5. Joel Embiid.
There’s an argument that Embiid should’ve been MVP the last two seasons. It’s hard to argue that given his production, but unfortunately Nikola Jokic still exists.
Can he finally get over the MVP hump in 2022-23? Will Embiid be healthy enough in the playoffs to take his team past the second round? Regardless of how those questions are answered, Embiid is a top-five player in basketball.
4. Nikola Jokic
Jokic raised his game in 2021-22 to win a second-straight MVP award, this time playing almost all of the regular season without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
As Denver gets healthier, Jokic might not get the same MVP buzz, but he’ll certainly have a chance to move up this list as he tries to lead the Nuggets to a title.
3. Stephen Curry
You might have thought he was done, but Curry can still be the best player on a championship team. He secured his first Finals MVP award after carving up the best defense in basketball for six-straight games.
Curry is not done terrorizing opposing defenses with his legendary shooting stroke, and it’s hard to see when he’ll slow down at this point.
2. Kevin Durant
Durant had a claim as the best player in the world at the end of the 2021 season after going toe-to-toe with Giannis while James Harden and Kyrie Irving were hurt.
Antetokounmpo has overtaken him now, however. Durant missed a bulk of 2021-22 with an injury and then the Nets flamed out in the first round following a turbulent regular season. Maybe with his new team, Durant will be able to reclaim his status as the best player in the world.
1.Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo reached the NBA mountaintop in 2021 by winning a championship and Finals MVP award. He wasn’t able to repeat in 2022 with Milwaukee after Khris Middleton suffered a knee injury at the beginning of the playoffs.
But after averaging 33.9 points, 14.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists in a seven-game series against the Celtics, Antetokounmpo reminded us that he’s the league’s alpha right now.
Read Also:- NBA playoffs: Stephen Curry’s impact as facilitator just as important as scorer in Warriors’ postseason run