The story of the 2024–25 NBA season was defined from start to finish by the Oklahoma City Thunder. They finished the regular season with a league-best 68–14 record, led by MVP and scoring champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder followed up their historic regular season with a dominant playoff run, ultimately capturing their first championship since relocating from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008. Gilgeous-Alexander added another accolade to his resume by winning NBA Finals MVP.
Now, several days removed from the Thunder’s title win, ESPN’s "First Take" co-host Stephen A. Smith revealed his list of the top five players in the NBA on Wednesday's episode. While many now consider Gilgeous-Alexander the best player in the league, Smith has someone else holding that distinction.
His current top five, based on this past season and heading into the summer, includes Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, and—at No. 1—Nikola Jokic.
"I just can't make [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] No. 1 right now. I have to give it to this man, Nikola Jokic," Smith said. "You can't stop him. He's just that dominant, he's just that surreal. He is who he is."
Stephen A. Smith on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome.
Stephen A. Smith on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jokic is currently a three-time MVP, a one-time NBA champion, and had the Denver Nuggets on the verge of eliminating the Thunder in the playoffs—ultimately falling short in a hard-fought Game 7 loss in the second round.
Despite not capturing his fourth MVP this season, Jokic still finished second in the voting and posted remarkable averages of 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. A seven-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection, Jokic has spent his entire career with the Nuggets since making his debut in 2015.