Counting down the NBA's top 30 players for 2023-24 season: Nos. 15-1

After all these years, LeBron James – almost 39 years old and entering his 21st NBA season – is still a top-10 player.

The Los Angeles Lakers star checks in at No. 7 in USA TODAY Sports' list of the top 30 NBA players headed into the 2023-24 season. He’s joined in the top 10 by two future Hall of Famers with MVPs and multiple championships who have helped define pro basketball for the better part of the past two decades: Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

But there is a new player in the top 10 and a change at the top.

The Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Phoenix Suns have two players in the top 30. The Boston Celtics are the only team with three in the top 30.

With the 2023-24 season starting Tuesday, here’s our list of the top 30 players in the league with Nos. 15-1. You can see who is ranked Nos. 30-16 here. USA TODAY Sports writers and USA TODAY Network writers voted for the players on this list:

15. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell

2022-23 stats: 28.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.4 APG, 48.4 FG% (68 games)

Why he’s ranked here: In his first season with Cleveland in 2022-23, Mitchell had career highs in points per game, field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage and matched career highs in 3-point shooting percentage and steals per game. It earned him All-NBA honors for the first time.

Last season’s ranking: No. 19

Why he moved up: A career year plus helping Cleveland to a 51-win season and a playoff appearance makes him a top-15 player.

14. Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard

2022-23 stats: 23.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.9 APG, 51.2 FG% (52 games)

Why he’s ranked here: Leonard is one of the NBA’s best two-way players and remains an efficient scorer from inside and outside the 3-point line and at the free throw line. He’s still one of the toughest players to defend.

Last season’s ranking: No. 9

Why he moved down: He’s just not on the court enough. Leonard played in 52 regular-season games, appeared in just two of five Clippers playoff games and they lost in the first round.

13. Los Angeles Lakers forward-center Anthony Davis

2022-23 stats: 25.9 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 56.3 FG% (56 games)

Why he’s ranked here: Davis had one of his best seasons in 2022-23, including a career high in field-goal percentage and the fourth-highest scoring output of his career. He was strong defensively with 9.1 defensive rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.1 steals. He had big-time games in the playoffs – 31 points, 19 rebounds against Memphis; 30 points, 23 rebounds against Golden State; 40 points, 10 rebounds against Denver.

Last season’s ranking: No. 15

Why he moved up: Davis stepped up when necessary, including post-All-Star Game when LeBron James was sidelined with an injury. Injuries and games missed prevented Davis from a better ranking.

12. Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard

2022-23 stats: 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 46.3 FG% (58 games)

Why he’s ranked here: At 33 years old, Lillard remains one of the great scoring guards in the league, scoring a career high in points and matching a career high in shooting percentage while still serving as a solid playmaker. He dropped a career-high 71 points against the Houston Rockets in February and now gets to showcase his skills alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo with Milwaukee.

Last season’s ranking: No. 16

Why he moved up: After missing the last 47 games of the 2021-22 season with injury, Lillard proved he’s back and still among the elite guards.

11. Miami Heat guard-forward Jimmy Butler

2022-23 stats: 22.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 53.9 FG% (64 games)

Why he’s ranked here: Butler is one of the league’s ultimate competitors and one of the hardest-working two-way players in the league. He was one of eight players to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists while playing in 60 or more games. His commitment to winning is obvious during the regular season and multiplied in the playoffs – and there’s no better example than last season when Butler led the Heat to the Finals with series victories against Milwaukee and Boston: 56 points in Game 4 and 42 points in Game 5 vs. the Bucks and 35 points in Game 1 vs. the Celtics.

Last season’s ranking: No. 11

Why he stayed the same: While Butler helped the seventh-seeded Heat overachieve in the postseason, the league is stacked with talent.

10. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

2022-23 stats: 31.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.5 APG, 51.0 FG% (68 games)

Why he's ranked here: Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off his best season in which he increased his scoring average from 24.5 to 31.4 points per game, the fourth-highest average in the league. His breakout season earned him his first All-Star nod and first team All-NBA selection. He’ll be joined by 2022 No. 2 overall draft pick Chet Holmgren, who missed last season due to injury.

Last season’s ranking: Not ranked in top 30

Why he moved up: An incredible jump into the top 10, Gilgeous-Alexander improved his efficiency, shooting 51% from the field, finished fifth in MVP voting and has the Thunder on the verge of becoming an elite team.

9. Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker

2022-23 stats: 27.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.5 APG, 49.4 FG% (53 games)

Why he's ranked here: Booker is one of the most gifted playmakers in the league with his ability to score and pass, and he’s a solid defender. Alongside Kevin Durant and now Bradley Beal, Booker should become an even more efficient offensive player with better opportunities to create for himself and others.

Last season’s ranking: No. 9

Why he stayed the same: He was neither an All-Star nor All-NBA selection last season but when available, Booker is still one of the top players in the league.

More: Counting down the NBA's top 30 players for 2023-24 season: Nos. 30-16

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8. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant

2022-23 stats: 29.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.0 APG, 56.0 FG% (47 games)

Why he's ranked here: Durant has a new home in Phoenix and the 13-time NBA All-Star looked efficient as ever last season, shooting a career-high 57% from the field. He can score in a number of ways, whether he pulls up from beyond the arc, knocks down a mid-range shot or drives to the basket. But we only got to see him play eight regular-season games in a Suns jersey last season.

Last season’s ranking: No. 3

Why he moved down: There’s no denying Durant’s talent, but there’s questions surrounding his availability. He played 47 games last season, 55 in 2021-22 and 35 of 72 games in 2020-21.

7. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James

2022-23 stats: 28.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 6.8 APG, 50.0 FG% (55 games)

Why he's ranked here: James continues to elude Father Time. He even dropped 47 points on the Hawks on his 38th birthday. It’s hard to believe he’s still playing at an All-NBA level, being named to the All-NBA third team last season. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and can continue to play an All-NBA level if he stays healthy.

Last season’s ranking: No. 7

Why he stayed the same: James’ efficiency is slightly down. He shot 50% from the field last season, down from 52.4% in 2021-22, and went 32.1% from three, down from 35.9% in 2021-22.

6. Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic

2022-23 stats: 32.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 8.0 APG, 49.6 FG% (66 games)

Why he's ranked here: Dallas’ offense runs through Doncic. The four-time All-Star is a versatile shooter that can not only score from anywhere, but can create open shots for his teammates. Kyrie Irving joined Doncic in Dallas to cut down his usage and share the load.

Last season’s ranking: No. 6

Why he stayed the same: The Mavericks may have missed the playoffs last season after advancing to the Western Conference finals in 2022, but Doncic posted a career-high 32.4 points per game, the second-most in the league behind Joel Embiid, and was first-team All-NBA for the third consecutive season.

5. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry

2022-23 stats: 29.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 6.3 APG, 49.3 FG% (56 games)

Why he's ranked here: Curry is defying time at age 35. He averaged 29.4 points last season, just 2.6 points shy of his career-best in 2020-21, while shooting 49.3% from the field and 42.7% from 3-point range. Curry also had a signature playoff performance, dropping 50 points in a Game 7 blowout win over the Sacramento Kings.

Last season’s ranking: No. 4

Why he moved down: The Warriors won it all in 2021-22, but came up short last season, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the conference semifinals despite Curry’s stellar play.

4. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum

2022-23 stats: 30.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 46.6 FG% (74 games)

Why he's ranked here: Tatum, who finished fourth in MVP voting, scored a record-high 55 points in the All-Star game and won the game’s MVP honors. He also set a record for the most points scored in a Game 7 playoff game when he dropped 51 points to help eliminate the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Last season’s ranking: No. 8

Why he moved up: Although the Celtics didn’t make it back to the NBA Finals, like in 2022, Tatum averaged a career-high 30.1 points and only looks to improve on his scoring ability – and he’s just 25 years old.

3. Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid

2022-23 stats: 33.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 54.8 FG% (66 games)

Why he's ranked here: Embiid won a long-awaited MVP honor after picking up his second consecutive scoring title. He turned in 13 40-plus point performances last season, including a career-high 59-point game against the Jazz in November. Embiid is a dominating force.

Last season’s ranking: No. 5

Why he moved up: He upped his scoring average to a career-high 33.1 points while shooting a career-high 54.8% from the field.

2. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo

2022-23 stats: 31.1 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 5.7 APG, 55.3 FG% (63 games)

Why he's ranked here: The two-time MVP signed a three-year extension with the Bucks, reaffirming his mentality to compete, and he’s only getting better. Antetokounmpo has upped his points average every season and has averaged a double-double in the last six seasons.

Last season’s ranking: No. 1

Why he moved down: Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Miami Heat after he battled a back injury.

1. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic

2022-23 stats: 24.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 9.8 APG, 63.2 FG% (69 games)

Why he's ranked here: Jokic just fell short of an MVP three-peat last season (not that he cares), but he got something arguably better: Finals MVP. He was unstoppable in Denver’s NBA title run, becoming the first player in history to lead the postseason in total points (600), rebounds (269) and assists (190). He’s a versatile scorer, creative playmaker and, at age 28, is in his prime.

Last season’s ranking: No. 2

Why he moved up: Jokic is a walking triple-double and nearly averaged one in last year's regular season. Winning a title and Finals MVP boosts his status.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on X @JeffZillgitt

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA 2023-24 season: Counting down league's top 30 players, Nos. 15-1