Predicting First, Second, Third Team All-NBA Roster

These 15 players were the best in basketball this season.

Author:
Kevin Hicks
Apr 15, 2024

In this story:

NBA

Jokic

Will

Edwards

Doncic

Wembanyama

Davis

Brunson

Booker

The 2023-24 NBA season is behind us. In turn, NBA awards season is upon us.

The All-NBA teams will be voted on in the near future by credentialed media, reporters, and league figures.

The 15 best players will be selected regardless of position this season - bucking the trend of the 6 guard, 6 forward, and 3 center format that preceded.

There will be another catch as well.

Players must play at least 20 minutes in 65 separate games this season, which will make players such as Donovan Mitchell, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, and Jamal Murray ineligible.

Now, we will select the 15 players from a variety of criteria including statistical output, two-way impact, and eye-test.

All-NBA First Team

undefined — Apr 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) smiles during the fourth

Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

Luka Doncic
Shai Gilegous-Alexander
Jayson Tatum
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Nikola Jokic

The case for all of these players are clearer than day, but we will still give some brief synopsis on why these have been the five best players in the regular season.

Doncic:

- Secured NBA scoring title in 2024 at nearly 34 PPG, while also less than an assist and rebound per game away from averaging a triple-double.

- Led Mavericks to a 50-win season despite missing Irving for 24 of those games.

- Single-best offensive engine in basketball - perhaps save for Jokic.

Gilgeous-Alexander:

- Led Oklahoma City to the number 1 seed in the West with an average roster age of 23.9 years.

- Over 50 games of 30-plus points this season.

- Created more advantages for team than any individual player outside of Jokic and Doncic.

Tatum

- Best player on a 64-18 squad.

- Continued to be elite perimeter defender through entire season.

- Improved finisher on drives and pull-up jump shooting added an element of potency to Celtics' offense

Antetokounmpo

- Elite two-way impact with an ever-evolving coaching and personnel situations

- First player in league history to average 30 PPG on 60% or better field goal percentage.

- Would be top-tier MVP candidate if not for Bucks faltering down the stretch.

Jokic

- Best offensive player in the league - 26/9 raw averages with advanced metrics to back up the numbers.

- Nuggets' net rating with Jokic on the court translates to top-tier contender. Nuggets are a fringe playoff team without Jokic on the floor.

- Has made some strides on defense.

All-NBA Second Team

Jalen Brunson
Anthony Edwards
Kawhi Leonard
Kevin Durant
Anthony Davis

All-NBA Third Team

Stephen Curry
Devin Booker
LeBron James
Victor Wembanyama
Rudy Gobert

Many of the final ten spots were up for debate, and it was a true struggle to get these two teams sorted out, but ultimately settled on this.

Some big debates and the reasonings for the decisions:

Brunson vs Curry: Brunson was simply more consistent this season, leading the Knicks to the number 2 seed in the East with a revolving door rotation, and finished the season on an absolute tangent.

Edwards vs Booker: It is entirely conceivable to argue that Booker had the stronger individual season than Edwards despite an overall similar statisctical profile. Edwards gets the edge on the second-team due to team success.

Davis vs James: Both enjoyed phenomenal seasons, but Davis' ultimate two-way prowess places him on the second-team and James on the third-team

Wembanyama Inclusion: The Spurs' rookie sensation should absolutely be included on an All-NBA team, even as a rookie. He would be a rare case of a player on a poor team being included, but his impact speaks for itself. Wembanyama already has more blocks than over 80% of players in the league, all while averaging a 20/10 double-double and truly becoming a top-15 player in the league over the final three months of the season.

Players who were heavily considered that just missed the cut include Domantas Sabonis, De'Aaron Fox, Jalen Williams, Jaylen Brown, Paolo Banchero, Zion Williamson, and Tyrese Haliburton.

All-NBA teams should be announced at some point in the next three weeks - and the NBA playoffs begin Saturday.