The excellent news for Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant? That they continue to be, based on our annual Prime 100 NBA participant rankings, among the many 10 finest gamers within the NBA.
The dangerous information?
Their grip on these spots is slipping, a reminder that their maintain on the sport they’ve lengthy dominated may quickly give method — to youthful gamers, to a sluggish however certain decline, to time’s inevitable victory.
These three have lengthy owned the NBA: They’ve owned its awards and accolades, its championships and trophies, its tendency to reward greatness, that sense of surety of the only a few who’re its absolute best and most vital.
And regardless of their spot close to the highest of our checklist, for the primary time in additional than a decade not considered one of this period’s dominating triumvirate are seen as a Prime 3 participant — and even worthy of a Prime 5 slot. Not this time.
Steph, who was No. 3 final season, falls to sixth. Durant fell from No. 5 to No. 9. LeBron James got here in at eighth, again within the high 10 after enjoying 71 regular-season video games final season.
Sure, their Prime 10 rankings are a nod to the greatness nonetheless lurking in these ageing, generally fragile our bodies. All three of them shone brightly throughout this summer season’s Olympics: Durant’s return from harm immediately modified the USA roster. LeBron received the match’s MVP award. And Steph’s heroics within the semifinals and gold medal recreation — together with his iconic golden dagger — had been unforgettable.
These heroics additionally included one of many lasting photos of the 2024 Paris Olympics: Steph launching a 3-pointer over the extremely lengthy out-stretched arm of VIctor Wembanyama. That 3-point shot was not precisely a passing of the torch — Steph, in any case, torched Wemby in that second. But the image of Steph capturing over an impossibly sized would-be NBA famous person very properly seems like a final, if profitable, stand — for Steph and his fellow and ageing all-time greats.
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This might properly be the final yr all, or any, of Steph, LeBron and KD stay among the many NBA’s Prime 10 gamers.
There may be their age, after all. Steph is 36. Kevin Durant turns 36 later this month. And LeBron James, nonetheless preventing again Father Time, can be 40 in December. Age comes for all of us, athletes usually earliest of all.
The cracks have already began to indicate. Final season was the primary time since 2005 that neither Steph, LeBron or Durant performed within the second spherical of the NBA Playoffs — years earlier than Steph and KD had been even within the league.
It was a turning of the tide — a touch that their time, extraordinary although it has been, is waning. The exclamation level behind that reality was that LeBron’s Lakers and Durant’s Suns mixed for a single playoff win earlier than being ushered out of the playoffs within the first spherical. Steph’s Warriors did not make the playoffs in any respect.
They’re nonetheless nice gamers, after all. It is why we ranked all three of them within the high 10, regardless of their downward trajectory.
We noticed that within the Olympics. We noticed it final NBA season, too.
LeBron was nonetheless good for 26-7-8, and the 71 video games performed had been his most in six years. Curry remained a scoring machine, and, for good measure, received final yr’s Clutch Participant of the Yr Award. He was good for 74 video games. And KD was probably the most sturdy of all, enjoying in 75 video games for an underachieving Suns staff and averaging greater than 27 factors per recreation — the fifth-highest mark within the league.
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However their age just isn’t the one menace to their reign among the many recreation’s elite. Different names are coming, too. Which is why Steph’s shot over Wemby is perhaps as a lot a ultimate hurrah as the rest.
There are a number of youthful gamers who, a yr from now, might make large enough leaps to efficiently move over Steph, LeBron and Durant as absolutely as that shot did.
Wemby is the most definitely candidate to assist nudge these names from their spots in subsequent yr’s Prime 10. He got here in at No. 12 this time round, however do not be shocked if subsequent season he goes to the highest 5 — or increased.
Anthony Edwards (10) and Jalen Brunson (13) shouldn’t be neglected as faces of the sport’s future — a future barreling towards us maybe faster than we understand. Deven Booker (14) is basically and appropriately thought of the longer term in Phoenix, far more so than his older teammate.
Ja Morant (16) is an MVP-level expertise, if his well being and off-court points can pattern in a greater route. Final season, earlier than his harm in January, Tyrese Haliburton was the truth is a top-five participant — an offensive power who for a number of months regarded like a real MVP candidate. Even gamers like Zion Williamson (21) and Chet Holmgren (30) are able to making big leaps.
Steph, LeBron and KD are the truth is high 10 gamers this season. But age, the younger stars chasing them, and the diminishing prospects of their respective groups level towards an equally sure reality: Get pleasure from these all-time greats at this degree whilst you can.
As a result of quickly — maybe very quickly — their locations among the many higher echelon of the NBA will move to the subsequent stars up.
