Last week, there was no real argument in our top ten of active quarterbacks in the NFL, when you have Tom Brady still playing, it is always going to be an obvious pick as to who is the greatest.
However, for our second article in the series, we are going to turn our attention to another of America’s top sports, which also boasts a number of superstars in the field. That is NBA Basketball and picking the top ten for this particular subject is a lot more difficult.
The NBA is blessed with many superstars and over the years we have seen some of the greatest names in the game come and go. Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Bill Russell, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, Charles Barkley or Dirk Nowitzki, and of course Michael Jordan; the list of legendary superstars goes on.
However, all those players played in the past, and we are talking about who are the best superstars in the NBA right now, regardless of the team they play for, or how their form has been over the last few weeks, we are talking about people who have excelled year after year.
And may do so for several more years yet.
With the new NBA Season now underway, you can tune into the action each week on Sky Sports and of course, there’s plenty of great betting to enjoy at bet365 Sport.
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So let’s now take a closer look at how we rank the top ten NBA Superstars right now.
The Top Ten NBA Superstars Right Now
Not only are we looking at players in the NBA who are performing well now, or have done over the last 12 months, but we are also looking back over the last few years and obviously the longer the player has enjoyed major success, the more favourably this will be looked upon.
And as always, it is not just accolades that will define our list, but also individual brilliance, moments of inspiration and pure skill.
Picking the number one at the moment in the NBA is a tough call; there are several players who can lay claim to this title, but for me there is one player that is perhaps deserving of the accolade right now.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
It’s a close-run thing between the top five I’ll admit, but if a player has been voted the MVP of the league and then spurs his team on to win the NBA Finals by putting in performance after performance that sets new standards, then they have to be the number 1. Giannis has done that and the Greek Freak just edges out a raft of top stars to come top of the list, but my word it is close.
Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors)
For me, the next four players in this list could all be worthy second-placed players, so I have gone for the player who, at this very moment, is playing lights out and that is the Warriors points scoring legend. Curry has won multiple NBA Finals and is showing no sign of his immense talent waning,. He is the reason the Warriors have the best record in the NBA right now.
Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets)
In terms of all-round talent and ability, as well as playing at a high level, Kevin Durant is arguably the top player in the NBA. At the moment, his Brooklyn Nets team are stumbling a little, but Durant’s form since coming back from injury has been hugely impressive. He was inches away from eliminating the Bucks in the playoffs last year, won Olympic Gold and is the reason why the Nets are the favourites with so many bookmakers to win the NBA Finals this year.
Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
If the top three in this list have a supporting cast of the supremely talented to assist them, Luka Doncic is very much THE man at the Dallas Mavericks. The Slovenian superstar has produced a number of sensational performances in his time with the Mavs, but he hasn’t yet lifted his team enough to be genuine competitors for the NBA Finals. The signs are that this could change this season.
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
A few years ago, LeBron would be top of this list and there would not be an argument. He is still an elite talent and is certainly in the question for the best of all time with the likes of Michael Jordan, but at the moment, with the Lakers struggling and LeBron finding things hard as he pushes 40 years of age, things are starting to slow down which pegs him down as merely incredible as opposed to immortal.
Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
The current MVP of the league, Jokic has become a focal point for a Denver Nuggets team and in general, how he plays determines the success of the Nuggets. He has steadily improved as a player, from being the 41st pick in the draft to now being the league’s current MVP and the scary thing for other teams in the NBA is that he has the potential to improve still further.
Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
Just how important Joel Embiid is to the 76ers is underlined by the fact that before he got injured, the 76ers were top of the Eastern Conference at 8-2. Now they are 8-7. The hugely powerful center was in the talk for the NBA’s MVP last season and his power and athleticism are a key part of the 76ers and one that they sorely miss when he is absent.
Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
Rather like Doncic in Dallas, the fortunes of the Trail Blazers will ride with the ability and performances of their own NBA superstar in Damian Lillard. One of the best all-round players in the game, he posted averages of 34.3 points and 10.2 assists per game in the playoffs last season. Talk is Lillard may want a trade away from Portland and there is not one team in the NBA that would not like to have him on their roster.
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
What was the reason the Phoenix Suns surprised many people in the Western Conference to reach the NBA Finals? The performances of Devin Booker were the key part of that. The talented Booker was instrumental in their run to the finals and produced his best ever averages in the playoffs. At just 25 years of age, there is still much more to come from Booker.
James Harden (Brooklyn Nets)
A trade from Houston to the Nets last season saw Harden form a dream team with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but injuries really stopped the trio from developing a chemistry. That said, Harden remains a top ten talent in terms of points scoring alone. If he can stay fit and healthy, then there is every chance he will move up this list over the course of the season.
Pushing hard for inclusion were Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) and Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz).
Ian John is a seasoned Sports Writer and UK gambling expert with over a decade of experience at Bonus Code Poker. For the past 10 years, he has been providing readers with insightful analysis and expert opinions on sports betting and poker.
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Doncic is very much THE man at the Dallas Mavericks. The Slovenian superstar has produced a number of sensational performances in his time with the Mavs, but he hasn’t yet lifted his team enough to be genuine competitors for the NBA Finals. The signs are that this could change this season.
