Anyone can list the best players in the NBA, but basketball is as much about chemistry as talent. Within each of the 30 leagues there is an elite team, and how each of the five players on the pitch understands and fulfills their role within the team that of the league is as important as his ability.
Fittingly, the list has its biggest stars, a co-star, a third star with his role, a fourth and fifth-round pick to put it all together – the obvious No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. In this. Series, we rank the five best players from each team for a comprehensive look at the league. How close is your group to the correct list?
(Click here to see the NBA’s top No. 1 picks.)
No. 2 options: The Deferential Co-Stars
No. what is 2 Overall, he is the team’s second option on offense. He could be an All-Star. In fact, it better be an All Star if you want to compete for the championship. Perhaps his skill level is a hair below his senior class. Perhaps his skills complement each other. Or maybe his personality is deeper.
Whatever the situation, he understands that he is not No. 1, and that is the most important thing. Teams are not reaching their potential when No. 2 believes that it is No. 1. All major leagues had Hall of Fame No. Bill Russell was with Bob Cousy. Michael Jordan was with Scottie Pippen. Larry Bird was with Kevin McHale. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had Oscar Robertson, then Magic Johnson, and Magic flipped. Shaquille O’Neal dated Kobe Bryant, who then dated Pau Gasol. It has a self-organizing mechanism.
Without further ado, your top five picks for No. 2 …
1. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
There was a time when we thought Davis would be No. He grew up as a ball-handling guard and developed into a rim-protecting behemoth, retaining the skills and athleticism that drew him to the game. He has all the tools, even enough to be shot outside to create a threat. Few players are more dangerous than the shadows.
The New Orleans Pelicans never built a serious contender around Davis, and he was willing to serve as the de facto leader of the pretender, so he requested a trade – especially for the Lakers, who would agree with LeBron James for them, because everyone agrees with them. James, even if he is about to turn 40 years old.
The two won a championship together while Davis was a key part of their run in the Orlando bubble. He averaged 25 points (on 57/42/94 shooting!), 10.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, two blocks and 1.3 steals in the NBA Finals, and James was still the series’ inconsistent MVP. Davis was built to be the No. 1 and seems more comfortable at No. 2, brought about by some criticism, unfairness or injustice.
2. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Booker was the best player as a 24-year-old on a team that reached the NBA Finals — and produced a lot of talent — in 2021. Now he’s in his prime, serving as The “unknown MVP” of Team USA’s run to. Olympic gold medal. He’s a pure scorer with a telegenic jump shot whose defense is steadily improving.
Booker was Phoenix’s alpha until the arrival of Kevin Durant, whose irreverent demeanor belies the irreverent play. Durant is one of the 15 greatest players ever, and was once the No. 1 on a team that boasted Stephen Curry. Just ask his two Finals MVPs. Even if we digress on Durant’s ring-chasing journey, his legacy is greater than any active player but one (or two), and that commands respect.
Whether the Suns would be better if the team passed on Booker instead of the 36-year-old Durant is a fair question. Chris Paul is a natural table-setter, so he and Booker were an easy matchup, but it’s even more difficult when your teammate is the most talented scorer in league history. They do what everyone else does, and resolving that dynamic takes more than one season. At least that’s Phoenix’s hope.
3. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Brown has had years to sort out his relationship with teammate Jayson Tatum. For a while people wondered who was better between the two. Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd leaned on Brown during the NBA Finals, but the rest of us fixed that. Tatum made the All-NBA first team and finished in the top six in the MVP race in each of the past three seasons. Brown made one All-NBA team and never received an MVP vote.
Well, at least until he wins the Eastern Conference and The Finals MVP is awarded in June. Some would say that opens the door to questions about who is the best player on the Celtics. I think it’s a sign of how Brown and Tatum have handled the difficulties of splitting commitments between co-stars.
Brown doesn’t add much to Tatum as he has learned to thrive with him. Tatum takes on a lot of acting responsibility; Brown accepts a big defensive challenge. That split made headlines — not before we wondered if Brown wanted a team of his own. There will always be some tension, and how well they continue to balance will determine whether Boston repeats as champions.
4. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Adebayo is as competitive as anyone in the NBA. He is one of the best defenders in the league. He is indeed the most changeable. He has the size and strength to get physical in the post and run with anyone around him. And he’s found a way to score 20 points per game over the past three years.
But his weaknesses as an offensive player keep him from being Miami’s top dog. That and the fact that Jimmy Butler, the epitome of alpha, is on his team. Adebayo is a natural Number 2. His greatest strength – defending, rebounding, cleaning up odd offensive possessions – is complementary skills.
Maybe that’s why the Miami coach has to ask Adebayo to be the scorer when Butler is not on the court. However, Miami is still struggling. As experienced as Adebayo is, including his passing ability, he’s not a threat from distance, and it’s very difficult to be an alpha when he’s not in your game. That said, any No. 1 in the league would gladly accept Adebayo as the No.
5. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
People forget how good Murray was in the title game in Denver. He averaged 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds per game in the 2023 playoffs, numbers matched only by the competition led by LeBron James, Michael Jordan and teammate Nikola Jokić. It might be No. 1 if No. 1 of his class was not so clear.
Also, Murray never made an All-Star team. He struggled in last season’s playoffs and got even worse in the Olympics for Canada’s national team. Concerns remain about the ACL injury in his left knee.
Murray plays for Jokić, and anyone makes fun of anyone. Their pick-and-roll combination is as dangerous as any play in the NBA — regardless of the situation. If Murray isn’t one of the five best players every season, he’s been on the biggest stage. The Nuggets paid him the same, giving him a big contract, so expect him to return to form as the NBA’s only non-All-Star — a true No. 2.
Reference is made to the Hon
6. Domantas SabonisSacramento Kings
7. Kyrie IrvingDallas Mavericks
8. Karl-Anthony TownsMinnesota Timberwolves
9. Pascal SiakamIndiana Pacers
10. Damian LillardMilwaukee Bucks
11. Tyrese MaxeyPhiladelphia 76ers
12. Jaren Jackson Jr.Memphis Grizzlies
13. Jalen WilliamsOklahoma City Thunder
14. Julius RandleNew York Knicks
The rest
15. Brandon IngramNew Orleans Pelicans; 16. James HardenLos Angeles Clippers; 17. Franz WagnerOrlando Magic; 18. Alperen SengunHouston Rockets; 19. Darius GarlandCleveland Cavaliers; 20. Miles BridgesCharlotte Hornets; 21. Jeremy GrantPortland Trail Blazers; 22. Andrew WigginsGolden State Warriors; 23. Devin VassellSan Antonio Spurs; 24. RJ BarrettToronto Raptors; 25. Bogdan BogdanovićAtlanta Hawks; 26. Nikola VucevicChicago Bulls; 27. Tobias HarrisDetroit Pistons; 28. Collin SextonUtah Jazz; 29. Dennis SchröderBrooklyn Nets; 30. Jordan PooleWashington Wizards.
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