Recently on an episode of Club Shay Shay hosted by Shannon Sharpe, former NBA player and champion Matt Barnes joined the show. He answered a variety of questions and went back and forth with Sharpe discussing the NBA, as well as specific players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant. One question, in particular, sparked controversy due to the players Barnes chose in his answer.
What is the Current NBA Top Five? Per Matt Barnes + ESPN
Matt Barnes took a second to fully answer the question. With the state of the NBA, it is tough to pick out five players to call elite. Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo was the undeniable favorite after his recent stretch of dominant seasons. The list Matt Barnes created is shown below:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Kevin Durant
- Stephen Curry
- LeBron James
- Joel Embiid
Matt Barnes gives his top five following ESPN’s list release for this upcoming season. ESPN had Mavericks star Luka Dončić and two-time MVP Nikola Jokić on their list. Barnes’ list is interesting, considering both LeBron James and Kevin Durant were not on the ESPN list. Yet, who deserves it more?
James is coming off a year where he averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists a game. Along with that, James, fourth on the Matt Barnes list, only played 56 games last year. He had a great year considering the circumstances and his team around him. However, James averaged eight three attempts last year, which was by far his career high. The same can be said about Durant, who averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists a game. Both stat lines are extremely close, but how do they stack up to Jokić and Dončić?
Giannis and Europe Taking Over the NBA
In 65 games last season, the Slovenian National player Dončić averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists a game. He recorded 10 triple doubles last year, which is shockingly the second least amount he has recorded in a season. He also averaged 31.6 points per game in the playoffs after scoring 475 points in 15 postseason games.
Jokić also had quite the year, averaging far above a double-double every game. He recorded 271 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists per game, and 1.5 steals. Despite not being on the Matt Barnes list, The Joker averaged 31 points per game in the playoffs through five hard-fought games. This is aslo despite an abundance of injuries to the Nuggets last season.
Perhaps both Jokić and Dončić are trending as consistent top-five NBA players due to their recent success. With both their teams making it to the playoffs and each player being the team’s soul, it is understandable how the Europeans would be ranked ahead of an aging LeBron and Kevin Durant. Both James and Durant didn’t have the success during the season they wanted, and perhaps that is a sign of the future. With the young talent taking their teams further and recording better statistics, it is not difficult to see why Matt Barnes ranked them ahead.
A Changing of the Guard Possible?
Giannis, Luka, and Nikola are three of the most versatile players in the NBA and obvious mainstays. The NBA has begun to shift toward the youth which may not last long. Despite “down” years in their terms, LeBron and Durant could bounce back to reclaim their spots in the top five, in the eyes of ESPN. As for Matt Barnes as told on Club Shay Shay, he thinks they’re already there – behind Giannis, of course.
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