NBA 2011-12: 10 Most Complete NBA Players in the League Today

The NBA is full of players who excel at specific aspects of the game more than they do others.

Players like Kevin Durant who are pure scorers.  Players like Steve Nash who rack up assists like their going out of style.  Players like Dwight Howard who grab rebounds and block shots like it's their job, well it actually is their job, but you get the point.

What is more rare and harder to find in the NBA are players who play competently at every facet of the game, scoring, passing, rebounding and playing lockdown defense, making them truly complete players.  Complete players like that are the type of talent that you can build a franchise around.

While there are more than ten "complete" players in the NBA, here is a list, ranking the top 10 most complete players in the NBA today, as evidenced by their 2011-12 production. 

Players That Just Missed Making the List

Dwyane Wade:  2011-12 stats: 18.8 ppg, 6.5 apg, 3.2 rpg.  For Wade to make this list he has to pick up his rebounds per game production. 

Jarrett Jack:  2011-12 stats:  17.7 ppg, 7.7 apg, 4.1 rpg.  The one piece of Jack's game that is keeping him from making this list is his lack of lockdown defense. Jack averages a measly 0.4 steals per game, which doesn't cut it when it comes to making this list. 

Andre Iguodola:  2011-12 stats: 13.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 4.0 apg.  Iguodala is undoubtedly a solid NBA talent and is moving closer to becoming a truly complete player, but he currently lacks the offensive polish to his game that more complete NBA players have.

Kevin Durant: 2011-12 stats:  26.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.1 apg.  I know it's hard for Durant to do, but if he wants to become a more complete player in the NBA he has to start playing defense and learn to pass the ball just a little more. 

10. Golden State Warriors PG Stephen Curry

2011-12 stats:  15.2 ppg, 5.6 apg, 4.2 rpg, 1.8 spg

Stephen Curry came into the NBA as a player that most experts thought would develop into a Reggie Miller kind of player, who focused more on making it rain from the three-point line than he did on any other facet of the game.  While Curry is one of the most talented shooters in the game, he has developed into a very well-rounded player, and that is what has earned him a starting spot on the Warrior's roster.

Stephen Curry is the perfect example of a player who many thought was one dimensional, but transitioned into a very defined role when he was drafted by the Warriors, and has used the facilitator role to display just how complete of a player he was all along. 

Curry isn't just a shooter anymore, he is a point guard who is able to play every aspect of the game, which is a difficult task playing on the same team as flashy shooting guard Monta Ellis.  Throughout his career, Curry has earned averages of 15.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, which has earned him the No. 10 spot on this list.

9. Milwaukee Bucks PG Brandon Jennings

2011-12 stats:  20.0 ppg, 5.6 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.7 spg

Brandon Jennings came into the league with mixed expectations.  Coming out of high school, followed by a year in Italy as an undersized point guard, without the hype and talent of players like LeBron James, not many expected him to develop into the solid NBA player that he is today.

What makes Jennings such a complete player is the tenacity that he brings to both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.  What Jennings lacks shot selection he makes up for by creating second chance points off rebounds, creating opportunities for teammates and creating an average of almost two turnovers a game.

The future is bright in Milwaukee with Jennings running he point, not because he is the best point guard in the NBA, but because he is one of the most complete point guards playing the game today.  If Jennings can up his shooting percentage, from where it currently sits at 37.8 percent, he will become a perennial All-Star in the NBA. 

8. Oklahoma City Thunder PG Russell Westbrook

2011-12 stats:  17.8 ppg, 5.3 apg, 4.8 rpg, 1.8 spg

Love him or hate him, there is no denying that Russell Westbrook is a special talent.  His "little man" complex, makes him play bigger and stronger than he actually is on both sides of the ball, which is sometimes a problem, but more often than not it helps the Thunder win games.

Westbrook isn't the purest offensive talent on the Thunders roster and he isn't the most intelligent player on the team, but Westbrook is without a doubt the most physical and that has helped him become one of the most complete players in the NBA.  While a lot of people hate on Westbrook because of his "ball-hogging" habits at times, there is no doubting that without Westbrook at the point the Thunder wouldn't be the same team.

Westbrook knows what the Thunder need form him to win games, and he brings that to the court night in and night out.  Whether it is dropping 20+ points, grabbing eight or more rebounds, or locking down an opposing point guard, Westbrook is always up to the task, which earns him the number eight spot on the list of the NBA's most complete basketball players.  

7. Oklahoma City Thunder SG/SF James Harden

2011-12 stats: 17.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.9 apg, 0.9 spg

Putting James Harden higher than Westbrook and Jennings because he comes off the bench for the Thunder, but there is absolutely no doubting that he is one of the most complete players in the NBA.  Harden's presence on the court is one that demands a defensive focus, because he has the athleticism to run with shooting guards and the post strength to bang with small forwards/power forwards.

Harden has been the spark off the bench that the Thunder have thrived off of for the past two seasons, and it isn't because Harden does one specific thing well.  The reason Harden has been a valuable asset to the Thunder is because he plays every aspect of the game with consistency.  Sure there are times when Harden thinks he's Kobe Bryant and tries to take over games when he shouldn't, but more often than not Harden's best offensive skill is his ability to get open, hit those open shots, and grab offensive boards when he doesn't.

Many analysts, including myself, predicted that Harden would be the 2011-12 NBA 6th Man of the Year, and his play this year has done nothing but make us believe that prediction will be true.  Harden doesn't come off the bench and drop 25+ points or consistently put up double doubles, but he does play with a complete and opportunistic style that separates him from other bench players, earning every minute that he gets.  It's hard to believe that this is only Harden's second year in the NBA.  Just imagine what he will be like in two or three more years. 

6. Houston Rockets PG Kyle Lowry

2011-12 stats: 15.3 ppg, 10.0 apg, 6.2 rpg, 2.0 spg

Kyle Lowry has exploded onto the scene this year in the NBA.  An annually average player over the span of his five year career, Lowry appears to have finally turned the corner, currently averaging 15.3 points, 10.0 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.  The most impressive part of Lowry's complete performance this year is the fact that he has done so on a Houston Rocket's that lacks serious depth on their roster.

Lowry is quickly developing into one of the NBA's most complete point guards, which is something that the 2-6 Houston Rockets can definitely build on in the future.  Lowry might never develop into one of the league's elite talents, and he might never make the starting lineup of an NBA All-Star game, but if he continues to play like he has this year, there is no doubt that he can establish himself as one of the most complete players in all of the NBA.

If Lowry wants to help the Rockets get to the next level in the NBA and become a serious title contender, he must improve on his outside shooting, which will make him even more of a complete player than he currently is.  The point here is that Lowry is a player that NBA fans will need to get to know because he's going to be around, producing at a high level, for a long time.  

5. Boston Celtics PG Rajon Rondo

2011-12 stats: 14.8 ppg, 10.5 apg, 5.1 rpg, 1.8 spg

When Rajon Rondo was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 21st pick of the 2006 NBA draft, many thought that Rondo would never develop into an offensive weapon because he lacked a polished jump shot.  Rondo did more than prove those doubters wrong, he has become one of the most complete players in the NBA, thanks in large part to the work he has done on his mid-to-long range game.

Rondo has always been a highlight reel point guard, creating easy scoring opportunities for teammates with his street ball-esque passes and his impressive basketball I.Q, but he's only recently developed into the complete player he is today.  In his first four seasons in the NBA, Rondo's field goal percentage steadily increased, from 41.8percent in 2006 to 50.8 percent in 2009.  While Rondo's field goal percentage took a hit in 2010, it's back on the rise this season, currently sitting at a solid 52.3 percent.

What is most impressive about Rondo so far this year is that in games when the Celtics were without star PF Paul Pierce, Rondo stepped up his offensive production, averaging 22 points over the span of three games, with his highest season total coming against the Knicks with 33 points.  I know there is a lot being said about Boston's "Big Three" being Garnett, Allen and Pierce, but in reality their most complete player is Rajon Rondo, who deserves to get some credit for what he does for the Celtics night in and night out.  

4. Chicago Bulls PG Derrick Rose

2011-12 stats: 19.4 ppg, 8.4 apg, 3.7 rpg, 0.9 spg, 0.6 bpg 

Derrick Rose is a rare talent.  He has the speed, agility and quickness to dominate other guards, almost making them look like they are defending him in slow motion and yet he has the strength and physicality to take his physical style of play into the paint with forwards and centers, only to outwork and overpower them as well.

Rose's stats are down from last year's MVP production of 25.0 points, 7.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.05 steals per game, but he's still producing at a level that displays just how complete of a player he is.  In only his third NBA season, Rose has taken the Bulls from being an average team to being one of the Eastern conferences top title contenders.  Sure the Bulls have added talent around him like Carlos Boozer and Richard Hamilton, but Rose does a great job of making players around him look and play better than they would without him, and that is a sign of a complete player.  

Aside from LeBron James, I can't think of another player that I would want more as the foundation of my franchise to build the future on than Derrick Rose.  Derrick Rose has something that a lot of NBA players don't have, and that is humility and an ability to lead with actions rather than words.  When you combine that with Rose's ability to produce consistently on both offense and defense, it is clear to see why Rose is one of the most complete players in the game today.   

3. New York Knicks SF Carmelo Anthony

2011-12 stats:  27.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.6 bpg

I don't know why, but I've never really thought of Carmelo Anthony as being on the same level as LeBron, Kobe, Wade or even Derrick Rose.  Maybe that's because in his eight previous seasons in the NBA he's only made it past the first round of the playoffs once, or maybe it's because he's never won an NBA trophy of any kind.  Either way, I think it's time to start putting Carmelo on the same level as players like LeBron and Kobe, at least when we're talking about complete players in the NBA.

When I think of Carmelo the first thing that comes to mind is his silky smooth jump shot that helped make him the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft, but when you look at his statistics there are many more facets to Melo's game than just his offense.  Melo, although regarded as a non-defensively minded player, averages 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks per game for his career, which is impressive when you consider he plays the small forward position.  Carmelo also does a great job of finding teammates for scoring opportunities, as evidenced by his 4.3 assists per game average.

While Carmelo hasn't achieved the level of individual success as players like LeBron, Kobe, Rose and Wade, he still deserves to be mentioned with them when it comes to the NBA's most complete players.  What Carmelo needs to work on isn't related to his offensive or defensive production, it is his ability to be a leader on the floor and in the locker room.  That is the only way Carmelo can become more of a complete player. 

2. Los Angeles Lakers SG Kobe Bryant

2011-12 stats:  27.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 5.8, 0.9 spg 

I know it's hard for you to believe Kobe, but  yes, you aren't the most complete player in the NBA anymore.

There are many words that come to mind when I think of Kobe Bryant, like clutch, smooth, arrogant, cocky and so on, but one word that rises to the top is "complete".  Whether you like Kobe or not, you have to admit that he plays every facet of the game as good if not better than every other player in the NBA.  In addition to his ability to score at ease, he is an opportunistic facilitator of the game, he rebounds the ball with veracity and he plays lock down defense on opponents night in and night out.

Kobe's career stats of 25.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game, don't differ very much from his current season production and that displays just how consistently great of a player Kobe has been and still is.  The one aspect of Kobe's game that keeps him from being number one on this list is the fact that he's not humble enough to realize that there are times when his team needs him to not shoot the ball.

Kobe has yet to realize that there are players around him who can help carry the Lakers offensively throughout the season, and that is the one aspect of being a truly "complete" player.  Sure Kobe is more "clutch" and a better closer than the player who beat him out on this list, but he lacks an ability to be what his team needs, and until he develops that he will always have the number two spot reserved for him on this list.  

1. Miami Heat SF LeBron James

2011-12 stats:  30.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 7.6 apg, 2.0 spg, 0.9 bpg

Whether you love LeBron or hate him, you have to admit that he is the NBA's most complete player.

He adapts his style of game to what his team needs more often than any other player in the NBA.  When his team needs him to score 35+ points he does.  When his team needs him to lock down a defender and dominate the glass he does.  When his team needs him to facilitate the game to his teammates he does.  Most importantly, when the Heat need LeBron to do all of those things at the same time, in one game, he does so without skipping a beat. 

Aside from his rookie season, when he was literally the only legitimate star on the Cavalier's roster, there hasn't been a single year in his nine year career where he has averaged less than 26.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.6 blocks per game.  There isn't another player in the NBA, yes even Kobe Bryant, that you can say the same about.

Sure there are players who have won more MVP trophies, more NBA championships and more NBA scoring titles than LeBron, but it goes without saying that there is no player in the NBA who is more of a complete player than he is.  LeBron's production this season alone has put him on an entire different level than other NBA players when it comes to being a truly complete player, and until he stops producing as he does in his career he will always have the No. 1 spot on this list.