My Fave Five in the NBA: A Make-Your-Own Starting Lineup

Plenty of writers have already written about which starting lineups they believe to be the best in the NBA today.

However, with this article I plan to do something different.

Suppose you were given the opportunity to put together an NBA starting lineup consisting of your favorite players at each position. Who would you pick?

Would you simply choose the best player at each position, or would you allow yourself to select a player by less objective standards?

Well, here is my Fave Five. Feel free to argue with it.

Point Guard: Nate Robinson

At 5’9" Nate Robinson may be small, but he’s an absolutely explosive player.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of watching him score 45 points on the Blazers; an amazing total for any player, let alone one of his stature.

Simply stated, he’s one of the most interesting players to watch in the game, and I see him becoming an All-Star caliber player in the near future.

Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade

While many superstars in the game today have developed the reputation of being selfish players lacking in effort on defense, I am happy to say that Dwyane is not one of them.

Playing hard on both sides of the ball—even through injury—Wade has the heart of a champion. Kobe may be better (and he plays with quite a bit of heart himself, by the way), but I find Dwyane’s style of play inspiring.

Small Forward: LeBron James

I had to go with King James at the three spot.

At 6’8", 250 pounds, James is a physical specimen unlike any other seen before on the hard court. In addition, he may very well be one of the greatest passing non-point guards in history; that says a lot.

Already arguably the greatest player in the game at the age of 23, the sky is the limit for LeBron.

Power Forward: David Lee

He may not be the most physically talented player out there, but no one plays with as much heart as this kid.

Despite playing for a dreadful team, Lee plays his heart out every single game. As an athlete myself, I can’t help but respect a work ethic as strong as his.

Center: Yao Ming

Yes, I know he’s 7’6". But it’s not his height that makes him the great player he is.

Countless players over seven feet tall have entered the NBA, and never has one at such a height (which often proves to be a disadvantage for players in every aspect of the game but blocked shots) played to this level.

While Yao is a popular player in the NBA, few realize just how hard he works to improve.

Not only has his strength improved tremendously, but he is also one of the best shooting big men currently in the game. By time his career comes to a close, I see him ending up in the Hall Of Fame.