Power Ranking the Top 25 NBA Stars Heading into 2012-13 Season

The NBA is a star-driven league, and these 25 players reign supreme over the rest of their teammates and opponents going into the 2012-13 season. 

Without at least one of the members of this elite group, it's awfully difficult to win a title. 

The Denver Nuggets might have something to say about that, thanks in large part to their depth, but Ty Lawson and Andre Igudoala were two of the very first players left off. So for all intents and purposes, you aren't going to win a title without a star player. 

From defensive stalwarts to offensive powerhouses, these are the 25 best players in the league right now (assuming health). 

25. Tyson Chandler

Team: New York Knicks

Position: C

Age: 29

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 11.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.4 blocks, 0.9 steals

As efficient as Tyson Chandler may be on the offensive end of the court, it's his defensive prowess that earns him a spot in the top 25. 

Chandler was able to change the mentality of the New York Knicks and even got Carmelo Anthony to show a little bit of intensity in a facet of the game that didn't involve shooting the ball. That in itself justifies inclusion. 

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is set to defend his crown by locking up the paint in Madison Square Garden once more when the 2012-13 season begins. 

24. Kyrie Irving

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

Position: PG

Age: 20

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 18.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 0.4 blocks, 1.1 steals

Kyrie Irving definitely lived up to the hype associated with the No. 1 spot in the NBA draft when he put together one of the best rookie seasons in recent memories. If he managed to average 18.5 points and 5.4 assists as a first-year player, then the sky is the limit. 

Still fresh off his ridiculously short career under Mike Krzyzewski, Irving's passing skills and court vision are still developing. His scoring abilities are already just about top-notch. 

Expect to see Irving make quite a few more game-winning shots as he spins, twists and dribbles his way towards open shots. 

23. Steve Nash

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: PG

Age: 38

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 12.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 0.1 blocks, 0.6 steals

Now we move from one of the league's youngest floor generals to one of its oldest. 

Steve Nash may be drawing perilously close to the dreaded 40th birthday, but he still seems young and spry when he laces up his sneakers and steps onto the hardcourt. 

Now that the longtime Phoenix Sun has moved slightly west and will be playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, he'll have even more opportunities to rack up assists. If his court vision was stellar enough to average double-figures while passing to Marcin Gortat, Jared Dudley, Channing Frye and a fairly motley crew, it's tough to imagine just how good he could be in L.A. 

He'll now have the opportunity to generate dimes by throwing the ball to Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. That's a pretty nice upgrade of toys to work with. 

22. Chris Bosh

Team: Miami Heat

Position: PF

Age: 28

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 18.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 blocks, 0.9 steals

Chris Bosh may be disrespected outside of South Beach and overrated by Miami Heat fans, but the power forward realistically falls in right outside of the top 20 players in The Association. 

While he may not be a banger in the post, Bosh is a tremendous finesse player with a midrange jumper to die for. When the velociraptor lookalike is hitting his shots from the perimeter, he spreads out the defense, making it even more vulnerable to the reckless slashes and drives form Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. 

Bosh will always play in the shadow of his more talented teammates, but he's a crucial piece to the team that is currently wearing the league's bullseye. 

21. Eric Gordon

Team: New Orleans Hornets

Position: SG

Age: 23

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 20.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.4 blocks, 1.4 steals

A fully healthy Eric Gordon is going to be a terrifying sight to behold. After all, the young shooting guard only played nine games during the 2011-12 season and performed quite solidly. 

With a full offseason and a roster that leaves him as the clear No. 1 option in the offense, Gordon will be able to loft up shots at will. Averaging 26 points per game is by no means out of the question, and that total could leave him in the mix for the silver medal in the scoring title competition. 

In a league without many great shooting guards, Gordon has already established himself as one of the best options. Of course, this can only continue to be true if he remains healthy. 

20. James Harden

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Position: SG

Age: 23

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.2 blocks, 1.0 steals

Please don't let James Harden's vomit-inducing performance during the 2012 NBA Finals lead you to believe that he's not one of the top 20 players in the league right now. That would be falling for the tricks of an extremely small sample size. 

Harden, the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, is one of the most efficient guards in basketball. He's fully capable of slicing and dicing a defense to pieces whenever his beard commands that he do so. With his innate knack for drawing contact, Harden is a threat to score in a variety of ways. 

While he could stand to improve his defense and cut down on the flops, Harden is more than just an entertaining player to watch—he's the third-best shooting guard that the NBA has to offer. 

19. Josh Smith

Team: Atlanta Hawks

Position: SF/PF

Age: 26

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 18.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.7 blocks, 1.4 steals

With Joe Johnson leaving the Atlanta Hawks for the friendly confines of the Barclays Center, it's up to Josh Smith to step up to the plate and help Al Horford and Lou Williams make up for the loss of scoring output. 

As long as he stops shooting perimeter jumpers and concentrates on making the most of his insane athleticism, Smoove is fully capable of doing so and rising even further up the ranks of elite players. 

After he was snubbed from the All-Star roster last year, it would be an absolute shock for the midseason game in Houston to not feature this forward prominently. Smith is an elite defensive player and a monster when it comes to rejecting ill-advised shots. 

If he can curtail the bad decisions—which is more important than ever this season—he'll make the leap to superstardom. 

18. Pau Gasol

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: PF

Age: 32

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 17.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 blocks, 0.6 steals

Pau Gasol's skill-set fits in with the Los Angeles Lakers better than ever now that Dwight Howard is ready to play home games in the Staples Center and Mike Brown may occasionally run the Princeton Offense. 

The big man is one of the most versatile seven-footers in professional basketball, capable of backing down a man in the post, making a defender look silly with some nifty footwork or stepping out to the perimeter and drilling a three-pointer. 

While his scoring and rebounding numbers will drop while playing alongside D12, his assist totals are going to rise as he's asked to serve as more of a playmaker. Don't be surprised if Gasol manages to average 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists per game from the power forward slot. 

17. Dirk Nowitzki

Team: Dallas Mavericks

Position: PF

Age: 34

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 21.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.5 blocks, 0.7 steals

Although Dirk Nowitzki suffered through a season-long shooting slump during the 2011-12 campaign, knocking down 45.7 percent of his shots from the field, the German big man remains one of the NBA's five best power forwards. 

He'll be surrounded by a bit more talent during the upcoming season, and defenses won't be able to key in on him quite as much. That should be all Dirk needs to average at least 21 points per game for the 13th season in a row. 

Even though he forgot how to rebound during the Dallas Mavericks short-lived playoff experience this past year, Dirk still proved that he and the flamingo shot can light up the scoreboard. 

16. Blake Griffin

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Position: PF

Age: 23

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 20.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.7 blocks, 0.8 steals

Forget about how Blake Griffin scores his points. He still scores them. 

This 23-year-old power forward averaged 20.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game as a second-year player in the NBA, and those numbers were all declines from his sensational rookie campaign. 

In addition to dunking ferociously, crashing the boards and passing like a much smaller man typically does, Griffin is extraordinarily efficient from the field. He could use a lot of work on his defense and free throws—the primary things holding him back from moving even higher up the rankings—but that might come with time. 

And for everyone who says that Blake doesn't have any post moves, well, his spin to the basket is rather devastating. It's effective enough that he still converts it time and time again despite the fact that everyone knows it's coming. 

Imagine how good he'll be once he has multiple go-to moves. 

15. Tony Parker

Team: San Antonio Spurs

Position: PG

Age: 30

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 18.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 0. blocks, 1.0 steals

Tony Parker deserved a bit of MVP consideration for his work last year, and the same will be true during the upcoming season if he can help keep the San Antonio Spurs at or near the top of the Western Conference. 

The French point guard's speed and smarts are always on full display when he's running Gregg Popovich's system. Parker just knows when to use screens to create his own shot, when to pass the ball to his teammates and when to take over the game. 

He's one of the most intelligent point guards in basketball and one of the most effective. 

If you're a Spurs fan, go ahead and start crafting your thank-you note to Parker right now. He's going to be the reason that Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili stave off Father Time for one more year, as well as the cause for the continued success of Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. 

14. LaMarcus Aldridge

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Position: PF

Age: 27

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 21.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 blocks, 0.9 steals

There are a select group of NBA fans who cry out that LaMarcus Aldridge is overrated because he doesn't play defense. He can't be an elite power forward if he doesn't shut down his opponents. 

Well, Aldridge is an elite power forward—the second-best in the league—and he does play defense. According to 82games.com, Aldridge held the power forwards he defended last year to a 15.4 PER. As a reference point, Kevin Seraphin, Luis Scola, Trevor Booker, Al Harrington and Jon Leuer were the only power forwards to post PERs in the 15s last year. 

Of course, Aldridge is fairly decent at offense too. He just suffers from a lack of recognition after laboring away for a sub-par Portland Trail Blazers team ever since he broke out. 

13. Deron Williams

Team: Brooklyn Nets

Position: PG

Age: 28

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 21.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 0.4 blocks, 1.2 steals

Don't hold Deron Williams' lack of success with the New Jersey Nets against him. It's tough to do much when your starting center goes down with a foot injury and there isn't much depth on the roster. 

D-Will was forced to shoulder the offensive burden for the Nets last season. His efficiency numbers declined, but the big and physical point guard still showed why he's an excellent option to score or pass the ball effectively. 

Now that Williams is surrounded by plenty of offensive talent after the move to Brooklyn, he'll be able to focus less on scoring and more on facilitating. 

Regardless of where his focus lies, Williams is a stud on the more glamorous end of the court. 

12. Carmelo Anthony

Team: New York Knicks

Position: SF

Age: 28

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 22.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.4 blocks, 1.1 steals

Carmelo Anthony is an offensive dynamo, but he's still not a defensive stopper. He played with a bit more vigor on that side of the ball towards the end of this past season with the New York Knicks, although it's easier to look good when Tyson Chandler is covering up any mistakes you might make. 

The Knicks' small forward is one of the best pure scorers in the NBA right now. Whether he's spotting up on the perimeter, going to work in an isolation set or backing down a man on the blocks, Melo is going to be able to put the ball into the hole. 

Don't mythologize Anthony's offensive game though. He still relies on accurate passes from teammates more than many other elite scorers. Last season, LeBron James, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant all scored more points per game than Melo on unassisted field goals. 

11. Andrew Bynum

Team: Philadelphia 76ers

Position: C

Age: 24

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, 0.5 steals

Andrew Bynum is an unknown going into the 2012-13 season with the Philadelphia 76ers. No one has any idea how he'll handle being the alpha-dog in an offense, or how he'll be able to deal with the relentless Philly fans if/when they turn on him for a bad game. 

If someone claims to know exactly how the situation will turn out, then they're lying. 

We do know that Bynum is an elite center. The gap between him and the third-best player at his position is rather sizable. 

Bynum has old-school post moves at his disposal, plus plenty of size to throw at his opponent. If his mind can catch up with his physical skill-set, then we could be looking at a player who can seriously challenge Dwight Howard for the title of "Best Center in the NBA." 

10. Kevin Love

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves 

Position: PF

Age: 23

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 26.0 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 blocks, 0.9 steals

Kevin Love officially staked his claim as the best power forward in the game when he averaged 30.7 points and 13.9 rebounds per game during 16 contests in April. He already owned the title, but a little bit of confirmation never hurts. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves star also plays solid defense, although the common misconception is that he's only an offensive player and a rebounder. When guarding opposing power forwards, Love held his power forward counterparts to a 13.9 PER last year, much improved from his 16.0 the year before (stats via 82games.com).

Love is becoming more and more well-rounded each year he spends toiling away in professional basketball, and he's already well on his way towards becoming an all-time great. 

9. Russell Westbrook

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder 

Position: PG

Age: 23

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 23.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 0.3 blocks, 1.7 steals

While I had to list Russell Westbrook's position for the sake of consistency throughout this article, I was quite tempted to just leave it out entirely. 

Who cares that he's a point guard by title and plays more like a shooting guard? How is that in any way relevant when he creates offense for his team, makes the Oklahoma City Thunder score points at an elite level and helped get the squad to the NBA Finals? 

Westbrook is one of the most dynamic athletes in basketball, and his unique talents make the team tick. Any lack of passing skill that he might possess is cancelled out by the constant fear he puts in the hearts of defenders. 

His scoring ability creates passing lanes that most other "point guards" open up with, well, their passing. 

The notion that each position requires a fixed skill-set is rather nonsensical. As long as elite production is present, it shouldn't matter where or how it develops. 

8. Rajon Rondo

Team: Boston Celtics

Position: PG

Age: 26

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 11.7 assists, 0.1 blocks, 1.8 steals

Those of you who have faithfully followed my work over the last few years are probably sitting at your computers with your jaw dropped enough that it's interfering with your ability to type out a dumbfounded comment. 

"What? Adam Fromal ranked Rajon Rondo above Russell Westbrook?!?!?"

I've vehemently argued that Westbrook was unnecessarily hated and called overrated for quite some time now. This is not an admission of defeat in that department. Moreover, I've always had respect for what Rondo can do on the basketball court while remaining well aware of his flaws. 

Rondo's abilities to make his teammates better are now too great to be overlooked. It took seeing some breakdowns of effective field-goal percentage—an efficiency stat that gives more weight to three-pointers—while researching this article to realize that. 

82games.com informs us that the Boston Celtics have a 50.2 eFG percentage as a whole while Rondo is on the court. That number drops to 48.5 when Rondo is on the bench. The difference is even more sizable when you consider the fact that Rondo's personal 45.6 eFG percentage is contributing to the higher number, seeing as he's on the court. 

This, in addition to Rondo's defensive chops and work on the boards, is just enough to push him ahead of Westbrook in the rankings. 

7. Dwyane Wade

Team: Miami Heat

Position: SG

Age: 30

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 22.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 blocks, 1.7 steals

Dwyane Wade's physical style of play throughout his career has started to take a serious toll on his health. It seems rather unlikely that D-Wade will ever again have the luxury of playing while every single part of his body is in working order. 

Unless Ray Allen miraculously fixes his shot from the outside, Wade now falls just behind Kobe Bryant in the rankings after overtaking him a short while ago. 

Wade is still a tremendous slasher and a great athlete with elite defensive skills. He can impact the game on both ends of the court like few others in the NBA, regardless of position. 

Even though he's now officially the second fiddle to LeBron James on the Miami Heat, he remains one of the most effective players that The Association has to offer. 

6. Kobe Bryant

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: SG

Age: 34

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 27.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 0.3 blocks, 1.2 steals

While the acquisitions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash will allow Kobe Bryant to slow down the relentless pursuit of old age for a little while longer, The Black Mamba is still going to have to change up his playing style a bit to maximize the Los Angeles Lakers' chances of success. 

Kobe has gotten used to carrying the Lakers offense over the past few years. He's been the top offensive option and been given the green light to fire away at all times, regardless of the difficulty of the shot he's attempting. 

Now he'll have to be a bit more selective. He did a fantastic job keeping the Lakers in title contention—even if he could have involved his teammates a bit more—but it's time to let the offense run through someone else.

Even if Dwight Howard is option No. 1 in the Staples Center, the Lakers will still be Kobe's team. 

No. 24 is one of the smartest basketball players in the NBA, so we're about to witness an epic battle between the ego that made him so effective and the intelligence that will allow his team to win more games.

I can't wait to watch it unfold.  

5. Derrick Rose

Team: Chicago Bulls

Position: PG

Age: 23

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 21.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 0.7 blocks, 0.9 steals

Obviously, this aggressive ranking of Derrick Rose assumes that the former MVP returns from his ACL injury at full strength. 

When he's at 100 percent, the Chicago Bulls point guard brings a level of offense to the table that few can match. He's a constant threat to score from anywhere on the court—particularly with his improving perimeter jumper—and he can find open teammates at the blink of an eye. 

Perhaps most impressive is Rose's ability to maneuver his body through the defense and finish at the rim with a level of contortion typically reserved for acrobats. Sometimes he seems like a magician on the court, seemingly capable of making his body intangible. 

The season will be well underway before we find out how effective Rose will be in his return, but the former No. 1 pick at full strength offers a level of basketball that only four players in the league can consistently match. 

4. Dwight Howard

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: C

Age: 26

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 20.6 points, 14.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.1 blocks, 1.5 steals

The health caveat applies to Dwight Howard as well. If Superman's back is balky upon his return, he'll plummet down the rankings. 

However, if it's in working order, Howard is still the best center in this league, as well as the NBA's best defensive player. 

Between his physical dominance in the paint, his relentless pursuit of each and every rebound, his efficiency from the field—but most certainly not the charity stripe—and his aggressiveness on defense, Howard is a truly dominant force on the basketball court. 

While Howard was playing in Orlando, teams could either focus on shutting down the big man and exposing themselves to the three-point shooters that surrounded him, or they could let Howard dominate and rely on containing the perimeter players. 

Now that he's on the Los Angeles Lakers, we're going to be seeing a lot more of the latter. You don't want to be creating too many easy opportunities for Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. 

3. Chris Paul

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Position: PG

Age: 27

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 19.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.1 assist, 0.1 blocks, 2.5 steals

Chris Paul is the NBA's best point guard, and the gap between him and the rest of the field isn't even as close as most people think. 

The Los Angeles Clippers are often content to entrust the entire offense to CP3, letting him do as he pleases on the basketball court. More often than not, it's a good idea to do so. 

Paul possesses some of the league's best passing skills with elite court vision to go along with them. Additionally, his constant movement and shiftiness allow him to create his own shot whenever he pleases.

Although he may not possess the defensive abilities of Rajon Rondo or the dynamic scoring touch that Derrick Rose claims, CP3 brings the best of both worlds to the table.

Whether you're looking for efficiency, care for the ball, scoring, passing, defense, per-pound rebounding or leadership, Paul has it in spades.  

2. Kevin Durant

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Position: SF

Age: 23

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 28.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.3 steals

The league's best scorer led the league in points per game for the third season in a row during the 2011-12 campaign. His crown isn't going to be handed over to challenger for at least a little while longer. 

Kevin Durant—hard as it may be to believe—is still only 23 years old and coming off an NBA Finals appearance and a terrific showing at the London Olympics. 

Most importantly, he's still improving. The effort is finally there on defense, and the impact is palpable. Serge Ibaka has a significant effect on Durant's defensive numbers, but the small forward is still making a noticeable decision to lock down his man whenever possible. 

Durant's passing could stand to improve as well, but his scoring ability is just out of this world. Even if he just sat down on defense and let the Oklahoma City Thunder play four-on-five, he'd be a top-20 player. 

1. LeBron James

Team: Miami Heat

Position: SF

Age: 27

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 0.8 blocks, 1.9 steals

LeBron James came into the 2011-12 season as the best basketball player in the world. Then he showed off a remarkably improved post game and put together one of the most sensational years that the sport has ever seen.

Now the gap between him and the rest of the field is more palpable than ever. I guess that's what a regular season MVP, Finals MVP, title and Olympic gold medal will do. 

Although Dwight Howard and Tyson Chandler are slightly better on defense, LeBron can make a reasonable argument that he's the best player in the league on that end of the court as well, thanks primarily to his versatility. 

If it's possible to have a certain skill on the basketball court, LeBron has it at this point. 

Gone are the days of Kevin Durant being a 1b to Lebron's 1a.