In a recent poll of 125 NBA players conducted by The Athletic, peers voted for the best choice to start a roster with, as Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo emerged as the top choice.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (36.4%)
- Anthony Davis (10.4%)
- Joel Embiid (8.8%)
- Kevin Durant (8%)
- LeBron James (7.6%)
- Stephen Curry (6.4%)
- Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard (3.2%)
- Luka Doncic (2.4%)
- Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Trae Young, Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook (1.6%)
- James Harden, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Udonis Haslem, Shaquille Harrison, Jrue Holiday (1%)
The 6-foot-11 Bucks forward possesses both youth and an enviable skill set that ranges from a high motor at both ends of the floor, uncanny defensive intangibles, and otherworldly athleticism — making him an outright MVP candidate this season.
The most surprising part of the vote, however, is how stark a contrast there is between the two MVP contestants — as more than a third of the polled players voted for The Greek Freak, yet James Harden received only a 1% split of the vote.
Another common factor among the top choice is youth, as Anthony Davis (26 years old), Joel Embiid, (25) and Antetokounmpo (24) all have a long career ahead of them, making it easier to build a longterm foundation around them.
Other notable players like Golden State Warriors teammates Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry also made the top-six, along with every preseason's MVP favorite LeBron James, who is still a popular choice, despite missing the postseason for the first time in 14 years.