Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic are popular choices for the 2024 All-NBA First Team.
Periodically, NBA.com’s writers will weigh in on key storylines or trending topics around the league.
Who should make the All-NBA teams, which will now be positionless?
Steve Aschburner
Just because All-NBA honors now can be bestowed without regard for position doesn’t mean they should be. For me (and a few other voters I know), the league’s history outweighs any current zeal to simply list Nos. 1-15 as the NBA’s “best.”
It meant something when Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell flipped back and forth as First Team or Second Team picks. Ditto when Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson lined up that way in 1990, and so on. The second-best forward could end up with a “second-” or “third-team” label, while three guards finish among the Top 5? Nah.
First Team picks:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Second Team picks:
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
- Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Third Team picks:
- 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 putting this list together, I struggled when I had two Suns and two Lakers (teams in the SoFi Play-In Tournament) and only one Celtic (team headed for 60+ wins).
That led to a deeper internal conversation about roster composition. Is it better to have two All-NBA players or have one All-NBA pick and the rest of your team balanced enough that the potential second All-NBA pick doesn’t quite have the resume of other stars?
That won’t be answered until June. But for now, apologies to Jaylen Brown.
First Team picks:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Second Team picks:
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
- Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Third Team picks:
- Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (must play 4 of Phoenix’s final 7 games)
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
- Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Shaun Powell
In Year One of the 65-game eligibility rule, Joel Embiid and Donovan Mitchell are casualties. Both would’ve been my choice for a spot on the First (Embiid) and Second (Mitchell) Teams. And because you’re wondering, I would’ve reshuffled and eventually booted Brown and Haliburton.
Anyway: The First Team was easy, Brunson’s emergence earned him a spot on the second, and Haliburton leading the league in assists and helping Indy to the In-Season Tournament final was a factor for the Third Team. My bad to Domantas Sabonis, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey and De’Aaron Fox.
First Team picks:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics
Second Team picks:
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks
- Stephen Curry, Warriors
- Anthony Davis, Lakers
- Kevin Durant, Suns
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
Third Team picks:
- Devin Booker, Suns
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics
- Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers
- LeBron James, Lakers
- Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
John Schuhmann
The last spot on the First Team was a tough call between Tatum and Durant, but (once that decision was made) the Second Team was pretty straightforward. The Third Team was the toughest, but Gobert was a fairly easy pick because being the anchor of the league’s No. 1 defense (by a wide margin) is really important.
This analysis was a little rushed and a few other players – Devin Booker, Paul George, Damian Lillard and Tyrese Maxey – will get serious consideration (vs. the guys on the Third Team below) when it’s time to make the real picks at the end of next week.
First Team picks:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Second Team picks:
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Third Team picks:
- 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 made this exercise a little easier to narrow down the field. And on top of that, it’s positionless this time. But the traditionalist here picked based on the old format for the most part, except for the Third Team, which features three guards in Devin Booker, Stephen Curry and NBA assists leader Tyrese Haliburton.
There’s one regret with this list: Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard isn’t on it and probably deserves to be.
First Team picks:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Second Team picks:
- Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
- Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Third Team picks:
- Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
