RealGM

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: Luka Doncic (DAL)
Added to Poll: Ja Morant (MEM)

RealGM Top 25 Players 2022-23:
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) - 57%
2) Nikola Jokic (DEN) - 57%
3) Luka Doncic - 43%

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)
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)
Jalen Brunson (NYK)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
Paolo Banchero (ORL)
Franz Wagner (ORL)
Wendell Carter (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:

Neither Luka Doncic nor Ja Morant were poor choices last round. They just weren't my choices. So I get to copy/paste from the last thread:

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.

Delete

Kawhi

Add AD (slightly over George,Bam, Gobert, Towns)

basketballRob wrote:Franz Wagner is right up there with Cade and Scottie. Wendell Carter is better than anyone on Detroit.

As written, I will add anyone I overlooked if mentioned.

Would you mind editing your post to not make people scroll past the behemoth OP twice?

OP, can you please edit in your original post that we are voting for 2022-23 season, not 2020-21 season.

And I wonder if Giannis, Jokic and Doncic are top-3 because they all are playing Eurobasket right now

sixers4real wrote:OP, can you please edit in your original post that we are voting for 2022-23 season, not 2020-21 season.

Nice catch. There were a lot of small changes to make to the old version after copy/pasting. I did not make them all. Hell, I still had Lamarcus Aldridge on the list until I edited it yesterday.

Embiid

Nominate: Booker. Best player on a 64 win team and one bad series doesn't define a career.

Durant.

Nominate Trae Young. Led NBA in points and assists last year and led Hawks to ECF in 2021. Injuries derailed our season/postseason.

Voted Stephen Curry
Nominate Anthony Davis

vote: Embiid
Nominate: Gobert

Health permitting, I expect Embiid to once again be a top 3 MVP candidate. I don't think he's reached his ceiling and he might be even better this year. Especially if he can get back to being a DPOY candidate while being close to a 30ppg scorer. If Harden has a healthy season, Embiid could get a lot more easy offense next year.

Gobert is the single biggest defensive obstacle in the league. I'm nominating him before a whole slew of offensive players.

Predict the rest of the top 10

5. Embiid
6. Durant
7. LeBron
8. Tatum
9. Kawhi
10. Butler

sixers4real wrote:OP, can you please edit in your original post that we are voting for 2022-23 season, not 2020-21 season.

And I wonder if Giannis, Jokic and Doncic are top-3 because they all are playing Eurobasket right now

I think it's because they're the 3 best players in the league currently.

Vote: Embiid

A clear top-3 player last season and not nearly old enough to project a decline.

Nominate: Booker

Embiid
N: Gobert

Just like ElectricMayhem, neither of my choices made it. No accounting for taste. So I get to rinse and repeat:

Vote Steph.
Nominate Gobert.

voted Embiid
nominate Booker

V: Durant
N: Booker

Voting: Curry
Nominating: Davis

All I'll say is I guarantee whoever wins FMVP this upcoming season will place #1 in next years poll. Very bizarre turnout so far.