If anybody knows what it takes to be a top guy in the NBA, it’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks superstar has been one of the best players in the Association for years. But who would he take as the five best players in the league today? And how would he decide who is the best player in the world?
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“The top five players I think are Luka, Jokic, SGA, Tatum and me,” he shared in an interview with Greek website SPORT24.
“It depends on the year you’re having,” he continued. “So if I, let’s say, this year go back and I’m improved and I help my team win the East and we go to the finals and we play against whatever team is there, I automatically become the best player in the world. But if Luka does it, he becomes the best player in the world. If Jokic does it, he’s the best player in the world.”
Who is the best player in the world?
Much like the discussion about favorite NBA players, many factors come into play when determining who can be considered the best player in the NBA. The main difference is that while favorite players are largely determined by preference, the best players are determined mostly by individual statistics and team success.
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Nikola Jokic, for example, has been considered by many as the best player in the NBA today, and his stats back it up. In his last five seasons, he has won MVP three times and finished runner-up in the two years he didn’t win. He also has a championship ring under his belt, having led his Denver Nuggets all the way in 2023.
If stats, accolades and championships are key factors, then Antetokounmpo has a pretty strong case himself. He led the Bucks to a championship in 2021, won back-to-back MVP honors and finished top five in MVP voting in the last seven seasons. The Bucks have also made the playoffs in all but two seasons of Antetokounmpo’s 12-year tenure.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who won MVP last season and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the title, also makes a case for the distinction. In fact, Allen Iverson, one of the most iconic individuals in NBA history, picked him as the current best player in the NBA.
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After Antetokounmpo, Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander, who fittingly enough were the top three in MVP voting last season, there’s a considerable gap between the next tier of players, which includes Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards.
Giannis’ place among the all-time greats
Whether or not he’s the best player in the world today remains to be discussed, but Antetokounmpo’s place as one of the best to ever play in the NBA is pretty much secured.
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Drafted 15th overall by the Bucks in 2013, very few people anticipated that the lanky, almost-seven-footer would evolve into one of the most dominant players in the NBA. In the last nine seasons, Antetokounmpo has averaged over 20 points per game. In that span, he’s won a championship, a Finals MVP, two MVP awards, nine All-Star and All-NBA selections and was named one of the NBA’s 75 greatest.
By all accounts, Antetokounmpo has already done enough to be considered a Hall of Famer. At just 30 years old, he’s probably got at least three more years of putting up elite numbers, and when the sun sets on his already iconic NBA career, he’ll undoubtedly be recognized as one of the all-time greats.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.