25 Best NBA Players By Tiers (February 2024)
Continuing our series following our January 2024 rankings, it is time to list the 25 Best NBA Players By Tiers for the month of February. This tier system separates the best talents in the NBA from the rest, along with seeing some stars rise in the rankings due to their elite play. With the All-Star Break almost here, there has been some movement in the tier system since leading MVP candidate Joel Embiid is out for an extended time with a knee injury.
The February 2024 rankings will show which two players are above the rest right now along with seeing who are behind them in that regard. Remember, a player’s status is not considered but rather the performance and impact over a month based on stats, impact, and all-around play regarding team performance.
Tier 1
Nikola Jokic (Tier 1 in previous month – January)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Tier 1 in previous month – January)
Luka Doncic (Tier 2 in previous month – January)
Nikola Jokic is the best player in the world and the leading candidate for the MVP award since Joel Embiid’s season is basically over in that regard. Jokic is averaging 26.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game while shooting over 58% from the field. The Nuggets are third in the Western Conference with only 0.5 games behind the number one-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. Don’t count out Jokic and the Nuggets when it comes to the top seed in the West by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a perineal MVP candidate and the second-best player in the league. Over the season, the superstar guard is averaging 31.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game while shooting an incredible 54.8% from the floor. Gilgeous-Alexander has the Thunder in a pole playoff position behind the Timberwolves with a chance to actually lead a team to a deep postseason run and he might do enough to win the MVP at the end of the year.
The same goes for Luka Doncic, a superstar player who can’t be left out of Tier 1 so far this season. Averaging 34.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.4 assists per game, Doncic has been a dominant force all season long and the Mavericks could actually be a title contender this season with the additions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. It is also possible that the Slovenian will win his first scoring title this year.
Tier 2
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Tier 2 in previous month – January)
Jayson Tatum (Tier 3 in previous month – January)
When discussing the top five players in the game, you can never disregard Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP might not win the award this season for the third time, but he doesn’t need to. No player in the top-five can defend multiple positions like Giannis can along with being a dominant offensive player. The Greek Freak is posting 30.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game which is a major reason why the Milwaukee Bucks are gunning for the NBA title under new coach Doc Rivers.
Jayson Tatum is the best player on the Boston Celtics this season, a team that has the best record in the NBA. Tatum is one of the best offensive players in the league (27.0 PPG) and an improved leader, and his scoring is truly a joy to watch. Tatum catapults to Tier 2 because the Celtics are the most dominant team in the world and he is the main reason why.
Tier 3
Jalen Brunson (N/A in previous month – January)
Tyrese Haliburton (Tier 3 in previous month – January)
Kawhi Leonard (Tier 3 in previous month – January)
Kevin Durant (Tier 3 in previous month – January)
Donovan Mitchell (Tier 5 in previous month – January)
Devin Booker (Tier 4 in previous month – January)
Domantas Sabonis (Tier 3 in previous month – January)
Jalen Brunson belongs in the MVP conversation because he has placed the Knicks on the map again. Posting 27.5 points and 6.5 assists per game, Brunson is on a tear offensively and the Knicks could grab the third spot in the East behind the Celtics and Bucks as a result. The point guard has been a revelation and in terms of pure impact, he has been a top-10 player in the world at this point.
Tyrese Haliburton is the player we knew he would become, posting 22.1 points and 11.7 assists per game meaning he is an entire offensive system behind the number-one-ranked offense in the league. No team is scoring as well as the Pacers are, averaging 124.1 points per game, and Haliburton is pulling all the strings when he has the ball. An unselfish star, Haliburton belongs on an All-NBA Team this season.
Kawhi Leonard is slowly coming back to his best on both ends of the court. No one can deny how dominant Leonard can be on both ends of the court as he is posting 24.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting a scintillating 45.5% from three. The Clippers have been on fire and look to be the second-most-likely team to be in the Western Conference Finals other than the Denver Nuggets, thanks to Leonard’s play alongside his star teammates.
Kevin Durant’s offense has kept the Phoenix Suns in contention as the team has a winning percentage of over 58%. Durant has had to carry a heavy burden this season at 35 years old and he has answered by averaging 28.3 points per game on nearly 50-40-90 shooting splits. It is amazing how dominant Durant has been despite coming off an Achilles injury just a few seasons ago.
Donovan Mitchell has become an MVP candidate because the Cavaliers keep winning, and his 27.9 points per game average this season is a reason. Even if his future is uncertain in Cleveland, Mitchell has focused on what he can do on the court and the Cavaliers have been a solid team that ranks 4th on defense and 11th in net rating. As the best scorer on the team, Mitchell has a heavy burden to carry and he has done a great job so far.
Devin Booker has been on fire since the New Year, and his scoring average sits firmly at 28.0 points per game so far. Booker’s production has been a blessing because the Suns have solely relied on Kevin Durant all season long and the forward has needed more help. Making his third All-Star Team, Booker is one of the best players in the world right now.
Domantas Sabonis might be one of the most underrated players in the NBA right now. Averaging 19.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, Sabonis is a walking triple-double threat and the most impactful player for the Sacramento Kings right now. If it wasn’t for Nikola Jokic, we would be heaping far more praise on Sabonis because his passing as a big man is truly elite.
Tier 4
Damian Lillard (Tier 3 in previous month – January)
Kyrie Irving (Tier 4 in previous month – January)
Tyrese Maxey (Tier 4 in previous month – January)
Stephen Curry (Tier 5 in previous month – January)
LeBron James (Tier 4 in previous month – January)
Anthony Davis (Tier 4 in previous month – January)
De’Aaron Fox (Tier 4 in previous month – January)
Anthony Edwards (Tier 4 in previous month – January)
Damian Lillard is still getting back to his superstar levels, averaging 25.0 points and 6.8 assists per game on 35.4% shooting from three. He still was named an Eastern Conference All-Star starter because he is extremely popular and has the numbers backing him up, but we might need to see a little more from the superstar point guard because the Bucks have gone 4-6 over the last 10 games.
Kyrie Irving has actually made a positive difference for Dallas this season as his season averages of 25.2 points and 5.2 assists per game put the team in a playoff spot. Even if he was not named an All-Star, Kyrie’s presence on the court has made the Mavericks very formidable and he helped elevate Doncic’s play as well.
Tyrese Maxey hasn’t snuck up on teams as much as he has to start the season but he is still an All-Star and one of the most valuable players in the league. Averaging 25.7 points and 6.4 assists per game, Maxey has had a terrific season although he will need to do much more now that Joel Embiid is out for a long time.
Stephen Curry is still one of the best point guards in the world even if the Golden State Warriors are destined for the play-in tournament. Posting 28.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, Curry is carrying the Warriors right now and he might need help if he wants to get over the hump when it comes to getting out of Tier 4.
The King is still one of the 20 best players in the world despite being 39 years old. He is averaging 24.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game while shooting an incredible 39.3% from three. Without James, it is hard to imagine where the Lakers would be because James just made his 21st All-Star Team and is the best floor general on the team.
Anthony Davis is another star who is having an excellent individual campaign despite an average team record, of 28-26. Davis has been dominant at times, posting 24.7 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. The big man has been the only real defensive force for the Lakers and without him defending the rim, we could be looking at a defense ranking at the bottom of the league.
De’Aaron Fox’s numbers have been solid this season as he is averaging 26.4 points and 5.4 assists per game as the driving force behind the Kings. Sabonis has been more dominant across the board but Fox is the go-to scorer on the team and is only getting better at 26 years old. The speedy point guard also headlines the list of All-Star snubs this season.
Anthony Edwards might not be receiving as much love as he should, but there is just simply too much competition in the NBA right now. He is a top-20 player in the world, but the player himself might feel like he is top-10. Averaging 25.9 points per game this season, it won’t be long before we start talking about Edwards as an MVP candidate because the Timberwolves have been exceptional all year.
Tier 5
Lauri Markkanen (Tier 5 in previous month – January)
Paul George (Tier 5 in previous month – January)
Zion Williamson (Tier 5 in previous month – January)
Bam Adebayo (Tier 5 in previous month – January)
Trae Young (N/A in previous month – January)
When it comes to his performances this season, it is hard to imagine that Lauri Markkanen is not an All-Star. Averaging 23.7 points and 8.85 rebounds per game, the Finnish star has been as consistent as they come which is why the Utah Jazz are a threat to be a play-in team with a chance to make the playoffs.
Paul George once again usurps James Harden in Tier 5 because his numbers look better. George is posting 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game on 40.0% from three this season and is the second-best player on the Clippers. George just made his ninth All-Star selection and when looking at his accolades so far, it is hard to imagine the forward being out of the Hall of Fame someday.
The New Orleans Pelicans are playing solid basketball and Zion Williamson needs to get most of the credit for that. The big man is averaging 22.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game this season on an impressive 58.7% from the floor. Williamson has stayed healthy so far, playing 42 games, which means he won’t fall out of Tier 5.
Bam Adebayo is the best performer on the Miami Heat this season, even if Tyler Herro is the leading scorer (22.4 PPG). Adebayo is posting 20.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game while being a contender for Defensive Player of the Year. The Heat will only go as far as Adebayo can take them on defense, and the big man belongs in Tier 5 as a result.
There was some fear that Trae Young would get snubbed for the All-Star Team, but it didn’t happen as he was named as an injury replacement. Posting 27.1 points and 10.8 assists per game, Young does not get enough love for reasons that might include the Hawks’ team record (24-29) but he will be getting love from us as a member of Tier 5.
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