Some of the NBA‘s all-time greats have come from the forward position, which isn’t the most prestigious one. Tim Duncan, an all-time great, has five NBA championship rings, but Karl Malone and Charles Barkley, both greats who never won a title despite being instrumental in their teams’ success, are also considered among the league’s all-time greats.
Even current legends like Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett have changed the power forward position by distinguishing out as excellent perimeter players with a polished offensive game. The old-school players, like Dolph Schayes, preferred to score from the paint and were quite efficient at it.
It’s safe to say that the new NBA’s finest team will perform well in its early seasons. Especially now that their teams are being divided up into smaller, athletic groups, only a select few of them will be able to switch places.
3. Karl-Anthony Towns
The Timberwolves believed otherwise, as seen by their signing of Rudy Gobert to play with Karl-Anthony Towns, and you shouldn’t either. From a strategic perspective, it’s not completely insane. While Gobert is one of the finest rim defenders in the game, Towns is recognized for his outside shooting despite his stature.
2. Zion Williamson
With just 85 games under his belt, Zion Williamson is likely a top 10 player in the NBA right now when he is in form and not in discomfort, as per NBA.com. His 2020-21 season showed that, because of his talent, stature, and athleticism, he has the potential to impact the NBA in the same way as Shaq did. If the Saints play to their greatest potential this season, they will soar to the top of the Western Conference.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo has led all power forwards for the last four or five years in a row, and he shows no signs of relinquishing that title. The 27-year-old had 10 games in 2021-22 in which he scored 40 or more points, including an explosion for 50 points against the Pacers on February 10 that was just two points short of his career best.
He finished third in the MVP voting after previously winning the title twice. On New Year’s Day, he recorded 35 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Pelicans, one of his four triple-doubles.
