Top 5 in EPM for every season from 2002-2024

[Im Still Ballin]

Dunks and Threes recently made the top five for each season in its database free to view. I thought I might share them with y'all. Some interesting names making an appearance. Andrei Kirilenko with a crazy three-year peak from 2004-2006. Anyone aware of the RAPM data knows old-man Stockton would be up there.

2002
1. John Stockton [+4.4 EPM] [+2.9 off; +1.5 def]
2. Tim Duncan [+4.2 EPM] [+2.7 off; +1.5 def]
3. Ben Wallace [+3.6 EPM] [-0.2 off; +3.8 def]
4. Paul Pierce [+3.6 EPM] [+2.3 off; +1.3 def]
5. Dirk Nowitzki [+3.5 EPM] [+2.4 off; +1.1 def]

2003
1. Tracy McGrady [+4.3 EPM] [+4.6 off; -0.3 def]
2. Tim Duncan [+4.3 EPM] [+2.5 off; +1.8 def]
3. John Stockton [+3.8 EPM] [+2.3 off; +1.5 def]
4. Kevin Garnett [+3.8 EPM] [+2.3 off; +1.5 def]
5. Dirk Nowitzki [+3.6 EPM] [+2.1 off; +1.4 def]

2004
1. Andrei Kirilenko [+4.6 EPM] [+2.3 off; +2.4 def]
2. Dirk Nowitzki [+4.3 EPM] [+3.1 off; +1.2 def]
3. Tracy McGrady [+4.1 EPM] [+5.2 off; -1.1 def]
4. Kevin Garnett [+4.0 EPM] [+1.8 off; +2.2 def]
5. Brent Barry [+3.4 EPM] [+2.6 off; +0.8 def]

2005
1. Andrei Kirilenko [+5.1 EPM] [+2.3 off; +2.8 def]
2. Kevin Garnett [+4.9 EPM] [+2.9 off; +2.0 def]
3. Manu Ginobili [+4.7 EPM] [+3.0 off; +1.7 def]
4. Dirk Nowitzki [+3.9 EPM] [+2.4 off; +1.4 def]
5. LeBron James [+3.6 EPM] [+3.3 off; +0.3 def]

2006
1. Dirk Nowitzki [+4.6 EPM] [+3.6 off; +1.0 def]
2. Kevin Garnett [+4.5 EPM] [+2.3 off; +2.3 def]
3. Manu Ginobili [+4.3 EPM] [+2.8 off; +1.5 def]
4. Andrei Kirilenko [+3.9 EPM] [+1.1 off; +2.9 def]
5. Chris Paul [+3.7 EPM] [+2.2 off; +1.5 def]

2007
1. LeBron James [+4.4 EPM] [+3.2 off; +1.2 def]
2. Gilbert Arenas [+4.3 EPM] [+4.5 off; -0.1 def]
3. Dirk Nowitzki [+4.1 EPM] [+3.6 off; +0.5 def]
4. Tim Duncan [+4.1 EPM] [+1.9 off; +2.2 def]
5. Chauncey Billups [+3.9 EPM] [+3.5 off; +0.4 def]

2008
1. Chris Paul [+6.2 EPM] [+5.1 off; +1.1 def]
2. LeBron James [+4.6 EPM] [+3.2 off; +1.4 def]
3. Dirk Nowitzki [+4.4 EPM] [+3.6 off; +0.7 def]
4. Amar'e Stoudemire [+4.3 EPM] [+3.6 off; +0.7 def]
5. Chauncey Billups [+4.1 EPM] [+3.8 off; +0.3 def]

2009
1. LeBron James [+8.2 EPM] [+6.1 off; +2.1 def]
2. Chris Paul [+6.6 EPM] [+4.8 off; +1.8 def]
3. Kobe Bryant [+4.2 EPM] [+4.0 off; +0.2 def]
4. Dwyane Wade [+4.1 EPM] [+3.7 off; +0.4 def]
5. Dwight Howard [+4.1 EPM] [+1.2 off; +2.9 def]

2010
1. LeBron James [+7.0 EPM] [+5.0 off; +2.0 def]
2. Dwight Howard [+4.8 EPM] [+1.1 off; +3.8 def]
3. Kevin Durant [+4.4 EPM] [+3.4 off; +1.0 def]
4. Chris Paul [+4.4 EPM] [+3.1 off; +1.3 def]
5. Dwyane Wade [+4.4 EPM] [+3.6 off; +0.7 def]

2011
1. Chris Paul [+5.9 EPM] [+4.1 off; +1.8 def]
2. LeBron James [+4.9 EPM] [+3.2 off; +1.7 def]
3. Dwight Howard [+4.7 EPM] [+1.3 off; +3.5 def]
4. Manu Ginobili [+4.7 EPM] [+3.5 off; +1.2 def]
5. Dirk Nowitzki [+4.4 EPM] [+3.3 off; +1.0 def]

2012
1. LeBron James [+6.6 EPM] [+5.0 off; +1.6 def]
2. Chris Paul [+5.7 EPM] [+4.2 off; +1.5 def]
3. Kevin Durant [+4.2 EPM] [+3.2 off; +1.0 def]
4. Dwight Howard [+4.0 EPM] [+1.0 off; +3.0 def]
5. Dirk Nowitzki [+3.8 EPM] [+3.2 off; +0.6 def]

2013
1. Chris Paul [+6.3 EPM] [+5.1 off; +1.2 def]
2. LeBron James [+6.2 EPM] [+5.1 off; +1.1 def]
3. Kevin Durant [+5.8 EPM] [+4.1 off; +1.6 def]
4. James Harden [+4.1 EPM] [+4.1 off; +0.1 def]
5. Mike Conley [+4.0 EPM] [+2.3 off; +1.7 def]

2014
1. Chris Paul [+6.5 EPM] [+4.8 off; +1.6 def]
2. LeBron James [+5.5 EPM] [+4.6 off; +0.9 def]
3. Kevin Durant [+5.2 EPM] [+4.4 off; +0.8 def]
4. Stephen Curry [+4.7 EPM] [+4.4 off; +0.3 def]
5. Kevin Love [+4.5 EPM] [+4.7 off; -0.3 def]

2015
1. LeBron James [+6.5 EPM] [+5.3 off; +1.2 def]
2. Chris Paul [+6.4 EPM] [+5.4 off; +1.0 def]
3. Stephen Curry [+6.2 EPM] [+5.3 off; +0.9 def]
4. Anthony Davis [+5.4 EPM] [+3.1 off; +2.4 def]
5. Kawhi Leonard [+5.3 EPM] [+2.3 off; +3.0 def]

2016
1. Chris Paul [+7.4 EPM] [+5.9 off; +1.5 def]
2. Stephen Curry [+7.1 EPM] [+5.9 off; +1.1 def]
3. Kawhi Leonard [+6.9 EPM] [+3.8 off; +3.1 def]
4. LeBron James [+6.7 EPM] [+5.2 off; +1.5 def]
5. Russell Westbrook [+5.3 EPM] [+5.0 off; +0.3 def]

2017
1. Stephen Curry [+7.9 EPM] [+6.9 off; +1.0 def]
2. Kawhi Leonard [+7.8 EPM] [+5.5 off; +2.3 def]
3. Chris Paul [+7.3 EPM] [+5.6 off; +1.7 def]
4. LeBron James [+6.7 EPM] [+5.4 off; +1.3 def]
5. Russell Westbrook [+6.5 EPM] [+5.4 off; +1.1 def]

2018
1. Stephen Curry [+7.3 EPM] [+6.5 off; +0.8 def]
2. James Harden [+7.0 EPM] [+5.8 off; +1.1 def]
3. LeBron James [+6.4 EPM] [+6.1 off; +0.4 def]
4. Chris Paul [+6.4 EPM] [+4.7 off; +1.7 def]
5. Kawhi Leonard [+5.9 EPM] [+4.4 off; +1.5 def]

2019
1. James Harden [+7.4 EPM] [+5.9 off; +1.5 def]
2. Stephen Curry [+6.6 EPM] [+6.1 off; +0.5 def]
3. Nikola Jokic [+6.2 EPM] [+4.1 off; +2.1 def]
4. Joel Embiid [+6.2 EPM] [+2.7 off; +3.5 off]
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo [+5.9 EPM] [+3.4 off; +2.5 def]

2020
1. James Harden [+7.3 EPM] [+5.6 off; +1.7 def]
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo [+7.2 EPM] [+4.0 off; +3.2 def]
3. Stephen Curry [+6.9 EPM] [+7.0 off; -0.1 def]
4. LeBron James [+6.5 EPM] [+4.3 off; +2.3 def]
5. Kawhi Leonard [+6.5 EPM] [+4.6 off; +1.8 def]

2021
1. Stephen Curry [+7.6 EPM] [+7.8 off; -0.3 def]
2. Nikola Jokic [+6.5 EPM] [+6.1 off; +0.4 def]
3. Kawhi Leonard [+6.3 EPM] [+4.9 off; +1.4 def]
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo [+6.0 EPM] [+3.5 off; +2.6 def]
5. Joel Embiid [+6.0 EPM] [+3.6 off; +2.4 def]

2022
1. Nikola Jokic [+7.5 EPM] [+5.9 off; +1.5 def]
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo [+7.0 EPM] [+4.8 off; +2.2 def]
3. Stephen Curry [+6.3 EPM] [+5.0 off; +1.3 def]
4. Joel Embiid [+5.3 EPM] [+3.0 off; +2.3 def]
5. Kawhi Leonard [+5.2 EPM] [+4.0 off; +1.2 def]

2023
1. Nikola Jokic [+8.2 EPM] [+6.5 off; +1.8 def]
2. Damian Lillard [+6.3 EPM] [+7.5 off; -1.2 def]
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo [+5.8 EPM] [+4.2 off; +1.6 def]
4. Joel Embiid [+5.7 EPM] [+3.7 off; +2.0 def]
5. Jayson Tatum [+5.7 EPM] [+4.1 off; +1.6 def]

2024
1. Nikola Jokic [+8.1 EPM] [+6.6 off; +1.5 def]
2. Joel Embiid [+7.3 EPM] [+4.8 off; +2.5 def]
3. Luka Doncic [+6.1 EPM] [+5.1 off; +1.0 def]
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo [+5.9 EPM] [+4.8 off; +1.2 def]
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander [+5.8 EPM] [+4.5 off; +1.3 def]

[999Guy]

Hmm. There's some definitive seasons where you can actually test how good a metric is like 2004 with KG or 2009 with LeBron. 2016 for Steph.

KG being 4th in 2004 is...eh. Curry being #2 in 2016 is not good either. I wonder what the formula to this thing is.

But, data is better than nothing. The Jazz were still pretty good in the early 00's so Stockton isn't too big of a shock. But being at the top of the league is nuts. Insane longevity. Even if I don't quite believe he was true #1 on impact. To be good enough to trick a sophisticated metric is telling.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Not sure what this number really means. What is this "estimated plus minus" based on? What's the formula? If they don't release the formula to the general public to protect their ability to monetize the information that's understandable but it makes it less relevant because we really don't know what we're talking about. "Trust us, we're smart" isn't a good argument. I can't tell what being #1 in EPM means about a player but I can tell you for a fact that no way was Stockton the best player in the league in 2002 or any other year.

[John8204]

Not sure what this number really means. What is this "estimated plus minus" based on? What's the formula? If they don't release the formula to the general public to protect their ability to monetize the information that's understandable but it makes it less relevant because we really don't know what we're talking about. "Trust us, we're smart" isn't a good argument. I can't tell what being #1 in EPM means about a player but I can tell you for a fact that no way was Stockton the best player in the league in 2002 or any other year.

Yeah...I mean who would think John Stockton was better than Shaquille O'Neal who is not on this list