the playoff pack this season. But then again, I said that last year too. The Celtics and Spurs have to be considered two of the top five championship contenders, so whoever wins out this season (Duncan or KG) will earn the four spot heading into the offseason. Right now, Garnett is the fresher and slightly better player.

#6-Dirk Nowitzki, PF-Dallas Mavericks

This is where it starts to get tough. The reigning MVP is one of the most unique players in NBA history, but he's not a clear-cut No. 6. I'm giving him the nod because Dallas is maintaining itself in the West's top three and Dirk is their best player. Along with Yao Ming, Amare Stoudemire and LeBron, Dirk has some of the most distinct and incredible talent in the league. Around 7-feet tall, Dirk can score off the dribble with pull-up jumpers and extends all the way out to the three-point line with ease. There really is no other player like him.

The problem with Dirk: he's not a reliable go-to-guy in high pressure situations. I think he's capable of making big shots, but he questions himself when the spotlight is undoubtedly upon his head. He's partly responsible for Dallas' collapse against Golden State last season, but I don't think Dallas is as good as they led everyone to believe during the regular season. I also believe that Golden State became a totally different and significantly improved team after trading Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy for Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington. By season's end, the Warriors were not a true No. 8 seed -- they were much better than that.

That said, the Mavs still haven't won the big one. Obviously they collapsed against the Heat in the finals two seasons ago, and then again last year. But let's see where they end up this season. Dirk is still their man, but if they crap out early in the playoffs again, he may very well drop on this list.

#7-Chris Paul, PG-New Orleans Hornets

No question the toughest spot on the list. I thought about this one for awhile, considered many different guys. What sold me? I just don't think Paul's teammates are that good. I think it's pretty damn astonishing that they are right up there with the top contenders in the West, and Paul deserves all the credit in the world. David West is better than solid in the paint and he's a very nice No. 2 option, but I'm underwhelmed by the rest of the cast.

Paul has this team on his back. He seems to have an unusually astute understanding of when to involve his teammates, and when to shoulder the scoring load. Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic and Morris Peterson round out Paul's starting teammates; none of them can be relied upon for consistent offense. Stojakovic and Peterson are shooters so of course they get hot at times, but Peja is constantly injured and Mo Pete's collective statistics are extremely disappointing. What Paul is doing is similar to what Nash has been doing in Phoenix for the past four seasons, except Amare is better than anyone on Paul's team.

I know Paul's young and has plenty to prove (he's never won a playoff series) but I can't punish him for being relatively new to the league. What he has accomplished thus far is truly amazing; we'll see how it goes for New Orleans in the second half. As of right now, Paul has the edge at the No. 7 spot in the NBA.

#8-Dwyane Wade, G-Miami Heat

I really wanted to drop D-Wade out of the top 10, but I couldn't look past the shiny championship ring on his finger. I have not been impressed with his play this season at all. Yes, I know he's playing with a relatively serious injury but there are no excuses for the Heat being 9-40 in the Minor League (the East). Are they bad? Without a doubt. Should they be 9-40? No way in hell. I place a majority of the blame on Wade.

Wade is trying the Kobe strategy of the past two seasons, which can also be referred to as the Allen Iverson strategy with the Sixers -- but he's failing miserably. Wade's in the top five in scoring and he's still getting to the line, but his FG% has dipped dramatically. Kobe and Iverson were able to get their teams into the playoffs by jacking up an obscenely high number of shots (as Gilbert Arenas did last season), but there is no way the Heat are getting there.

Up to this point in the season (prior to the trade) I'm sure it's been frustrating having Shaq in and out of the lineup. Too bad. Mark Blount is a very decent back-up center, in fact he was solid as a starter for the Timberwolves the last two years. Wade should be running the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop with Blount to get him easy looks that he is capable of converting. Wade should also be running the break with Jason Williams, Dorell Wright and Ricky Davis. They looked like a much better offensive team running the break this weekend against the Lakers (in Marion's first game). But it's too late now, Wade and Riley let this team spiral out of control.

Wade still has the ring that Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Michael Redd and Ray Allen don't have. That's why he's the No. 2 shooting guard in the league and No. 8 overall.

#9-Yao Ming, C-Houston Rockets

I'm sure this selection will be somewhat controversial for those of you who actually care about my opinion. Let's get one thing straight, Yao Ming should be the most dominant player in the NBA. Is he? No; he's too passive. What he is is arguably the most skilled big man in professional basketball history. At around 7-foot-6, somehow, Yao has the shooting touch of a 2-guard and the footwork of a ballet dancer who's a bit too tall. His free throw percentage is mind-boggling (consistently over 80 percent) -- consider the serious foul-line struggles of Shaq, Dwight Howard, Ben Wallace, Andris Biedrins, Tyson Chandler, etc. Yao inexplicably knocks them down with ease at the stripe.

The possible complaints: Yao hasn't won anything, he's soft and/or he turns over the ball too much.

The first one is undeniable, but the Rockets have won seven in a row and appear to finally be settling into a comfort level with Rick Adelman. Besides, there are plenty of guys who haven't won a title on this list: LeBron, Nash, Garnett, Dirk and Chris Paul.

The second one...well, he's soft in his own way. Yao is mentally soft; he's no longer physically soft like he was a few years back. He's mentally soft in the sense that he refuses to overshoot, even when the situation calls for it. Yao will hit two face-up jumpers in a row and then distribute to his teammates the next three to five plays, even when he's not being doubled. He has the ability to average 30 points per night, and do it with relative ease -- he just refuses to take full command. Quite simply, lacks the "killer instinct."

The third complaint...yea, he has a turnover problem considering his position. However, it's easily solvable -- stop passing so much. Shoot the ball, Yao!

#10-Amare Stoudemire, PF/C-Phoenix Suns

I'll be honest with you, the battle for the No. 10 spot was a furious one. It could have gone any way; any of the four (see honorable mention below) would have been a justified choice, but I'm going with Amare. As I mentioned earlier, Amare is one of the most unique players in the NBA -- he's a big man who runs the floor like a quick little guard and finishes like a high-flying swingman. He's one of the most freakish athletes I've ever seen.

From a talent and ability standpoint, I could see a legitimate argument for Amare as the third-most talented player in the NBA (after Kobe and LeBron). He's an excellent rebounder; a tenacious, intimidating defender; has a beautiful stroke at the foul line and very soft touch in the mid-range, and he's the league's top frontcourt player on the fastbreak. He's actually a decent passer as well.

The reason why he isn't ranked higher is because we've never seen Amare in a leading role. I also mentioned earlier that Nash feeds him many of his easy baskets; it's almost as if Nash gets the credit for Amare's finishes. That leads people to question Amare's individual game. I am not one of those people, but I am forced to question how he would do as a No. 1 option elsewhere. There is no way I can know (with certainty) how he'd perform. So while he may very well be more talented than Garnett, Duncan and Dirk, Amare lacks the weight of the "franchise player" label that those three carry on their backs. Amare is the only secondary player on this list.

Honorable Mention:

#11-Allen Iverson, G-Denver Nuggets

#12-Carmelo Anthony, SF-Denver Nuggets

#13-Baron Davis, PG-Golden State Warriors

#14-Dwight Howard, PF/C-Orlando Magic

#15-Carlos Boozer, PF-Utah Jazz


** Please feel free to post your comments and/or questions below. I welcome all feedback. **