Any time that you are looking at NBA odds, those odds are going to be influenced by some of the best players in the league. While some other sports tend to focus on team success, the NBA is a league that is driven by the biggest stars.
You are going to hear many complaints or arguments about the top players in the league, and putting together a Top 10 list is never something that is easy to do. There are certainly some players on this list that could be debated about, but some of those players are taking care of that themselves.
Here are the top 10 current players in the NBA.
10. Jimmy Butler
You might be surprised to see Jimmy Butler on this top-10 list, but he absolutely deserves to be there. Butler is one of the best two-way players in the league, and he is incredibly consistent for the Miami Heat.
There are players that are much more flashy than Butler is, but he just continues to do what it takes to lead the Heat to the top of the Eastern Conference.
9. LeBron James
LeBron James is one of the best basketball players in league history, but he’s just not at that level in 2023. James is still carrying the Los Angeles Lakers on the floor, and he is having a year that is worthy of getting some MVP Award consideration.
You can’t remove LeBron from the top-10 list, but he’s just not as good as some of the other players on this list.
8. Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry might be too low at number eight on this list, but he just can’t find a way to stay healthy for an entire year. When healthy, Curry continues to be a nightmare for opponents, and he remains the best shooter in the league.
It’s hard to count Curry out, and he is talented enough to make a charge up this list again, even though he is in the second half of his career.
7. Ja Morant
Ja Morant is coming, and he is coming on quickly. Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies are a team that could soon dominate the Western Conference, but they still have to prove that they can get over the hump.
The NBA is in great hands with Morant and how great of a player he is, and he’s also someone that is a great role model. The Memphis point guard is only going to continue to get better, and he will pass up some other players on the list.
6. Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid feels like he is on the verge of winning an NBA MVP Award, but he just can’t seem to get over the hump. There is no denying that Embiid has the offensive talent to be one of the best players in the league, but he just can’t seem to get his 76ers team close to a title.
On talent alone, it’s hard to keep Embiid any lower than number six on this list.
5. Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum seems to get better every single time that he takes the floor, and that’s not good news for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Tatum and the Boston Celtics look like serious title contenders this season, and this has come on the heels of winning the East a season ago.
Tatum is one of the future faces of the NBA, but he’s already one of the best players in the league.
4. Kevin Durant
It feels like Kevin Durant’s reign as the best basketball player in the NBA was extremely short, but he’s still knocking on the door of that spot. Durant continues to be a lethal scorer on the offensive end. And he can get a bucket every time his team needs some points.
It also feels like Durant has simply been passed up by some younger talent, and injuries have started to rack up for the former league MVP. You can’t deny his greatness, but there have simply been other players that are better.
3. Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic checks in at number three on the list in 2023, but he could be at the top of the list next season. Doncic has been that good during the 2022-23 season, as he has increased his scoring output.
There are still those that question Doncic and his fitness level, but he continues to be a player that opponents can’t stop. A time is coming when Doncic is going to be the clear best player in the NBA.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo has a pair of MVP Awards to his name, and he is always going to be in the mix to win that award every year. If you were picking the most dominant player in the NBA today, then it would be hard to pick anyone besides the “Greek Freak.”
Antetokounmpo is a player that can dominate a player in multiple ways, and he still has plenty of years left in his peak. He’s good enough to get himself to the top of this yet again before his career ends.
1. Nikola Jokic
At some point, people are just going to have to start respecting Nikola Jokic and all that he has been able to accomplish in the NBA. Jokic isn’t a player that is going to be flashy or make unbelievable plays, but he is a player that puts up some ridiculous stats.
Jokic has won the MVP Award two years in a row, and he is having an even BETTER season in 2023. Until someone else is able to take the crown from Jokic, then it’s pretty clear that he is the best current player in the league.
