Anyone can name the best players in the NBA, but basketball is as much about chemistry as it is about talent. Within each of the league’s 30 teams, there is a hierarchy, and how each of the five players on the court understands and plays their role within that hierarchy is just as important as their individual skills.
Ideally, a team has its superstar, a respectful co-star, a third star who plays his role, a fourth option and a fifth starter to tie it all together – Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. In this series, we rank the top five players in each tier to get a broader view of the league. How close is your team to an ideal team?
(Click here to see the NBA’s top No. 1 picks.)
2 options: Respectful co-stars
What is a No. 2? He’s usually the team’s second choice on offense. He might be an All-Star. In fact, he better be an All-Star if you want to compete for a championship. Maybe his skill level is a little lower than his best teammate. Maybe his skills are more complementary. Or maybe his personality is more obsequious.
Regardless, he understands he’s not No. 1, and that’s the most important thing. Teams don’t reach their potential when the No. 2 thinks he’s No. 1. Every great has had a No. 2 in the Hall of Fame, and they all knew where they stood. Bill Russell had Bob Cousy. Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen. Larry Bird had Kevin McHale. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had Oscar Robertson, then Magic Johnson, and then Magic turned it around. Shaquille O’Neal had Kobe Bryant, who then had Pau Gasol. It all works out one way or another.
Without further ado, your top five #2 options…
1. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
There was a time when Davis was thought to be the surefire No. 1. At 24, he finished third in the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year races. He has grown as a playmaker into a basket-protecting juggernaut, retaining the skills and athleticism that drew him to the game. He has all the tools, even a big enough outside shot to be a threat. Few players are more dangerous around the basket.
The New Orleans Pelicans never built a serious contender around Davis, and he hated serving as the de facto leader of a contender, so he requested a trade — specifically to the Lakers, for whom he would nod to LeBron James, because everyone nods to James, even though he’s about to turn 40.
The two won a title together when Davis was a key part of their run in the Orlando bubble. He averaged 25 points (on a 57/42/94 shooting ratio!), 10.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, two blocks and 1.3 steals per game in the NBA Finals, and James was still voted the unanimous MVP of the series. Davis is built to be a No. 1 and seems more comfortable as a No. 2, which is not without some criticism, fair and unfair.
2. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Booker was the best player at 24 on a team that reached the NBA Finals — and had a ton of talent — in 2021. He’s now in his prime, serving as “Unsung MVP” of Team USA’s run to the Olympic gold medal. He’s a pure scorer with a telegenic shot whose defense has steadily improved.
Booker was Phoenix’s alpha until Kevin Durant came along, whose deferential demeanor betrays a game that demands deference. Durant is one of the 15 greatest players of all time, and he was the No. 1 on a team that featured Stephen Curry. Just ask his two Finals MVPs. As much as we mock Durant’s ring-winning run, his legacy is greater than that of all but one (or two) active players, and that commands respect.
It’s debatable whether the Suns would be better off if the team had used Booker instead of the 36-year-old Durant. Chris Paul is a natural depth player, so he and Booker have found a balance easily, but it’s harder when your partner is the most talented forward in league history. They do what each other does, and solving that dynamic takes more than one season. At least, that’s what the Phoenix are hoping.
3. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Brown has had years to sort out his relationship with teammate Jayson Tatum. For a while, people debated who was better. Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd leaned toward Brown during the NBA Finals, but the rest of us have sorted that out. Tatum has made the All-NBA First Team and finished in the top six in the MVP race each of the last three seasons. Brown has made an All-NBA team and never received an MVP vote.
At least until he wins the Eastern Conference. And Finals MVP honors in June. Some might say it reopens the door to questions about who is the Celtics’ best player. I think it’s a reflection of how Brown and Tatum have handled the challenges of sharing responsibilities between similar stars.
Brown didn’t exactly help Tatum, he learned how to succeed alongside him. Tatum took on more of the playmaking responsibilities, while Brown took on a bigger defensive challenge. That separation produced a title, but not before there was some question about whether Brown wanted his own team. There will always be some underlying tension, and how they continue to balance it will determine whether Boston becomes a champion again.
4. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Adebayo is as competitive as anyone in the NBA. He’s one of the best defenders in the league. He’s certainly the most versatile. He has the size and strength to crash through opponents in the post and the athleticism to move with anyone on the perimeter. And he’s managed to score 20 points per game over the last three years.
But his limitations as an offensive player prevent him from becoming Miami’s best player. That and the fact that Jimmy Butler, the epitome of an alpha, is on his team. Adebayo is a natural No. 2. His greatest strengths — defense, rebounding, cleaning up random offensive possessions — are complementary skills.
Maybe that’s why Miami’s coaching staff has to implore Adebayo to become a better scorer when Butler isn’t on the court. Even then, Miami has struggled. As talented as Adebayo is, including his passing ability, he’s not a threat from distance, and it’s awfully hard to be the alpha when that’s missing from your game. That said, any No. 1 in the league would happily accept Adebayo as their No. 2.
5. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
People forget how good Murray was during Denver’s run to the title. He averaged 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds per game in the 2023 playoffs, numbers matched only by LeBron James, Michael Jordan and teammate Nikola Jokić. He could be the No. 1 if his team’s No. 1 wasn’t so obvious.
But Murray has never been selected to an All-Star team. He struggled in the playoffs last season and fared worse at the Olympics with the Canadian national team. Concerns remain about the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his left knee.
Murray plays opposite Jokić as well as anyone plays opposite anyone. Their pick-and-roll combination is as deadly as any play in the NBA, no matter the situation. If Murray isn’t a top-five co-star in every regular season, he’s been on the biggest stage. The Nuggets paid him in kindgiving him a max contract, so expect him to return to form the NBA’s only non-All-Star superstar — a real number 2.
Honorable mentions
6. Domantas SabonisSacramento Kings
7. Kyrie IrvingDallas Mavericks
8. Karl-Anthony TownsMinnesota Timberwolves
9. Pascal SiakamIndiana Pacers
10. Damian LillardMilwaukee Bucks
11. Tyrese MaxeyThe Philadelphia 76ers
12. Jaren Jackson Jr.Memphis Grizzlies
13. Jalen WilliamsOklahoma City Thunder
14. Julius RandleNew York Knicks
The rest
15. Brandon IngramNew Orleans Pelicans; 16. James HardenLos Angeles Clippers; 17. Franz WagnerOrlando Magic; 18. Alpen SengunHouston Rockets; 19. Garland of DariusCleveland Cavaliers; 20. Miles BridgesCharlotte Hornets; 21. Jerami GrantPortland Trail Blazers; 22. Andrew WigginsGolden State Warriors; 23. Devin VassellSan Antonio Spurs; 24. RJ BarrettToronto Raptors; 25. Bogdan BogdanovicAtlanta Hawks; 26. Nikola VučevićChicago Bulls; 27. Tobias HarrisDetroit Pistons; 28. Collin SextonUtah Jazz; 29. Dennis SchröderBrooklyn Nets; 30. Jordan PooleThe Washington Wizards.
