Who Were the Top NBA Player Rankings in 2017? Find Out Now

I still remember sitting in my living room in 2017, watching the NBA season unfold with that particular excitement that comes from knowing you're witnessing something special. As someone who's followed basketball for over two decades, I've developed a pretty good sense for when we're seeing truly historic performances, and 2017 delivered in spades. The player rankings that year reflected an interesting transition period in the league - we had established superstars maintaining their dominance while a new generation was rapidly ascending.

When I look back at the 2016-2017 season, Russell Westbrook's MVP campaign immediately comes to mind. The man averaged a triple-double - 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game - numbers we hadn't seen since Oscar Robertson's legendary 1961-62 season. What made it even more remarkable was how he carried the Thunder after Kevin Durant's departure to Golden State. I've always been drawn to players who embrace the underdog role, and Westbrook's ferocious competitiveness that season was something to behold. He wasn't just putting up numbers; he was single-handedly dragging his team to victories in games they had no business winning.

The Warriors' superteam naturally featured heavily in the top rankings, with Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry both delivering exceptional seasons. Durant's efficiency was absurd - 53.7% from the field, 37.5% from three, and 87.5% from the line while averaging 25 points. What impressed me most was how seamlessly he integrated into Golden State's system while maintaining his scoring dominance. Curry, though taking somewhat of a backseat statistically, still put up 25 points and 6 assists while shooting over 40% from deep. Their partnership reminded me of that classic boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier - two legends pushing each other to greater heights, much like how Futch stopped the fight when Frazier had taken enough punishment, knowing when a competitor had given their all.

LeBron James, in what many considered his athletic prime at age 32, continued to defy Father Time with another phenomenal season. He averaged 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists while shooting 54% from the field - numbers that would be career years for most players but were just another season for LeBron. What struck me was his basketball IQ and how he seemed to pace himself throughout the regular season, understanding exactly when to turn it on. Kawhi Leonard made his case as the best two-way player in the league, James Harden reinvented himself as a point guard under Mike D'Antoni's system, and Anthony Davis put up monstrous numbers despite the Pelicans' struggles.

The 2017 rankings reflected a league in transition. We had established veterans like Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony still producing but clearly passing the torch to the next generation. Meanwhile, young stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid were beginning to show flashes of their future MVP potential. Looking back, what made that season particularly memorable was the diversity of playing styles among the top players - from Westbrook's explosive athleticism to Curry's revolutionary shooting to Leonard's methodical two-way dominance. Each brought something unique to the game, creating a tapestry of basketball excellence that we're still feeling the effects of today. The debates about who truly deserved the top spot that year continue among fans and analysts, and honestly, that's part of what makes basketball so compelling - there's rarely one definitive answer, just passionate opinions based on what we value most in the game.