Number 5.
Anthony Davis, Power Forward / Center, New Orleans Pelicans
Whether he was scoring on post moves, transition buckets, rolls to
the basket, alley-oop finishes, put-back attempts or mid-range jumpers,
Anthony Davis was putting up monstrous numbers during his sophomore
season with the New Orleans Pelicans. The expansion of his range and the
ability to create his own shots off the dribble just opened up a whole
new world of possibilities. The Unibrow might have guard-like skills, but he's unable
to generate assists for his teammates. When this 21-year-old gains more experience, he's only going to get
better, as his rotations could stand to improve a bit. But Davis is a
terrifying sight when he hedges and recovers on pick-and-rolls, he's
versatile enough to protect the rim and guard more mobile big men, and
he can switch onto any position for short bursts. He's basically a
defensive prototype who needs a bit more refinement.
Number 4.
Stephen Curry, Point Guard, Golden State Warriors
A "perimeter specialist", create more looks
for himself than any other perimeter specialist in the league. While Curry does a remarkable job setting himself up
off the dribble, he's also a potent off-ball threat who constantly
requires the undivided attention of at least one defender. And on top of
that, he's used his creativity and flair for the one-handed pass off
the bounce to become one of the top assist men in basketball. He may not look like much of a rebounding threat, but Curry is one of
the best in the business, at least among point guards. Don't make the mistake of considering Curry "just a shooter." He
creates for himself off the dribble, passes the ball, rebounds well for his
position and is finally figuring out how to use his mind to overcome his
lack of natural ability on defense. He's a complete point guard.
Number 3.
Chris Paul, Point Guard, LA Clippers
Number three for CP3. A true master of the
mid-range game, CP3 is one of the few floor generals capable of
shooting high percentages while scoring in such high volume. Paul is one of the greatest on-court manifestations of leadership,
and he never closes his mouth when he plays, always
barking out instructions and ensuring that his teammates are in the best
positions possible to thrive. CP3 has justifiably earned a reputation as one of the NBA's premier
defenders at the position. Paul may stand only a smidgen over 6'0", but he routinely pulls down
impressive rebounding figures. Not many point guards without the
blessing of unbelievable size can grab five boards during a single
outing with such frequency. If you're looking for the league's most balanced and impressive point
guard, here he is. Paul does everything you could ask of a floor
general, and he thrives in each facet of the game.
Number 2.
Lebron James, Forward, Miami Heat
LeBron James is one of the top scorers in the Association
in terms of points per game. n the history of
the NBA, just four players have posted a true shooting percentage
higher than 64 percent while scoring over 27 points per game: Adrian
Dantley (twice), Charles Barkley, Kevin Durant and LeBron. No forward in the NBA is better at passing the rock than LeBron, who
routinely posts numbers that look as though they belong to a true point
guard. Only his off-ball offense isn't perfect in this category, as
LeBron doesn't spot up quite often enough to earn top marks. He's a
deadly shooter 35th in spot-up points per possession and a phenomenal
cutter, but he's sometimes willing to serve as nothing more than a decoy
for a few possessions. LeBron continues to serve as a model basketball player. He excels in
every single facet of the game, especially now that he's continued to
hone his three-point stroke. He's an elite defender, a once-in-a-lifetime
offensive threat, a great rebounder and a superb leader. The weaknesses
just continue to disappear.
Number 1.
Kevin Durant, Small Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder
There's not any chance of a defender willingly leaving Durant open
when he's not touching the ball. Defensive schemes are built around
preventing him from gaining possession in space, which makes him a
pretty special off-ball threat. He's also improved dramatically as a
facilitator, showing far more willingness to use the pass as a tool of
creation rather than just trying to escape from a double team. This was a huge area of improvement for Durant in 2013-14. No longer
was he hidden by Scott Brooks, but he instead took on difficult matchups
and aided the OKC defense with his ability to switch onto almost any
offensive player. To continue breaking the "he's only a scorer" narrative, Durant
thrived on the boards throughout the year. Averaging well over seven
rebounds per game is something that an adequate power forward should do,
not a player who primarily lined up at the 3 and carried his team's
offense. He's a passionate leader who demands
excellence, both from himself and his teammates. On top of that, he's
remarkably durable. The OKC superstar
morphed into a tremendous all-around player in 2013-14, one who could
swing a game with his passing, defending and rebounding even if he was
experiencing an ultra-rare off-night as a shooter. Oh, and he's still
only 25 years old.
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