There is always curiosity about how elite NBA players rate their peers. Fans are always intrigued when NBA superstars roll out their list of favorite players whether historically or based on contemporary talents. Recently, Damian Lillard revealed his current top-five favorite athletes’ list during his appearance on Jeff Teague’s Club 520 pod.
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The list honors players from almost all positions, indicating that Lillard appreciates a variety of styles.
Dame picked Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic, as his favorite players in the league right now. The Milwaukee Bucks star pointed out that Edwards has built a solid reputation because of his hard-nosed old-school attitude that nicely complements an ever-evolving skillset.
Then the sharpshooting guard said that, even though Morant has fallen out of favor among many fans due to his controversies, the Memphis Grizzlies star is still one of his favorite players based on what he has seen so far.
The selection of Doncic and Jokic isn’t surprising considering they have been MVP candidates for some time now. Meanwhile, the Bucks guard also picked his superstar teammate Antetokounmpo for good measure.
“Right now Imma go, Anthony Edwards, I think everybody is super high on him right now. I like ‘im because of his energy, swag about him is authentic and he got the game to go with it… Imma go Ja Morant, shoutout to Ja, he got in some trouble, so people turned off to him a little bit, but I know what I am looking at.”
“Imma go Anthony Edwards, Ja Morant, Luka, Joker, and Giannis,” Dame added.
Damian Lillard names his top 5 favorite players in the NBA right now 👀
⭐️ Anthony Edwards
⭐️ Ja Morant
⭐️ Luka Doncic
⭐️ Nikola Jokic
⭐️ Giannis Antetokounmpo(via @club520podcast)pic.twitter.com/sRGVvOtww1
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 20, 2024
These players collectively boast 23 All-Star appearances along with five MVPs(3 by Jokic, 2 by Antetokounmpo).This team can also end up being a solid starting five that can mesh well. While Morant, Edwards, and Antetokounmpo provide athleticism, Doncic and Jokic supply the deft touch as floor generals.
Each of the players in the lineup is a terrific shot-creator while the abundance of playmakers ensure a superb flow on the offensive end. Apart from that, the lineup also contains capable defenders like Ant and Giannis, making the unit a solid two-way force.
Four of these players, probably with the exception of Morant, can also be top contenders for the 2025 MVP Award. Overall, Lillard’s top-five is made up of some of the best players in the league.
The inclusion of Morant is a bit of a surprise. But it is also true that his absence from the game due to injuries and suspensions has prevented us from witnessing his growth in the league.