Every season, media members vote on the league’s best players and defenders. There are only 15 All-NBA spots up for grabs, made up of six guards, six forwards and three centers. There are even fewer All-Defensive spots available, with four guards, four forwards and two centers earning the honor.
This season’s All-NBA debate is made all the more difficult by two of the three leading MVP candidates being centers. Both Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are forward and center eligible on the All-NBA ballot despite the fact that they play center exclusively. They were last season as well, but there appears to be more of a conversation among voters this season about making one of them a forward so they can both be on the All-NBA First Team.
Should that happen? Where will Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker and Chris Paul land? Will LeBron James make the cut? And which guards and forwards are most deserving to be recognized as the league’s best defenders?
With the regular season drawing to a close, members of TSN’s staff share which players they would select for each All-NBA and All-Defensive team.
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All-NBA Teams
12 players made every ballot: Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum, Ja Morant, Chris Paul, DeMar DeRozan, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant and Trae Young.
Three of the seven voters had Jokic and Embiid on the First Team. Three had Jokic on First Team and Embiid on Second Team, while one had Embiid on First Team and Jokic on Second Team.
LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Rudy Gobert, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Pascal Siakam received votes for the other three spots.
First Team
Second Team
Third Team
All-Defensive Teams
Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges and Giannis Antetokounmpo were unanimous All-Defensive First Team selections. The other spots were split between Bam Adebayo, Matisse Thybulle, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Robert Williams III.
