Scoring the NBA’s Elite: Rating the Top 5 Players of the Season
The 2023-2024 NBA season is well underway, and so far, it’s been exciting and unpredictable for basketball fans worldwide. The 78th season of the National Basketball Association began on October 24, 2023, with the all-important final match scheduled for June 6, 2024. While there are still many months to go before the final, some key players have stood out thanks to their performance. Here’s a look at the top 5 players of the season, along with their basketball positions and roles. Read to know more!
Luka Dončić
Hailing from Serbia is 25-year-old Luka Dončić, a point guard/shooting guard for the Dallas Mavericks. He plays for the Serbian national team and the Mavericks and is regarded as one of Europe’s best basketball players. In the current season, Luka has attracted a lot of attention thanks to his stellar performance; he has a points-per-game total of 34.4 — this is higher than any other player in the league. He also holds the season’s record for most points in a single game (73).
Nikola Jokić
Another European player who rates highly among NBA players is Nikola Jokić. He plays as a centre and is from Serbia like Luka, though he’s slightly older at 29. His professional career started in 2012 when he began playing for Mega Basket, a Serbian club; he’s been playing for the Denver Nuggets since 2015. What makes Nikola a top player in the 2023-2024 NBA season is his efficieny per game rating of 38.5, which is higher than any other player.
Domantas Sabonis
Domantas is a Lithuanian-American basketball player who is a centre/power forward for the Sacramento Kings. He’s 27 years old and has been with the Kings since 2022. Before that, he played for four clubs, including the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. What makes Domantas a stand-out player in the 2023-2024 NBA season is his statistics for double-doubles (54) and triple-doubles (21). His ranking so highly for both shows how impressive his performance has been so far.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Then there’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the player who’s earned more points than any other in the current season. His total is 1,777, just 22 ahead of Luka Dončić’s 1,755. Shai is a Canadian player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder as a point guard/shooting guard. He’s 25 years old and has been playing professionally since 2018. First, he was with the Los Angeles Clippers for around a year before moving to Oklahoma City Thunder, where he’s been ever since.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Nicknamed ‘the Greek Freak’ thanks to his size and country of origin (Greece), Giannis is a Greek-Nigerian power forward / small forward for the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s 29 and has been playing professionally since 2011, first with a Greek club and then with the Bucks. In the current NBA season, he’s earned a top rating for various achievements. These include the third-highest points total (1,749), the third-highest points per game total (64), the fastest break points per game (5.6) and the most points in the paint per game (20.3).
What’s Next?
These players have done exceptionally well so far, but there are still many matches to come, and anything could happen. The five players we’ve listed could go on to maintain their status as top players. But then again, other players might come along and steal their thunder — all the more reason to follow the 2023-2024 NBA season to the end and see which players come out on top.
