The NBA's best lineup has only 15 spots each year, which is a more prestigious individual honor than being an All-Star. Among these, the first team consists of two backcourt players and three frontcourt players, essentially representing the league's top five players for that season. Therefore, being selected to the first team is highly valued and challenging. So, how many times have current superstars been selected to the first team? Irving has never been selected, Curry and Jokic four times each, and Harden six times, ranking only second.
Irving is undoubtedly talented, but he has never reached the level of a superstar. Whether in terms of personal performance or leadership ability, he does not rank among the top tier, hence he has never been selected to the first team in his 13-year career. However, his one-on-one scoring ability in critical moments is top-notch in the league. Similarly, Butler, despite leading his team to the finals twice, has also never been selected to the first team, illustrating just how difficult it is to be chosen.
Westbrook was also a formidable player during his peak, a versatile warrior, especially during his time with the Thunder. He achieved the remarkable feat of averaging a triple-double and won the scoring title twice and the assist title twice. However, even as strong as Westbrook is, he has only made it to the first team twice, in 2016 and 2017. The competition at point guard is incredibly fierce. Curry, on the other hand, has had it slightly better. He has won two MVP awards in his career and was also selected to the first team in 2019 and 2021, accumulating four selections to the best first team.
Jokic has also been selected four times; he is younger and currently the number one player in the league. Over the past six years, Jokic has averaged impressive stats of 24 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists, earning him three regular-season MVP awards and a total of four first-team selections. At the age of 29, in his prime, he is sure to be selected multiple times in the future. Tatum is the league's rising star; he has already led the Celtics to a championship. In the past three years, he has been selected to the first team every year, making him the best small forward currently active.
Antetokounmpo is also a prominent figure in the league, almost in a class of his own at the power forward position. His offense is sharp, defense is tough, and he consistently delivers results, meeting all the definitions of a superstar. Over the past six years, Antetokounmpo has been selected to the first team for six consecutive years, a historically significant achievement. Harden and Durant are similarly outstanding; Harden's peak was during his time with the Rockets, where he won the scoring title, MVP, and assist title, making him the best scorer in the league. He has also been selected to the first team six times. Durant, during his time with the Thunder, was selected to the first team for five consecutive years and successfully made it in 2018 after joining the Warriors. However, after a serious injury, KD's performance dropped significantly, resulting in a total of six first-team selections.
Antetokounmpo, Harden, and Durant, with six first-team selections each, are already phenomenal. However, they can only rank second among current players because the top spot is too exaggerated. That is James, who represents stability and versatility, averaging 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists in his career, with top-tier leadership skills and a perennial playoff participant. He has been selected to the first team a record-breaking 13 times in the NBA. Players who can play in the league for 13 years are rare, let alone being selected to the first team 13 times, which is also an NBA historical record.
