Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic are popular picks for the 2024 All-NBA First Team.
Periodically, NBA.com editors will offer their thoughts on key storylines or hot topics around the league.
Who should make the All-NBA teams, which will now be positionless?
Steve Aschburner
Just because All-NBA honors can now be awarded without regard to position doesn’t mean they should be. For me (and a few other voters I know), the history of the league trumps any current zeal to simply rank Nos. 1-15 as the “best” in the NBA.
It meant something when Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell came and went as first or second team picks. Same when Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson aligned this way in 1990And so on. The second best attacker could end up with a “second” or “third-team» label, while three goalkeepers finished among the Top 5? No.
First team pick:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Second team pick:
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Third team pick:
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
- Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
- Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Brian Martin
When making this list, I had a hard time when I had two Suns and two Lakers (teams in SoFi Play-In Tournament) and only one Celtic (team headed for over 60 wins).
This led to a deeper internal conversation about roster composition. Is it better to have two All-NBA players or to have one All-NBA pick and the rest of your team balanced enough that the second potential All-NBA pick doesn’t quite have the resume of the other stars ?
There will be no response until June. But for now, my apologies to Jaylen Brown.
First team pick:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Second team pick:
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
- Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Third team pick:
- Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (must play 4 of that of Phoenix last 7 matches)
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
- Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Shaun Powell
In the first year of the 65-game eligibility rule, Joel Embiid and Donovan Mitchell are casualties. Both would have been my picks for a spot on the first (Embiid) and second (Mitchell) teams. And because you’re wondering, I would have reshuffled and ultimately fired Brown and Haliburton.
Anyway: The first team was easy, Brunson’s emergence earning him a spot on the second, and Haliburton, leading the league in assists and helping Indy to the tournament final in season, was a factor for the third team. My bad to Domantas Sabonis, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey and De’Aaron Fox.
First team pick:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics
Second team pick:
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks
- Stephen Curry, Warriors
- Anthony Davis, Lakers
- Kevin Durant, Suns
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
Third team pick:
- Devin Booker, Suns
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics
- Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers
- LeBron James, Lakers
- Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
John Schumann
The final spot on the first team was a tough decision between Tatum and Durant, but (once that decision was made) the second team was pretty easy. The third team was the most difficult, but Gobert was a fairly easy choice as being the anchor of the league’s #1 defense (from afar) is really important.
This analysis was a bit rushed and a few other players – Devin Booker, Paul George, Damian Lillard and Tyrese Maxey – will be seriously considered (against the third team guys below) when it’s time to do the reals choice at the end. of the next week.
First team pick:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Second team pick:
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Third team pick:
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
- Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Michael C. Wright
Honestly, the league’s new 65-game rule has made this exercise a little easier to narrow down the field. And what’s more, this time he is without a position. But the traditionalists here have largely gone with the old format, except for the third team, which features three guards: Devin Booker, Stephen Curry and NBA assists leader Tyrese Haliburton.
There is one regret with this list: Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard is not on it and probably deserves to be on it.
First team pick:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Second team pick:
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
- Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Third team pick:
- Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
