Tim Duncan. Karl Malone. Kevin McHale. These are the players we think of when we hear “power forward.” My, how things can change over the course of a generation or two.
Yes, the back-to-the-basket four-man is an ancient as the phone booth, and in fact, many of today’s best players at the position are tasked with running the offense as point-forwards. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant are all playmakers nearly as much as scorers, while each makes his money handling the ball and attacking from the perimeter. Yet, in today’s game, they’re all power forwards.
Here at CBS Sports, we’ve tried our hand at putting together a list of the top 22 power forwards in the NBA for the 2022-23 season, taking into account projected improvement and decline. It’s part of the rollout of the NBA’s Top 100 players that will be released on Tuesday.
Power forward is one of the most hotly contested positions in the league, particularly at the top, with perennial MVP candidates (and potentially future ones) littering the field. Take a cruise through the list and feel free to let us know what we got wrong. Not that you needed us to ask.
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Coming off a summer with Team USA, Johnson quietly put up one of the most efficient offensive seasons in the league last year for a power forward, averaging 17 points and six rebounds per game on 47/40/76 shooting splits. He thrived in catch-and-shoot situations, landing in the 87th percentile according to Synergy, but his athleticism also allows him to attack the rim effectively. He can guard multiple positions, and was in the 83rd percentile in isolation defense last season, per Synergy. — Colin Ward-Henninger
Read More: NBA power forward rankings: Giannis, Kevin Durant, LeBron James lead stacked