The last list of these I will make to carry me through a warm weathered work week, I have now ranked my personal list of the top 10 in order, as well as the next ten best players in the league, and all-rejected starting five. To me there were 5 transcendent players in league, and the top eight was pretty easy. After that, not so much.
1- Kobe. Didn't have the best season (Paul), but is the best player.
2- Lebron. Clutchness and overall offensive abilities give him a slight edge over the next two more well rounded players, but in my opinion, only by a hair, as his defense is far worse.
3- Duncan. Not the best year, but a four time champ, otherworldly offensive and defensive player, still the mvp of his team, and still capable of an offensive explosion. It seems that he, Lebron, and Kobe are the three players in the league who could make the playoffs with a team of middle schoolers.
4- Garnett. Only Duncan can arguably match his defense, has an impossible to stop offensive move (turnaround), and has now proven that he can revitalize an entire team with his attitude and presence. He and Duncan aren't statistically top four in the league, but you could argue that they are the two best.
5- Chris Paul. The best season of the bunch and of any point guard in history. Another season like this with an inevitable improvement in defense could catapult him to number one.
6- Dwight Howard. He simply cannot be stopped on either end of the floor. Best rebounder in the league.
7- Deron Williams. Similar stats to Paul, better defender, and has outplayed him in head to head matchups consistently. That's good enough to land him right outside the transcendent category.
8- Paul Pierce. Until this year Pierce was not a top ten player because of his defense. With his defense somehow now top notch and his offense still incredibly well rounded, it no longer takes a homer to rank Pierce as a top ten talent.
9- Amare. He fouls too much, he plays with Steve Nash, and Duncan can abuse him. But he helps Nash as much as Nash helps him, and being abused by the best pf ever isn't the end of the world. The most explosive player in the league has now added a consistent jumpshot that approaches three point range. Nobody, including Duncan and Garnett, can guard him. Plays better against better competition. Not a terrible defender either, he just doesn't play well against the truly elite.
10- Dirk. I could have gone with Iverson or Billups here, but Dirk is an alpha dog and MVP of a top team. Top of the line scorer, rebounded, and a better defender than he receives credit for. I don't really like putting him here, but the guy I would have replaced him with led the Heat to the worst record in the league, so that's out.
Top 20 Players, in no order:
McGrady
Ming
Caron Butler
Iverson
Billups
Manu
Wade
Nash
Bosh
Boozer
All-rejected team
PG Baron Davis
SG: Kevin Martin
SF: Rasheed Wallace (not a sf but can guard them, so who cares)
PF: David West
C: Gasol