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Top 10 NBA Basketball Players
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Published: January 26, 2007
Rating the top 10 NBA Basketball Players is an extremely subjective process. Certainly there are superstars like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan who elevated the game, but rating active basketball players can be extremely tricky.
The following criteria was used in determining the top 10 NBA Basketball Players in 2007: offensive talent, defensive talent, team leadership and "intangibles .
Intangibles, of course, is kind of a cop out stat, but basketball players do possess them. There are some basketball players who just seem to take over the game. For example, consider Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, who could singlehandedly turn around a game even when he wasn't having, statistically, a great night. Still, picking out the best basketball players in the country is a daunting task. Nonetheless, here's the top 10 NBA Basketball players thus far for 2007.
1. Steve Nash, Guard, Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash is the two time NBA MVP basketball player for a reason. Nash has all the intangibles that NBA coaches look for: leadership skills, decision making ability, and excellent shooting ability. He is averaging 19 points and almost 12 assists per game, making him a threat to score or pass on every possession and also making him impossible to double team.
2. Tim Duncan, Forward/Center, San Antonio Spurs
Since the decline of Shaq, Tim Duncan is the best big man of all the NBA basketball players. Solid as a rock on offense and defense with 19 points and 11 rebounds per game, Duncan is a force inside. However, he's just not as multifaceted a basketball player as Nash.
3. LeBron James, Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
There isn't one basketball player in the NBA as dynamic as LeBron James. At 27 points per game, he's having one of his better scoring seasons. Plus, he's an excellent all rounder. He's still young and growing into his roll as one of the top basketball players in the World.
4. Kobe Bryant, Guard, L.A. Lakers
One of the sharpest shooters among all the NBA basketball players, Bryant is a perennial All Star on a perennial playoff contender. However, without Shaquille O'Neal backing him up, Bryant has to rely on being the main threat on a team that is expected to win.
5. Carmello Anthony, Forward, Denver Nuggets
The top scorer out of all the NBA basketball players, with nearly 32 points per game before his suspension, Anthony is just returning to a strong Nuggets team that just added another scoring threat in Allen Iverson. Anthony excels both offensively and defensively, but questions linger about his maturity and ability to lead his team.
6. Dewayne Wade, Guard, Miami Heat
Wade helped lead his team to an NBA Championship last year, and has come on extremely strong since his rookie year in ‘03-'04. Still, while he is playing at a high level, the Heat have struggled in stretches this year.
7. Kevin Garnett, Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves
Averaging 22 points and 13 rebounds per game, Kevin Garnett is one of the best statistically all around basketball players. However, he's starting to pass his prime, and his frustration at his inability to win an
NBA title is becoming seriously evident.
8. Gilbert Arenas, Guard, Washington Wizards
Arenas is a scoring machine. He has scored fifty or more points three times this season and is one of the biggest reasons why Washington is going to be in playoff contention this year. A few more seasons like this, and he will easily be in the top five.
9. Allen Iverson, Guard, Denver Nuggets
Iverson is one of the sharpest shooting basketball players in the league. Over the course of his career, he's averaged 28 points and 6 assists. However, his tumultuous run in Philadelphia got him labeled a locker room cancer, a stigma that will follow him the rest of his career, even if he's a perfect angel.
10. Dirk Nowitski, Forward, Dallas Mavericks
At 25 points and 10 rebounds per game, Nowitski is an excellent all around talent on an excellent team.
The fact that he does not have to be the X-Factor every night for Dallas will certainly help him in his career, but it certainly affects his evaluation as a dynamic athlete in a singles contest like this.
Certainly these points can be argued, and there are a number of basketball players that did not make this list due to poor first half play or injuries like that to Houston Rockets Center Yao Ming. However, as a valuation of individual talent and importance to their team as displayed in the first half of the 2006-2007 season, these are the top 10 NBA Basketball players.
Sources:
NBA Statistics Index 2006-2007. ESPN. 2007. ESPN Internet Ventures. 22 Jan.2007 <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics>.< br />NBA Statistics. CBS Sportsline. 22 Jan. 2007 <http://www.sportsline.com/nba/stats>.
NBA Statistics. NBA.com. 2007. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. 22 Jan. 2007 <http://www.nba.com/statistics/>.
The following criteria was used in determining the top 10 NBA Basketball Players in 2007: offensive talent, defensive talent, team leadership and "intangibles .
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1. Steve Nash, Guard, Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash is the two time NBA MVP basketball player for a reason. Nash has all the intangibles that NBA coaches look for: leadership skills, decision making ability, and excellent shooting ability. He is averaging 19 points and almost 12 assists per game, making him a threat to score or pass on every possession and also making him impossible to double team.
2. Tim Duncan, Forward/Center, San Antonio Spurs
Since the decline of Shaq, Tim Duncan is the best big man of all the NBA basketball players. Solid as a rock on offense and defense with 19 points and 11 rebounds per game, Duncan is a force inside. However, he's just not as multifaceted a basketball player as Nash.
3. LeBron James, Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
There isn't one basketball player in the NBA as dynamic as LeBron James. At 27 points per game, he's having one of his better scoring seasons. Plus, he's an excellent all rounder. He's still young and growing into his roll as one of the top basketball players in the World.
4. Kobe Bryant, Guard, L.A. Lakers
One of the sharpest shooters among all the NBA basketball players, Bryant is a perennial All Star on a perennial playoff contender. However, without Shaquille O'Neal backing him up, Bryant has to rely on being the main threat on a team that is expected to win.
5. Carmello Anthony, Forward, Denver Nuggets
The top scorer out of all the NBA basketball players, with nearly 32 points per game before his suspension, Anthony is just returning to a strong Nuggets team that just added another scoring threat in Allen Iverson. Anthony excels both offensively and defensively, but questions linger about his maturity and ability to lead his team.
6. Dewayne Wade, Guard, Miami Heat
Wade helped lead his team to an NBA Championship last year, and has come on extremely strong since his rookie year in ‘03-'04. Still, while he is playing at a high level, the Heat have struggled in stretches this year.
7. Kevin Garnett, Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves
Averaging 22 points and 13 rebounds per game, Kevin Garnett is one of the best statistically all around basketball players. However, he's starting to pass his prime, and his frustration at his inability to win an
NBA title is becoming seriously evident.
8. Gilbert Arenas, Guard, Washington Wizards
Arenas is a scoring machine. He has scored fifty or more points three times this season and is one of the biggest reasons why Washington is going to be in playoff contention this year. A few more seasons like this, and he will easily be in the top five.
9. Allen Iverson, Guard, Denver Nuggets
Iverson is one of the sharpest shooting basketball players in the league. Over the course of his career, he's averaged 28 points and 6 assists. However, his tumultuous run in Philadelphia got him labeled a locker room cancer, a stigma that will follow him the rest of his career, even if he's a perfect angel.
10. Dirk Nowitski, Forward, Dallas Mavericks
At 25 points and 10 rebounds per game, Nowitski is an excellent all around talent on an excellent team.
The fact that he does not have to be the X-Factor every night for Dallas will certainly help him in his career, but it certainly affects his evaluation as a dynamic athlete in a singles contest like this.
Certainly these points can be argued, and there are a number of basketball players that did not make this list due to poor first half play or injuries like that to Houston Rockets Center Yao Ming. However, as a valuation of individual talent and importance to their team as displayed in the first half of the 2006-2007 season, these are the top 10 NBA Basketball players.
Sources:
NBA Statistics Index 2006-2007. ESPN. 2007. ESPN Internet Ventures. 22 Jan.2007 <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics>.< br />NBA Statistics. CBS Sportsline. 22 Jan. 2007 <http://www.sportsline.com/nba/stats>.
NBA Statistics. NBA.com. 2007. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. 22 Jan. 2007 <http://www.nba.com/statistics/>.
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