RealGM Top 25 Player Poll-#3 2022-23

[ElectricMayhem]

Once again, I am carrying the torch for Filthadelphia's annual Top 25 Player poll this offseason.

Your favorite offseason debate is back by popular demand!
Thanks to everyone who voted last go around I'm excited to see where the 5th annual edition ends up.

Here are the Rules:
-Vote ONE player per poll. You'll be able to change your vote just like in previous years so you can self-implement rank choice voting.
-The criteria of ranking the players is YOUR OWN. The whole point of bringing this to the GB is to attract the widest amount of votes/perspectives on the game as possible to form a true consensus. Some people value shooting over defense, team success over individual prowess etc. Filthadelphia wanted to bake all that into this poll set no matter how chaotic.
-Each poll a player will win and then be taken out of the field. There will be 25 polls in all.
-There are only 10 possible poll options so I will start with last year's Top 10.
-As each poll commences I ask you to COMMENT IN THE THREAD your vote for who should be added in the next poll. There will be a large list of players yet to be added to the field below that you can look over to make your vote. I will tally up the votes in the comments at the end of each poll and add the winner accordingly. For example, if you want Xavier Tillman added in the next poll just comment "Nominate: Xavier Tillman"
-If a poll is overwhelmingly skewed towards one guy I will try, time willing, to edit it early and move on to the next one.
-If there is a tie in the poll. There will be a run-off poll created with just the tying parties to determine a winner. The losers of the runoff will then be added back into the field of 10 for the next poll.
-Feel free to ask any questions via pm or comment
-Feel Free to comment on your reasoning for a pick and why
There may be days when I am not able to quickly add the next poll. Just be patient!

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING!!!!

Winner of Poll #2: Nikola Jokic (DEN)
Added to Poll: Jimmy Butler (MIA)

RealGM Top 25 Players 2020-21:
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) - 57%
2) Nikola Jokic (DEN) - 57%

Yet To Be Added: (If someone is not here that you want here comment THAT and I will add them)
Trae Young (ATL)
John Collins (ATL)
Dejounte Murray (ATL)
Jaylen Brown (BOS)
Kyrie Irving (BKN)
Ben Simmons (BRK)
Gordon Hayward (CHA)
LaMelo Ball (CHA)
Zach Lavine (CHI)
Demar DeRozan (CHI)
Jarrett Allen (CLE)
Donovan Mitchell (CLE)
Darius Garland (CLE)
Evan Mobley (CLE)
Jamal Murray(DEN)
Cade Cunningham (DET)
Jaden Ivey (DET)
Saddiq Bey (DET)
Draymond Green (GSW)
Klay Thompson (GSW)
Andrew Wiggins (GSW)
Jalen Green (HOU)
Jabari Smith (HOU)
Myles Turner (IND)
Victor Oladipo (IND)
Tyrese Haliburton (IND)
Paul George (LAC)
John Wall (LAC)
Anthony Davis (LAL)
Russell Westbrook (LAL)
Ja Morant (MEM)
Jaren Jackson Jr. (MEM)
Desmond Bane (MEM)
Dillon Brooks (MEM)
Bam Adebayo (MIA)
Khris Middleton (MIL)
Jrue Holiday (MIL)
Rudy Gobert (MIN)
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)
Anthony Edwards (MIN)
Zion Williamson (NOP)
Brandon Ingram (NOP)
CJ McCollum (NOP)
R.J. Barrett (NYK)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
Paolo Banchero (ORL)
Tobias Harris (PHI)
Tyrese Maxey (PHI)
Devin Booker (PHX)
Chris Paul (PHX)
DeAndre Ayton (PHX)
Mikal Bridges (PHX)
Jusuf Nurkic (POR)
Jerami Grant (POR)
De'Aaron Fox (SAC)
Domantas Sabonis (SAC)
Keegan Murray (SAC)
Pascal Siakam (TOR)
Fred VanVleet (TOR)
Scottie Barnes (TOR)
Collin Sexton (UTA)
Bradley Beal (WAS)
Kristaps Porzingis (WAS)

Previous Results:

Spoiler:

RealGM Top 25 Players 2018-19:
1) LeBron James (LAL)-72%
2) Kevin Durant (GSW)-39%
3) Stephen Curry (GSW)-53%
4) Anthony Davis (NOP)-39%
5) James Harden (HOU)-45%
6) Kawhi Leonard (TOR)-50%
7) Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL)-56%
8) Russell Westbrook (OKC)-47%
9) Chris Paul (HOU)-43%
10) Jimmy Butler (MIN)-33%
11) Joel Embiid (PHI)-37%
12) Nikola Jokic (DEN)-32%
13) Victor Oladipo (IND)-31%
14) Rudy Gobert (UTA)-62%-TIEBREAKER w Kyrie Irving (BOS)
15) Damian Lillard (POR)-32%
16) Kyrie Irving (BOS)-37%
17) Draymond Green (GSW)-31%
18) Paul George (OKC)-27%
19) Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)-23%
20) Kyle Lowry (TOR)-31%
21) Klay Thompson (GSW)-30%
22) Ben Simmons (PHI)-35%
23) John Wall (WAS)-27%
24) Al Horford (BOS)-33%
25) LaMarcus Aldridge (SAS)-30%

RealGM Top 25 Players 2019-20:
1)Kawhi Leonard (LAC)-39%
2)Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL)-42%
3)LeBron James (LAL)-42%
4)Stephen Curry (GSW)-48%
5)James Harden (HOU)-40%
6)Anthony Davis (LAL)-39%
7)Nikola Jokic (DEN)-33%
8)Joel Embiid (PHI)-35%
9)Paul George (LAC)-46%
10)Damian Lillard (POR)-54%
11)Jimmy Butler (MIA)-30%
12)Russell Westbrook (HOU)-26%
13)Rudy Gobert (UTA)-23%
14)Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)-28%
15)Draymond Green (GSW)-30%
16)Kyrie Irving (BKN)-37%
17)Blake Griffin (DET)-31%
18)Bradley Beal (WAS)-24%
19)Kemba Walker (BOS)-29%
20)Luka Doncic (DAL)-37%
21)Jrue Holiday (NOP)-22%
22)Ben Simmons (PHI)-30%
23)Pascal Siakam (TOR)-41%
24)Kyle Lowry (TOR)-46%
25)Chris Paul (OKC)-32%

RealGM Top 25 Players 2020-21:
1)LeBron James (LAL) - 53%
2)Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) - 47%
3)Luka Doncic (DAL) - 37%
4)Kawhi Leonard (LAC) - 34%
5)Anthony Davis (LAL) - 35%
6)James Harden (HOU) - 39%
7)Steph Curry (GSW) - 33%
8)Nikola Jokic (DEN) - 42%
9)Kevin Durant (BKN) - 46%
10)Damian Lillard (POR) - 38%
11)Jimmy Butler (MIA) - 57%
12)Jayson Tatum (BOS) - 41%
13)Joel Embiid (PHI) - 59%
14)Devin Booker (PHX) - 22%
15)Chris Paul (PHX) - 24%
16)Paul George (LAC) - 21%
17)Bradley Beal (WAS) - 22%
18)Donovan Mitchell (UTA) - 22%
19)Ben Simmons (PHI) - 26%
20)Kyle Lowry (TOR) - 28%
21)Rudy Gobert (UTA) - 26%
22)Bam Adebayo (MIA) - 24%
23)Jamal Murray (DEN) - 29%
24)Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) - 32%
25)Kyrie Irving (BKN) - 33%

RealGM Top 25 Players 2021-22:
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) - 41%
2) Kevin Durant (BKN) - 38%
3) LeBron James (LAL) - 36%
4) Luka Doncic (DAL) - 39%
5) Stephen Curry (GSW) - 42%
6) Nikola Jokic (DEN) - 61%
7) Joel Embiid (PHI) - 32%
8) James Harden (BKN) - 47%
9) Kawhi Leonard (LAC) - 35%
10) Damian Lillard (POR) - 39%
11) Anthony Davis (LAL) - 60%
12) Jayson Tatum (BOS) - 32%
13) Jimmy Butler (MIA) - 34%
14) Paul George (LAC) - 33%
15) Trae Young (ATL) - 30%
16) Rudy Gobert (UTA) - 22%
17) Zion Williamson (NOP) - 27%
18) Chris Paul (PHX) - 26%
19) Kyrie Irving (BKN) - 29%
20) Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) - 24%
21) Devin Booker (PHX) - 28%
22) Bradley Beal (WAS) - 35%
23) Donovan Mitchell (UTA) - 47%
24) Khris Middleton (MIL) - 45%
25. Jrue Holiday (MIL) 27%-

[sp6r=underrated]

I will change my username to "I love child porn" if Collin Sexton is a top 3 player.

[cupcakesnake]

vote: Luka
Nominate: Morant

Embiid was better than Luka last year, but going into 2023 I feel better about Luka's health and am also giving him credit for consistent high-level playoff performance. Embiid feels like he can't catch a break in the playoffs. Every series he's had something going against him (injuries, illness, injuries to key teammates). Curry is going to be the other big vote getter and he just won a finals MVP, but I'm looking at age and assuming Luka is going to have the better season than Curry.

Not really basketball analysis here, just my vague opinion in terms of separating the best from the best^

[ElectricMayhem]

I will change my username to "I love child porn" if Collin Sexton is a top 3 player.

I felt a need to include every team in the "Yet to be added" section. With that said,
Nominate: Collin Sexton.

[HoopsterJones]

Voted Luka Doncic
Nominate Ja Morant

[Backcountry]

Vote: Steph. Luka is the next one but gotta give love to Curry for being so, so good, and for his finals MVP performance. I don't think he's done yet.
Nominate: Gobert. Respect for the 3X DPOY.

[ElectricMayhem]

Vote: Curry. This could definitely be the year that Doncic overtakes him but I haven't seen signs of it yet. Even if Curry loses half a step, he's still crafty enough to create the space necessary to get his shots off - not that he even needs space. Embiid, Leonard, Butler and Durant also all merit consideration here.

Nominate: Gobert. I think I generally value defense more than the average RealGMer. Also, I've never bought into the fact that Gobert wilts in the playoffs. He was expected to guard the entire floor and THAT is what opposing coaches were able to tailor their offenses toward when playing those Utah teams.

[Peregrine01]

Vote: Curry
Nominate: Gobert

[BIGJ1ER]

Curry was clearly better than luka this season, and Curry slumped like a maniac during the RS. I'd wager Curry has one more season as a more impactful player than luka, but the magic of Luka is you never know when his box volume and overall brilliance will translate into being an impact god. Could happen this year, could happen never.

I wager Curry is a top 4 player one more season, and therefore I'm voting Steph.

[ViennaCeltic]

Doncic - could very well be the MVP this season and at his age, he will get better and better.
Nominate: the only missing 1st teamer from last year, Devin Booker

[babyjax13]

V: Luka
N: Gobert

I think Luka is going to take a step this year. He's in shape to start the season, and I think highly motivated. Gobert nomination seems obvious to me, the most impactful defender in the league by far.

[p0peye]

V: Luka
N: Morant

[Pistol_Pete10]

Voted: Durant
Add: Morant

[The Number 9]

Curry.

I nominate Morant

[SpreeS]

Curry/Gobert

[SpreeS]

2018 GSW won - 1st Lebron/2nd KD
2019 TOR won - 1st Kawhi
2020 LAL won - 1st Lebron
2021 MIL won - 1st Giannis
2022 GSW won - Curry 4th?

People never learn. Curry was and is underrated throughout his career.

[Bob8]

2018 GSW won - 1st Lebron/2nd KD
2019 TOR won - 1st Kawhi
2020 LAL won - 1st Lebron
2021 MIL won - 1st Giannis
2022 GSW won - Curry 4th?

People never learn. Curry was and is underrated throughout his career.

I would say that having far the most expensive team helps winning too. In the WCF was 360 mio vs. 117 mio. The question is what happens, if you switch Curry and Luka? I would say that GSW still wins Nba title easily and it's very questionable what happens with Mavs in RS already.

Those individual ratings should be as little as possible influenced with team success, because just 1 player cannot win anything.

[giberish]

Vote: Embiid

IMO there was a clear 'big 3' last season. While I'd drop Embiid to 3rd based mostly on health concerns perhaps limiting availability, I can't drop him any lower.

Nominate: Devin Booker

Phoenix didn't win 64 games last season by accident. You can debate Paul vs Booker for the most valuable one - the team held up well enough as long as at least one was available. Going forward, Booker's much younger than Paul (and the other guys I had in the 8-11 range in KD and LeBron). I'd have him solidly in my top-10 for next year.

[mpoo_sin]

Vote Doncic
Nominate Morant

Doncic might be the clear cut best player after this season. I expect some major development on the defensive side and on his ft and 3pts shooting.

[Mavrelous]

Vote: Steph, if this poll was done in May 17th, I would've put Luka, my favourite player of all time, but Steph dominated him and the Cetlics in the WCF and Finals.
Nominate: Gobert