Giannis Antetokounmpo is ranked first in the most recent NBA rankings published by ESPN, followed by Nikola Jokic, the current league MVP, at position number two. Fourth-placed Luka Doncic is followed by triple-citizen Joel Embiid. The worldwide hegemony at the top is broken by Stephen Curry, who ranks No. 5, and Jayson Tatum, who ranks No. 6. In the power rankings for this season, the NBA’s diversity is highlighted.
NBA fans are on the edge of their seats as Kevin Durant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander secure the seventh and eighth slots in the NBA’s gripping drama of skill and rivalry.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the legendary Lakers team, finish the job at the ninth and tenth positions by adding an exciting new chapter to the story of basketball supremacy. In this thrilling story of skill and cooperation, the stage has been set, and everyone is waiting to see what happens next.
A Twitter user posted; “Jokic is better than Giannis, what is this,”
the other one posted; “They don’t even have jokic number 1 lmao. Why should I take this list serious,” an article from sportskeeda.com shared.
NBA Fans on ESPN Top 10
The sports world was shocked by ESPN’s highly anticipated top 10 rankings, which featured undisputed megastars. But many outstanding performers were left off the list, and others didn’t even make it into the top 20 or 30.
As a result of the discrepancy in selections, die-hard supporters and experts began to question the standards used by ESPN journalists, which led to spirited discussions on what, exactly, constitutes brilliance on the field or court.
Former NBA veteran Kenyon Martin Sr. slammed ESPN’s annual NBA rankings after the Los Angeles Clippers’ Russell Westbrook was ranked considerably lower than NBA rookies Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson on the list, causing a social media uproar.
Martin’s disapproval on rankings
In one of the episodes of Gil Arena’s podcast, Martin went off the rails when he talked about the rankings, saying, “That list is horse**it. ESPN, if you’re listening, it’s bull**it. There ain’t 33 people better than Kyrie Irving in the NBA. Start there. Show me 93 other people better than Russell Westbrook in the NBA. You got two people on the list that ain’t played one f**ing NBA minute. Wemby and Scoot. They got Russ number 94, dawg. Are you shitting me? Let’s stop this madness.”
“I don’t give a f**k what it is. The fact that you got two rookies on this list is bull**it. Let’s call it what it is,” he said. “Who the f**k are these people making these decisions?” Martin continued.
Kenyon Martin blasts ESPN for ranking Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson over Russell Westbrook
“Show me f***ing 93 other people better than Russell Westbrook in the NBA. You got two people on the list that ain’t played one f***ing NBA minute. How the f**k are they better… pic.twitter.com/FO1UmsGd9R
Most X users ended up agreeing with Martin in the comments section, saying they never got why Westbrook was treated so badly and that it was ridiculous to put NBA rookies on the list. One X user said, “I’ve never understood the media’s issue with Westbrook. He’s still one of the best players in the league. That little stint with the Lakers, where he obviously was in an environment not suited for him, should not tarnish his reputation like this.”
While another X user chimed in, “I don’t think a rookie should qualify for the rankings until 25 games into the season at minimum. It’s too much unknown and how do you really know if scoot is a star or victor holds up for a season.”
ESPN Rankings
ESPN’s annual NBA player ranking, released on October 10th, has faced substantial backlash. Compiled by ESPN’s “NBA rank” panel, comprising around 150 media figures, the list assesses how players are expected to perform in the upcoming season. Notably, criticism arose due to Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Clippers being ranked 94th and Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks landing at 34th.
Fans argued that these rankings didn’t reflect the veterans’ proven on-court performance. Irving, in response, dismissed the rankings on Instagram, asserting they hold no significance in the league and criticizing media platforms and analysts for their lack of credibility.
Kyrie Irving reacts to ESPN ranking him the 34th best player in the NBA on IG 👀
"Who. TF. cares. I Never will. Rankings don't mean a damn thing in the league, especially not from ESPN or any of these other media platforms. Majority of the analysts are not credible sources in my… pic.twitter.com/3xVfrSvIo6
Both Westbrook and Irving had great seasons last year. With the Clippers, Westbrook logged an average of 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. Meanwhile, Irving last season had an average record of 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists.
To absolutely no one’s surprise, Nikola Jokic has emerged as the front-runner of this year’s race towards the MVP title, edging past the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and fellow European Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic.
This could still change, though, as we’re still just a few weeks into the regular season, and each player’s individual trajectories can potentially change as they move through their respective games. One would even say that it’s too early too tell.
Nevertheless, if we look at their numbers this time, it’s clear that it’s Jokic who stands the best chance of winning the title this year.
The Denver Nuggets’ center has been a consistent contributor to the team’s success this season, posting an average of 29.1 points per game (ppg), 12.9 rebounds per game (rpg), and 8.0 assists per game (apg).
The Nuggets have been able to maintain their position atop the Western Conference standings, currently sitting in first place with a record of 8-1, the only blemish being their 110-89 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Their most recent victory came against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. However, despite having Stephen Curry on board, they were unable to prevent the Nuggets from winning another game, and Jokic once more played a significant role in this triumph. In almost 36 minutes of play, the big man finished with 35 points and 13 rebounds to help the Nuggets defeat the Golden State Warriors 108-105.
“We feel like it’s a good group of guys and we are playing the right way,” Jokic said after the match. “I think that’s why we’re winning the games.”
Last month, ESPN released its annual Top 100 NBA Players of the Year list, which featured a selection of players who were projected to be successful during the upcoming season. And Jokic maintained his rank the previous year, landing in No. 2, behind only Milwaukee Bucks Center/Power Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Via ESPN: “Jokic didn’t care much for winning a third-straight MVP down the stretch of the regular season due to the discourse surrounding the race. But he left no doubt who was the best player in the Finals, becoming the first player in history to lead the postseason in points, rebounds and assists. The Suns, Lakers and Heat had no answer.”
Monday saw the unveiling of ESPN’s annual “Top 25 Under 25”, a list that’s dedicated solely to players under the age of 25 with the best potential. And topping the list once again is none other than the player with the whimsical, magical abilities on court that’s hard to miss, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.
However, this year marks the end of the Doncic era on the list, as the phenom will be turning 25 soon and is therefore no longer eligible for the youngsters’ ranking. Nevertheless, Doncic’s reigning supreme on the list for four consecutive years just further proved that the Slovenian basketball player has firmly established a foothold in the league.
Doncic has averaged 32.0 points per game (PG), 10.7 rebounds per game (RPG), and 9.3 assists per game (APG) so far this season, and he continues to draw consistent media attention for his exceptional ball-handling.
Via ESPN: “In his final appearance before turning 25 in February, Doncic tops the list for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year. (Anthony Davis, No. 1 three times, might have matched the feat had we not skipped 2016.) Already, we’ve seen Doncic lead Dallas to the conference finals. Although last season was a disappointment from a team standpoint — the Mavericks faded down the stretch to finish outside the Western Conference play-in tournament — Doncic still has the potential to win MVP as soon as this year, making him the safest bet for future success.”
ESPN’s top 25 under 25 based on future potential:
1. Luka Doncic 2. Anthony Edwards 3. Victor Wembanyama 4. Tyrese Haliburton 5. Ja Morant 6. Cade Cunningham 7. Zion Williamson 8. Darius Garland 9. LaMelo Ball 10. Jaren Jackson Jr. 11. Tyrese Maxey 12. Evan Mobley…
With their most recent victories against the Charlotte Hornets on November 6 and the Orlando Magic on November 7, the Mavs have improved to 6-1 overall, with their lone loss being against the Denver Nuggets.
Even though the Nuggets managed to snap their winning streak, Doncic nonetheless gave it his all, as with every game, and posted a double-double in the match-up with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Luka ‘magic’ moment
And so far into the season, Doncic’s most marvelous play came in their match-up against the Brooklyn Nets, where the Slovenian managed to fire a fade-away one-handed three over O’Neil, who was relentlessly guarding him, to give the Mavericks a 123-120 lead.
The NBA also posted Doncic’s stunning performance on their X account, writing, “No matter how many angles you watch Luka’s wild game-winner from… it’s still incomprehensible 🤯”
Giannis Antetokounmpo ranks fourth on the list of most marketable athletes.
On the brink of superstardom, the Greek basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has risen to fourth place on SportsPro’s most marketable athletes list, 34 spots higher than his ranking of 38 last year.
In a recent poll of ESPN’s top 100 NBA players, Antekounmpo was chosen as the player with the highest predicted performance for the upcoming season, setting a buzz in the sporting community.
This time, Antekounmpo’s name appeared in the headlines once more as he debuted in the top five of SportsPro’s most marketable athletes.
The Bucks’ 28-year-old center/forward was fourth in the Sportico rankings, trailing only Lionel Messi in first place, LeBron James in second place, and Alex Morgan in third. Of the 10 players on the list, Giannis had the biggest jump, going up by 34 spots.
This news was subsequently shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Harris Stavrou, a Senior Editor at Sport24. In the post, he wrote, “Giannis Antetokounmpo is the 4th most marketable athlete of 2023, with Leo Messi, LeBron James and Alex Morgan in the top-three. The Greek Freak was 38th in @SportsPro’s list a year ago.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the 4th most marketbable athlete of 2023, with Leo Messi, LeBron James and Alex Morgan in the top-three. The Greek Freak was 38th in @SportsPro's list a year ago. pic.twitter.com/gdOZDXfPnD
Three years after achieving the feat in 2020, the legendary Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi has reclaimed the top spot on the list.
LeBron James, the all-time leading scorer in the NBA who has won four NBA Championships and two Olympic gold medals, took second place.
Alex Morgan of US Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) is seated in the third spot. The 34-year-old striker is an Olympic gold medalist and a two-time World Cup winner.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a Greek basketball sensation currently playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, takes the fourth spot.
And, rounding out the top five, fifth place was awarded to Megan Rapinoe of the USWNT, Morgan’s teammate.
Jayson Tatum scored 37 points and grabbed 13 rebounds Wednesday to spark the NBA-leading Boston Celtics to a 125-112 victory over visiting Dallas despite 42 points from Luka Doncic.
The Celtics, whose nine-game win streak was snapped Monday at Chicago, bounced back by dominating the Mavericks, improving to 7-1 in Boston and an NBA-best 14-4 overall.
Tatum’s remarks
“I think we were locked in from the beginning,” Tatum said. “Losing to Chicago made us regroup and refocus.
“We just knew they were a really talented team. Luka is the head of the snake. It was good to come home and get back in the win column.”
It was Tatum’s 10th career game with 35 points and 10 rebounds. He made 11-of-24 from the floor and 13-of-15 from the free throw line.
Image of Jayson Tatum (right), from Wikipedia.
In a showdown of early season NBA Most Valuable Player candidates, league scoring leader Doncic countered with a game-high point total on 17-of-28 shooting and 5=of-9 from the line. The Slovenian guard also had nine assists and eight rebounds.
“Everybody knows how talented and special he is,” Tatum said. “He can do so many things on the court. He’s somebody I respect and like competing against.”
The Celtics led 70-49 at halftime and by double figures from late in the first quarter until Doncic sparked a late rally to pull Dallas within 114-105 with 3:43 remaining.
Al Horford answered with a 3-pointer to ignite a 10-2 Boston run and Dallas never came within 13 again.
The Sacramento Kings saw their seven-game win streak snapped as Trae Young scored 35 points to lead the host Atlanta Hawks to a 115-106 victory.
Domantas Sabonis had 15 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists to spark Sacramento (10-7). Clint Capela pulled down 14 rebounds for the Hawks (11-7).
Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers over Portland 114-96 and stretch their win streak to four games.
The Cavs improved to 8-1 at home and 12-6 overall as Darius Garland had 24 points and 12 assists while Jarrett Allen added 24 points and 13 rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan scored 36 points and added eight assists to lead the Chicago Bulls over host Milwaukee 118-113, dropping the Bucks to 12-5 despite 36 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists from Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Colby White and Nikola Vucevic sank back-to-back 3-pointers to give Chicago a 115-109 lead and DeRozan and Patrick Williams sank late free throws to seal the triumph.
T-Wolves defeat Pacers
Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists while Frenchman Rudy Gobert contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds in Minnesota’s 115-101 victory at Indiana.
Myles Turner scored a game-high 31 points for the Pacers, whose five-game win streak ended.
Zion Williamson scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 129-110 victory at San Antonio. He shot 14-of-18 from the floor and 4-of-8 from the free throw line.
At Miami, Kyle Lowry scored 28 points and Caleb Martin had 24 to power the host Heat over Washington 113-105. Kyle Kuzman had a game-high 33 points for the Wizards.
The Brooklyn Nets, humbled by a loss Tuesday to a Philadelphia team lacking three top starters, bounced back by winning at Toronto 112-98.
Kyrie Irving scored 29 points, Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton each added 14 points and Kevin Durant had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Nets.
Terry Rozier scored 22 points and P.J. Washington added 19 to spark the Charlotte Hornets over visiting Philadelphia 107-101.
Shake Milton led the 76ers with 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Mason Plumlee and Nick Richards each had 13 rebounds for the Hornets.
The Denver Nuggets rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to win in overtime at Oklahoma City 131-126.
Nikola Jokic had a game-high 39 points plus 10 rebounds and nine assists for Denver and sank two clinching free throws with 8.3 seconds remaining in overtime.
Bruce Brown had a triple double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Nuggets while Aaron Gordon had 30 points for Denver. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points.
