2011 ESPN Top 10 has finished, here are the Top 10 players...

[brisbaneman]

The top 5 is garbage. I'm glad to see though that people are pissed about dirk being ranked so low.

[The_Yearning]

The list is a throwaway. Durant in the top 10 and Melo is not? Lol in what world is that?

Blake Griffin at #10? Might as well put Kevin Love at #11.

Dwyane wade at #3? Lol.

[pauk]

The top 5 is garbage. I'm glad to see though that people are pissed about dirk being ranked so low.

he was ranked even lower for these past few years....

its an improvement...

[pauk]

its official....

Dwight #2.... and guess who at #1

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/71...yer-rankings-2

thank u it's very humbling thanks espn

42 minutes ago

YOU DESERVED IT DWIGHT!

[jlip]

If a person doesn't have Lebron at #1 right now then they more than likely didn't have him at #1 before game 2 of the Finals, and in their minds, the next 3 games simply strengthened their case.

Let's face it. The only other legit candidates for #1 were Howard and Wade (maybe Dirk as an outsider if you were employing the "best player on the championship team" rationale.) Howard, while having a monster individual series, and through no fault of his own, was eliminated in the 1st round by a team despite having homecourt. It would be difficult to have him catapult Lebron given the "heat" (no pun intended) that Lebron takes for losing to a team despite having homecourt.

Now it's basically between Wade and Lebron. Right before the Finals, ESPN was doing a survey regarding who had been the MVP of the playoffs. The choices were Lebron and Dirk. Wade was not even in the discussion. Lebron is named player of the game in Game 1 of the Finals, and he's yet leading that vote. Then he basically disappears, and Wade begins to dominate. Wade may have surpassed Lebron in some people's minds if he actually could have maintained his great play beyond game 4 coupled with the Heat winning the title and him be named Finals MVP. But Wade's struggles in especially the clinching game 6 did not provide enough fodder to allow him to surpass a player whom most already had in front of him.

This was basically a case of Lebron's competitors for the #1 spot not doing enough to overtake him by the time he started struggling.

[AlphaWolf24]

#1 Lebron James

#2 Dwight Howard

#3 Dwyane Wade

#4 Chris Paul

#5 Dirk Nowitzki

#6 Kevin Durant

#7 Kobe Bryant

#8 Derrick Rose

#9 Deron Williams

#10 Blake Griffin

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/71...yer-rankings-2




Told you people.... Lebrons outcome in the playoffs was never a factor in how the majority of everybody rank him, its about VALUE/CONTEXT.... he was always #1 alongside Kobe and then undisputed #1 alone.. (09 and 10 seasons)... despite the outcome in the playoffs (not winning a championship)... hence why not even now what happened to Lebron in 3 games in the Finals will not do any kindof damage...

3 horrible games in the Finals and getting so close but not winning a Championship, will not and DID NOT change the facts of Lebron being the most dominant player overall entire year, in the season and the playoffs just up until Game 2 of the NBA finals...
He was also 1st All-NBA and 1st All-Defensive team (Wade & Dirk were on neither)... with 500++ MVP votes (Dirk had 100 and Wade had 24)... and the most #1 MVP votes after Derrick Rose and was again the most productive player in the NBA, despite having Wade & Bosh alongside him....

oh..

he also took Miami Heat immediately to its first success and playoff series wins / finals since 2006............

he also left a #1 team and that team immediately became the worst team in the NBA... if that matters... that is the biggest dropoff in NBA history... When Jordan left the Bulls in 1993-94 they losed only 2 less games, just something to think about...

Thanks Pauk..ESPN Rules

hey did you know ESPN also said Kobe was the best player in the NBA in 2001!!...



Yes....Now I know all those Kobe haters who say ESPN don't know anything will stay far away...



great Job (repped)

[pauk]

If a person doesn't have Lebron at #1 right now then they more than likely didn't have him at #1 before game 2 of the Finals, and in their minds, the next 3 games simply strengthened their case.

Let's face it. The only other legit candidates for #1 were Howard and Wade (maybe Dirk as an outsider if you were employing the "best player on the championship team" rationale.) Howard, while having a monster individual series, and through no fault of his own, was eliminated in the 1st round by a team despite having homecourt. It would be difficult to have him catapult Lebron given the "heat" (no pun intended) that Lebron takes for losing to a team despite having homecourt.

Now it's basically between Wade and Lebron. Right before the Finals, ESPN was doing a survey regarding who had been the MVP of the playoffs. The choices were Lebron and Dirk. Wade was not even in the discussion. Lebron is named player of the game in Game 1 of the Finals, and he's yet leading that vote. Then he basically disappears, and Wade begins to dominate. Wade may have surpassed Lebron in some people's minds if he actually could have maintained his great play beyond game 4 coupled with the Heat winning the title and him be named Finals MVP. But Wade's struggles in especially the clinching game 6 did not provide enough fodder to allow him to surpass a player whom most already had in front of him.

This was basically a case of Lebron's competitors for the #1 spot not doing enough to overtake him by the time he started struggling.

POST OF THE YEAR

[chazzy]

It's not just a matter of Dirk being on the best team and winning a title.. he had the best playoff run of anyone as well. A player who has the best playoff run AND wins a title certainly has a case for best player (not sure if I agree though.) It's revisionist history to claim the Mavs were favored to win and that Dirk simply played his part. He was incredibly clutch throughout the playoffs, and his clutch play in the finals vs the unclutch play of Lebron/Wade made all the difference. It's just a strange year for ranking players overall.

[Fazotronic]

People jump Dirk's nuts about the playoffs but CP3 is an elite playoff performer. His efficiency in the playoffs is up there with Magic, Jordan and many others. Not to mention even during regular season he's a higher impact player.

Dirk still performed better. whats your point.
paul is to high, carmelo to low, dirk defently at least top 4.
other players are better or more talented but problem is they didn't played better.

[Legends66NBA7]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/71...yer-rankings-1

All is right in the world.
Swiper The Fox 7
LVTheGod

hmmmm....

[catch24]

It's not just a matter of Dirk being on the best team and winning a title.. he had the best playoff run of anyone as well. A player who has the best playoff run AND wins a title certainly has a case for best player (not sure if I agree though.) It's revisionist history to claim the Mavs were favored to win and that Dirk simply played his part. He was incredibly clutch throughout the playoffs, and his clutch play in the finals vs the unclutch play of Lebron/Wade made all the difference. It's just a strange year for ranking players overall.

Pretty much this. Were people even watching his postseason run last year?

[Clippersfan86]

Dirk still performed better. whats your point.
paul is to high, carmelo to low, dirk defently at least top 4.
other players are better or more talented but problem is they didn't played better.

Exactly the point. This list is about MOST TALENTED/SKILLED PLAYERS. Not who played the best in the playoffs. You guys are seriously mentally challenged if you can't understand that concept.

[Derka]

You had to know it would be Lebron, but part of me was holding out for Wade to take #1.

[pauk]

there we go...

THE KING @ #1

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/71...yer-rankings-1

[The Macho Man]

If a person doesn't have Lebron at #1 right now then they more than likely didn't have him at #1 before game 2 of the Finals, and in their minds, the next 3 games simply strengthened their case.
.

I would probably have Lebron at number 1 before the finals. I was very impressed with him in the Bulls and Celtics series. But, as impressed as I was with that, the finals completely overshadowed that. I have a hard time saying he is currently the best after that.