ESPN Reveals Their Top-5 NBA Players For 2022-23 NBA Season

On Friday, ESPN revealed their top-five players for the 2022-23 NBA season. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) and Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors) make up the list. Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) and LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) did not make the top five.

Ranking who the best NBA players are is always a hot topic. Unlike other sports, individual rankings are a lot easier to judge.

On Friday, ESPN completed their rankings of the top 100 players for the 2022-23 NBA season. They finished by revealing their top five players for the upcoming season.

ESPN's Top 5 Players For The 2022-23 NBA Season:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
3. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
4. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
5. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

This is an intriguing list that many fans will probably take issue with.

For starters, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers) did not even crack the top five, and he is coming off a season where he averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per contest.

The Lakers did not have a good year (11th seed in the west), but James was still very clearly elite. 

LEBRON IS 37 YEARS OLD DOING THIS😳 pic.twitter.com/kW7eh3R02t

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) March 6, 2022

ESPN ranked James sixth.

Another big name that did not crack the top five was Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets. The 12-time NBA All-Star led a Nets team that got swept in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

Kevin Durant's career-high 55 was his 4th 50-point game with 60% shooting 🔥

55 PTS, 68% FG
54 PTS, 68% FG
51 PTS, 68% FG
50 PTS, 63% FG pic.twitter.com/JKFROBV8aG

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 3, 2022

However, he averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per contest.

Durant shot 51.8% from the field and the assists were a career-high.

He was one of the few bright spots for Brooklyn.

ESPN ranked him eighth.

Overall, there is no accurate way to determine these things because they are based on opinion.

🗣️🗣️🗣️

STEPHEN CURRY IS FINALS MVP pic.twitter.com/zgS7zMbfhu

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 17, 2022

Yet, Curry did lead his team to their fourth title in the last eight seasons, so one would think he would be in the top three. 

The first game of the 2022-23 regular season will take place between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers on October 19.