Top 10 NBA Players: Is Kobe the Best in the NBA Right Now?
Kobe Bryant has put together one of the best careers in NBA history. His individual stats and team accomplishments combined make him a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame and possibly put him among the top 10 players of all time.
Now at the age of 33, Kobe Bryant may be heading into the back end of his career. He is, however, trying to do his best to prove that he is still in his prime and has a lot of basketball left in him.
Is Kobe Bryant still the best player in the NBA? See who makes the cut as the top 10 NBA players right now.
10. Chris Paul
1 of 10Chris Paul was involved in the biggest trade so far this season. He has helped put the Clippers on the map, and with Blake Griffin, can form one of the best duos in NBA history for years to come.
Chris Paul is in the top five in assists and leads the league in steals.
Season Stats:
16.1 ppg, 8.8 apg, 2.9 rpg, 2.8 spg
Career Stats:
18.6 ppg, 9.9 apg, 4.6 rpg, 2.4 spg
9. Dirk Nowitzki
2 of 10Dirk Nowitzki finally got his NBA Championship last season.
After some offseason moves, Dirk is on an older Dallas Mavericks team that is struggling to be dominant. Dirk has taken a step back this season in comparison to the rest of his career, but he still is an elite player in the NBA.
Season Stats:
18.6 ppg, 2.7 apg, 5.5 rpg
Career Stats:
22.9 ppg, 2.7 apg, 8.3 rpg
8. Kevin Love
3 of 10Kevin Love is the best power forward in the NBA right now. He is on a bad Minnesota team, but deserves all the respect for his abilities.
Love is the definition of a double-double machine and leads the league in rebounds. He is only 23 years old and has improved every season. The sky is the limit for Love as a player, and he deserves to be recognized as one of the best players in the NBA.
Season Stats:
23.6 ppg, 1.8 apg, 14.7 rpg
Career Stats:
15.4 ppg, 1.9 apg, 11.8 rpg
7. Carmelo Anthony
4 of 10Carmelo may not be the best defender or overall player in basketball, but he is arguably the best scorer in the NBA.
Carmelo is in a Mike D'Antonio system that allows him to shoot as much as he wants.
Season Stats:
26.6 ppg, 4.5 apg, 6.5 rpg
Career Stats:
24.9 ppg, 3.1 apg, 6.3 rpg
6. Dwight Howard
5 of 10Dwight Howard is the best center and most dominant player in the NBA. He is looking to get out of Orlando and his statistics could improve with a change of scenario.
Season Stats:
18.0 ppg, 2.2 apg, 14.4 rpg, 2.2 bpg
Career Stats:
18.2 ppg, 1.5 apg, 12.9 rpg, 2.2 bpg
5. Derrick Rose
6 of 10Last year's MVP has picked up right where he left off. He is the best Bull since the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan.
At 23, Rose is the most important player on the first-place team in the Eastern Conference.
Season Stats:
20.7 ppg, 8.6 apg, 3.4 rpg
Career Stats:
20.9 ppg, 6.8 apg, 3.9 rpg
4. Dwayne Wade
7 of 10Dwayne Wade is the second best player in the Miami Heat's "Big Three" and probably the most clutch player in the same "Big Three."
Wade may not be the best overall player on the Miami Heat, but he may be the most valuable player on the team.
Season Stats:
20.5 ppg, 5.4 apg, 4.0 rpg
Career Stats:
25.4 ppg, 6.3 apg, 5.1 rpg
3. Kevin Durant
8 of 10Kevin Durant has proven that he is among the best in the NBA. His team currently sits atop the Western Conference and, in my opinion, are the favorites out of the West.
One of the most surprising things about Durant is that he is only 23 years old.
Season Stats:
25.7 ppg, 3.6 apg, 7.2 rpg
Career Stats:
25.9 ppg, 2.7 apg, 6.4 rpg
2. LeBron James
9 of 10LeBron James is a really close second. Comparing Kobe and LeBron is difficult because they are two different types of players.
LeBron is having one of the best seasons of his incredible career and is my prediction for NBA MVP come season's end.
Season Stats:
29.0 ppg, 7.5 apg, 8.5 rpg
Career Stats:
27.7 ppg, 7.0 apg, 7.1 rpg
1. Kobe Bryant
10 of 10Kobe has the right finger up.
So far this season, Kobe Bryant has been the best player in the NBA. After a slow start, the Lakers are riding a four-game winning streak. Kobe has back-to-back 40-point games, including 48 points against the Phoenix Suns.
Bryant's statistical averages so far this season are better than his career averages.
Kobe may not be the best player by the end of the season, but right now he is the best player in the league.
Season Stats:
30.3 ppg, 5.7 apg, 5.9 rpg
Career Stats:
25.3 ppg, 4.7 apg, 5.3 rpg
