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NBA Player Power Rankings: 2017 All-Star Weekend Edition

By Maxwell Ogden

Feb 11, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) fights for position with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) fights for position with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 15, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks the ball past Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris (12) during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks the ball past Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris (12) during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

19. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Position: Small Forward
Age: 22 (12/6/1994)
Experience: 4th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .524/.275/.792
2016-17 Season Averages: 35.4 MPG, 23.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.9 ORPG, 2.0 BPG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 3PM

Three small forwards could have been selected for this spot: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, and Gordon Hayward. George and Hayward are featured scorers on postseason-caliber teams and Antetokounmpo ranks amongst the most well-rounded players in the NBA.

Though it’s hard not to reward winning, Antetokounmpo has played at a level in 2016-17 that deserves to be recognized and honored with a Top 20 ranking.

Despite the loss of Jabari Parker to a season-ending knee injury, Antetokounmpo has Milwaukee on a three-game winning streak entering All-Star Weekend. He posted 20 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in a win over Paul George and the Indiana Pacers.

He then played a team-high 37 minutes in a win over the Detroit Pistons and posted 33 points in a 129-125 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

55 games into the 2016-17 NBA regular season, Antetokounmpo is the only player in the NBA who leads his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals per game. He ranks No. 15 in the NBA in RPM and has an almost unrivaled level of versatility.

For what it’s worth, Antetokounmpo is on pace to become the first player to average at least 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.0 steal per game since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975-76.