2024-25 NBA Awards Part II: All-NBA

My All-NBA teams and a few honorable mentions

In Part I, I discussed my MVP selection and wrote exclusively about Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous Alexander, who will not have blurbs for First Team All-NBA, but you can check out the MVP article if you want to read more about their exemplary seasons. I’ve also included eight players who didn’t make the cut for an All-NBA team but I felt warranted consideration.

All-NBA First Team

Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry

Giannis Antetokounmpo

After Jokic and SGA, Antetokounmpo is in a tier of his own. He has been the clear third-best player in the league, and I won’t hear an argument for anyone else. This season, he averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 per game on a 60.7% effective field goal percentage (eFG%). His 9.5 box plus/minus (BPM) and 6.6 value over replacement player (VORP) are miles ahead of fourth and are only below the two MVP candidates. With Giannis on the court, the Bucks have a net rating of +6.57, and when he sits, it drops to -4.04.

As Antetokounmpo enters his 30s, he has had to weather the wear and tear of aging. He continues to be bothered by small injuries, has seen his rim finishing decline, and his defense isn’t quite as impactful as it used to be. However, with age comes wisdom. Giannis posted the lowest 3-point attempt rate of his career, an excellent decision for a career 28.4% 3-point shooter, and unveiled a surprisingly lethal mid-range jumper. On shots 10-16 feet from the basket, he shot 48%, and on shots 16 feet to the 3-point line, he converted 43.9%. Both figures are career bests and above the league average. Throughout most of NBA history, he’d have a real shot at the MVP, but instead, he’ll just have to settle for First Team All-NBA and the title of third-best player in the best basketball league in the world.

Jayson Tatum

On a per-minute basis, I don’t know if Tatum is a top-five player, but that doesn’t matter because he is an absolute workhorse. Over his eight-season career, Tatum has only failed to hit 70 games played twice, the two pandemic-shortened seasons, and has featured in 91.98% of all Celtics games. Now, showing up to work and clocking in isn’t the reason Tatum is an All-NBA quality player. The whole averaging 26.8 points per game on a TS% just above the league average, while adding 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game is. He was one of four players who averaged over 25 points, seven rebounds, and five assists this season, with the other three being Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic.

Tatum is undoubtedly an excellent player, but his value to an organization goes beyond his baseline production. He is one of the few players with almost no weak spot, and his game is so well-rounded that he amplifies any lineup and scheme. He can defend three through five, be an on-ball offensive creator or a lethal off-ball finisher, and he’ll do it every night. There’s a reason the Celtics have been the best team in the NBA since February of 2022, with a record of 206-70 (74.6% win percentage), and it’s because of Tatum’s omnipresent excellence and versatility.

There aren’t truly any warts in Tatum’s game, but he also isn’t transcendent in any singular way. He’s a great scorer but not quite as efficient as the league’s best; he’s a dependable passer but not a true maestro; he’s a versatile defender but not a lockdown game-wrecker, and he can really rebound for a wing but chips in very little on the offensive glass. However, Tatum only just turned 27 and has continued to add layers to his game every season. If he can unlock another level as a scorer or passer, he could be a bonafide MVP candidate, instead of the guy who collects a bunch of third to fifth place votes because his team has an incredible record. Regardless, Tatum deserves his place on the All-NBA First Team by virtue of his durability, versatility, and most crucially, his talent.

Stephen Curry

Even at 37 years old, Stephen Curry is still one of the most terrifying offensive forces in basketball. His ability to go supernova from beyond the arc, combined with his non-stop movement off the ball, is nightmare fuel for opposing defenses. He is the only player that needs to be accounted for everywhere, all the time, all at once. Curry averaged 24.5 points and 6.0 assists per game on a TS% seven percent above the league average and finished with the league’s fourth best OBPM (6.4).

While a lot of think-pieces have been written about the Warriors’ turnaround following the introduction of Jimmy Butler, it might just have coincided with Curry’s exceptional closing kick. From February 8th on, Curry averaged 27.3 points per game on a TS% of 65.5% as the Warriors finished the season on a 23-8 run. While their defense did improve by 2.8 points per 100 possessions, it was their offense leveling up that propelled them down the stretch. Over Curry’s white-hot closing run, the Warriors posted an offensive rating of 119.6, up from 112.3 beforehand. Butler’s presence certainly helped, but Curry mustering his mid-20s MVP form was driving the bus.

For as great as Curry’s close to the season was, his first 42 games were lackluster by his standards. He only averaged 22.7 points per game on a TS% of 59.1%. While those are excellent figures in their own right, they’re not First Team All-NBA quality. Curry also has a penchant for committing the most needlessly idiotic turnovers, and his defense has continued to decline as he inches closer to 40. However, the shooting proficiency and gravity are still so lethal that Curry remains one of the best players in the league. The Warriors without Curry might be as good as the Trail Blazers, but because they have him, they won 48 games.

All-NBA Second Team

Tyrese Haliburton, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Evan Mobley, James Harden

Tyrese Haliburton

I’ll admit that I almost had Tyrese Haliburton over Curry for the final First Team selection, but his incompetent defense and lower usage saw me bump him down a tier. Regardless of the warts, Haliburton was in the argument for best passer in the league with Nikola Jokic and Trae Young, and he pairs otherworldly playmaking with elite shooting efficiency. He averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game on a TS% of 61.6%, but the most incredible stat of all was his 1.6 turnovers per game.

Haliburton was the only player in the league to average over 12 field goal attempts and seven assists while also averaging under two turnovers per game. When you factor in the shooting efficiency, you’re left with one of the sport’s elite offensive engines. Another factor I considered was how strongly he closed the season.

I mean, holy smokes. The Pacers looked mired in mediocrity as Haliburton struggled to start the season, and their net rating of -4.2 suggested it was even worse, but as soon as Haliburton turned into prime Steve Nash, the Pacers took off. Those first 21 games happened and need to be factored in, but let’s be real: Haliburton has spent the better part of four months posting ludicrous stats. No player in NBA history has ever averaged over 19 points, nine assists, and an eFG% of 60% while committing under 1.8 turnovers per game over a full season. Haliburton didn’t hit those marks, but he did it over 52 games, which is awfully special.

If Haliburton weren’t one of the worst defenders in the league, he’d probably get some MVP votes. However, he is putrid on defense, and it’s why he’s on the All-NBA Second Team. Remember, special offense can overcome awful defense, and Haliburton is one of the best offensive creators in the world.

LeBron James

LeBron James is now 40, and unsurprisingly, he had his worst scoring season (24.4), OBPM (4.9), and BPM (5.6) since he was a 19-year-old rookie. So yeah, LeBron finishing 13th in scoring, seventh in OBPM, and eighth in BPM counts as his worst season since we invaded Afghanistan. There’s longevity, and then there’s LeBrongevity. The dude outlasted a forever war. There’s a case to be made that he deserves a First Team All-NBA nod for how integral he was to the Lakers’ defense in the wake of the Luka Doncic trade, but I think he solidly had a top-ten season without being that close to the top five.

I’m not going to pick at LeBron’s warts because, like Jayson Tatum, he doesn’t really have any. He averaged 24.4 points per game on a TS% five percent above the league average, chipped in 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game, and became the Lakers’ defensive anchor when they eschewed a functional NBA center to land an in-their-prime superstar out of the deepest of blue seas.

The final bit of LeBron trivia is his on/off splits this season. For the first time in his career, his team was worse with him on the court than without him (seriously, what took you so long?). While that should be a small factor in gauging his season, the 3-point shooting data suggests it was a perfect storm of bad variance.

With LeBron on the court, the Lakers shot -2.62% worse from three, and their opponents shot +3.93% better. That’s a +6.55% swing in 3-point shooting in the Lakers’ non-LeBron minutes and explains a big chunk of his negative on/off splits. Could it be the canary in the coal mine for LeBron’s waning impact as he enters his 40s? Sure, but who gives a fuck. He’s 40 and still one of the 15 best players on Earth.

Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards has steadily improved every season, and as a result, his 2024-25 season was his best one yet. He averaged a career-best 27.6 points per game on a career-best TS% that was 3% better than the league average. When you’re scoring at the volume that Edwards is, any efficiency above the league average makes you a star.

Driving his overall scoring improvement was an explosion in 3-point shooting. He averaged a career-high 10.3 3-point attempts per game and shot a career-best 39.5%. These improvements helped offset a slight drop in his 2-point efficiency. It remains to be seen if he can maintain such exceptional volume and efficiency from beyond the arc, but it’s a positive development nonetheless.

Edwards’ scoring is undeniable, but the rest of his game still needs refinement. His defense, at times, can be hellacious, but with his increased offensive burden, it took an understandable step back this season. However, one concern with his season was how his passing backed up a bit. His assist percentage dropped from 24.6% to 20.9%, while his turnovers per 100 possessions held steady at 4.3. I wouldn’t read too much into this, as he lost Karl-Anthony Towns as an outlet for passes and a deterrence for trapping. That being said, for Edwards to reach top-five status and the preordained “face of the league,” he’ll need to improve as a passer.

After Victor Wembanyama, Edwards has the highest ceiling of any player currently under the age of 25 in the NBA. He has all the tools and has shown steady improvement throughout his career, but the next step in his development is the most difficult. Despite his flaws, he was the best offensive player for a team that finished fourth in net rating this season, and he won’t turn 24 until August.

Evan Mobley

Finally, a Cleveland Cavalier. Yes, the Cavaliers won 64 games with a net rating of +9.5, but I don’t think any one of their players had a First Team All-NBA quality season. However, for me, Evan Mobley has been the Cavaliers’ best player. He had an All-Defensive team quality season while chipping in 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on a TS% 10% higher than the league average. Anyway you slice it, this has been Mobley’s best offensive season. He posted career bests in 2-point, 3-point, and free throw efficiency relative to the league average and increased both his 3-point attempt and free throw attempt rate.

Out of all the Cavaliers’ starters, Mobley has the best on/off net rating at +5.3, and the Cavaliers’ defensive and offensive ratings both improve when he’s on the court. His versatility has also been critical to their success. He can play the four next to Jarrett Allen, a non-shooting center, and can also be the lone center when the Cavaliers want more spacing. Mobley’s closest NBA-comp is Jaren Jackson Jr, just with slightly fewer blocks, far more rebounds, and crucially, far fewer fouls.

With how the Cavaliers use Mobley, his flaws don’t really matter. Some have criticized his one-on-one perimeter defending, but that’s like holding a magnifying glass up to someone’s face in an effort to find imperfections. Unlike all the other players listed above, Mobley isn’t tasked with significant offensive creation. If he can ever shoulder that type of role while maintaining his defensive impact, he’ll be an MVP candidate.

James Harden

I want it on the record that I made this list before Harden torched the Golden State Warriors in their pivotal game 82. Harden’s season, at first glance, looks ghastly from an efficiency standpoint. He shot 41% from the field, 47.2% on twos, and only 35.2% on threes. When you add it all up, he had an eFG% eight percent below the league average. However, Harden remains so excellent at generating and converting free throws that his TS% was actually one percent above the league average.

22.8 points and 8.7 assists per game on slightly above average efficiency is a darn good season, but it’s only part of Harden’s story. The Clippers had to weather Kawhi Leonard’s absence for the first 34 games of the season, and then it took Kawhi another 16 games (he played in only 12) before he even hit 30 minutes played in a game. Functionally, the Clippers asked Harden to carry the offense for the first 50 games of the season, and he did an admirable job. His grinding high-usage play only led to an offensive rating of 111.8, but when paired with their elite defense (109.2 DRtg), the Clippers were able to salvage a 28-22 record and went 28-19 in games Harden played. Those three losses were the only games he missed all season.

With Kawhi fully operational at game 51, the Clippers took off, going 22-10 with an offensive rating of 120.3 and a net rating of +8.1. With defenses unable to completely load up on him, Harden flourished. He averaged 25.4 points and 8.8 assists per game on a TS% of 60.2%, up from 56.6%. I’m giving Harden full credit for holding down the fort, weathering the siege, and giving the Clippers a fighting chance once the cavalry arrived.

All-NBA Third Team

Cade Cunningham, Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Williams

Cade Cunningham

To lead off Third Team All-NBA, we have the most Third Team All-NBA season ever. Every season, there’s a guy who makes the Third Team on the back of tremendous volume, strong traditional box score numbers, and a good story. This isn’t supposed to be a dig at Cade Cunningham, but I think it’s an accurate representation of his season.

His basic box score stats would have you believe he was one of the ten best players in the league. He averaged 26.1 points (7th) and 9.1 assists (4th) per game, figures only Nikola Jokic eclipsed. However, his TS% was two percent below the league average, and he finished second in turnovers per game at 4.4. That lack of efficiency matters. He averaged the third most true shots (FGA + FTA x 0.4) per game, but out of the top 100 players in FGA per game, he was 65th in points per true shot behind Trae Young, who had an eFG% of 49.1%.

Cunningham isn’t a scrub, but he also isn’t a top 15 player on a per-game basis. He made my Third Team on the basis of his volume and leading the Pistons to the playoffs. While I think the media has given him way too much credit for the Pistons’ miraculous turnaround, he was the best player for a team that went 44-38. This is the first season of his career where he has looked like a first overall pick wire-to-wire. However, he still has a lot to clean up if he wants to be a consistent All-NBA fixture.

Donovan Mitchell

The stats and the narrative do not align for Donovan Mitchell this season. For large swaths of the year, he has been the presumptive fifth man in the MVP race. However, the reasoning behind it has basically been, “Well, the Cavs are amazing, and he’s their most famous player, and you know, he has really sacrificed for the good of the team.” If that line of reasoning sounds like a Republican explaining why cratering the economy is actually good for your 401K, that’s because it’s patently absurd.

While I don’t think Mitchell has any real case at the First Team, obviously, I think he’s a strong candidate for the Third Team. He’s averaging 24.2 points per game on a league average TS%, but his overall scoring is largely down because he’s averaging a career low 31.4 minutes per game. His points per 36 minutes of 27.4 is fifth in the league and is in line with the 27.3 points per 36 minutes he averaged over the previous five seasons. So, that whole he’s sacrificing for the good of the team take is basically nonsense. He’s taking just as many shots as before. He’s just hitting fewer of them compared to his previous three seasons and playing fewer minutes. But that slight decline in scoring efficiency matters because he’s only an average passer for a high-usage player, and his defense is average at best.

Make no mistake, Mitchell has had an excellent season. High-volume scoring at league-average efficiency with solid playmaking is super valuable. He’s a major reason why the Cavaliers have been excellent, but Darius Garland has also been dynamite on offense, Evan Mobley is a two-way stud, and Jarrett Allen is quietly one of the best centers in the league. The whiff of negativity I have for Mitchell’s season stems from how people have defaulted to placing him on the All-NBA First Team just because he’s the most famous guy on a 64-win team.

Karl-Anthony Towns

The Karl-Anthony Towns experience went exactly how you would expect it. The Knicks’ offense was excellent (118.5 ORtg, 5th), their defense was middling (114.3 DRtg, 14th), and the overall result was a good but not great team (+4.2 net rating, 8th). If that doesn’t sound exactly like Towns, I don’t know what does.

Towns is a player of extremes. He’s an incredible offensive talent who provides elite floor spacing and scoring, but his defense at center is incredibly flawed. Still, he averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game on a TS% nine percent better than the league average. With Towns on the court, the Knicks had an offensive rating of 121.83, but it fell to 112.96 with him on the bench. Over 72 games, that level of offensive impact cannot be denied. However, his defense was a season-long point of concern.

Outside of elite defensive rebounding, Towns doesn’t contribute much on defense. He’s poor at the level and in a drop, and he allowed opponents to shoot 65.7% on shots six feet and closer to the basket. For as much consternation as there was over his defense, the juice is definitely worth the squeeze. Towns makes the Knicks’ offense elite, and if you can cobble together an average defense, that leads to one hell of a team.

Jaren Jackson Jr.

If it wasn’t for the Grizzlies nosedive in the final third of the season, Jaren Jackson Jr. could have snagged a place on the All-NBA Second Team. Over his first 49 games, the Grizzlies were 35-16 as he averaged 23.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game on an eFG% of 55.9%. However, Jackson faded badly down the stretch, and the Grizzlies followed. In his final 25 games of the season, he averaged 19.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game on an eFG% of 52.6% and saw his fouls per game creep up to 3.7. The Grizzlies closed the season on a 13-18 run, going 4-1 in the five games that Jackson missed.

Despite the underwhelming finish to the season, Jackson had the best scoring season of his career on a per-minute basis and finished with a career-best 115 offensive rating. While I think his Defensive Player of the Year candidacy is a reputational nod, the Grizzlies’ defense was 3.73 points per 100 possessions better with him on the court. This is still an impact two-way player who got caught in another tumultuous season.

The flaws in Jackson’s game are readily evident. His playmaking is mediocre, he turns it over a bit too much, he is one of the worst positional rebounders in the league, and he’ll pick up too many unnecessary fouls. However, the value he provides as a rim protector, floor spacer, and scorer far outweighs the negatives. The Grizzlies have a ton of problems, but Jackson is not one of them.

Jalen Williams

In his third NBA season, Jalen Williams set career highs across the board. He averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on a TS% one percent below the league average. He was one of seven qualified players to eclipse 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and half a block per game this season. The other six all made one of my All-NBA teams and were Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, James Harden, LeBron James, and Cade Cunningham.

Considering how much he chips in as a secondary playmaker and on the defensive end, Williams’ league average scoring efficiency is far more palatable. Getting that much defense out of a player with his offensive ability is incredibly rare. He, SGA, and Scottie Barnes were the only players with a usage rate over 20% to post steal and block percentages above two percent, and only ten players total hit two percent in both stock categories.

His current limitations as a lead creator have been slightly overblown due to the stakes of the Thunder’s season. He is a perfectly good secondary creator (like All-NBA Third Team good), but perfectly good might cost you a title. Regardless, the total package adds up to one of the league’s best two-way wings. Jalen Williams is a burgeoning star, and this should be the first of many All-NBA selections.

The All-NBA With Apologies to Fourth Team

Jalen Brunson, Domantas Sabonis, Alperen Sengun, Tyler Herro, Amen Thompson, Ivica Zubac, Darius Garland, Pascal Siakam

Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson just missed the cut because he only played 65 games, and his defense leaves a lot to be desired. He finished the season ninth in OBPM at 4.7 after averaging 26.0 points and 7.3 assists per game on a TS% five percent above the league average. If he had played seven more games, he would have made the list for sure.

Domantas Sabonis

Sabonis averaged 19.1 points, a league-best 13.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game on a TS% 14% above league average. When you put it like that, it’s kind of hard to justify not putting him on an All-NBA team. However, his defense is problematic, and I feel like he’s an elite statistical accumulator that doesn’t have the offensive juice to really change games.

Alperen Sengun

Sengun is the hooper version of Sabonis. Sure, his efficiency isn’t as good, but he can be lethal in one-on-one matchups, and his defense has improved to the point where it’s not a negative. He averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game on a TS% five percent below league average. The Rockets are the two-seed in the West and were +6.4 points per 100 possessions better with Sengun on the court. If his shooting efficiency gets back to where it was previously, he’ll be a lock for All-NBA.

Tyler Herro

The Jimmy Butler-saga unfortunately overshadowed Tyler Herro’s breakout season. He averaged 23.9 points and 5.5 assists per game on a TS% five percent better than the league average. Those are all career-best and suggest the Heat’s future might not be as bleak as some have suggested.

Amen Thompson

I wanted to put Amen Thompson on an All-NBA team, but I felt his lack of usage (17.5%) and minutes (2,225) were enough to slide him into the tier below. He was one of the five most impactful defenders in the league and figured out how to manufacture consistently efficient offense through offensive rebounds, cuts, and transition. He averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on a TS% four percent above the league average.

Ivica Zubac

Ivica Zubac anchored the league’s third-best defense while averaging 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game on a TS% 11% above the league average. His 2,624 minutes played was second among centers, and that consistent excellence is why he’ll be in my All-Defensive team section.

Darius Garland

Darius Garland’s OBPM of 3.9 was 16th in the league, and his 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, and only 2.5 turnovers per game on a TS% four percent above the league average support his bona fides. What drops Garland is his poor defensive impact and the fact that he isn’t his team’s go-to offensive initiator.

Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam remains one of the NBA’s most underrated players. He played 78 games and averaged 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 turnovers per game on a TS% four percent above the league average. Most crucially, he was the glue that held the Pacers’ defense together. With Siakam on the court, the Pacers posted a defensive rating of 111.35, but without him, it crumbled to 119.28. Underscoring his importance, his on/off plus/minus of +11.0 was eighth in the league.

For any inquiries about work, discussion, and the like, you can email me at nevin.l.brown@gmail.com.