All-NBA and Detroit Pistons player Blake Griffin has been making a strong argument of being one of the top power forwards in the league. Where does he rank?
Detroit Pistons power forward Blake Griffin was named to his fifth All-NBA team last season. As he enters his 11th NBA season, let’s take a look at where he ranks among players at the same position.
The power forward position in the Eastern Conference, over the years, has been significantly lacking. In the last 10 years alone, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only two players that classify as power forwards to receive any All-NBA honors. And also Griffin. This season won’t be any different.
(This is where I would say that the Eastern Conference now has Kevin Durant, which they do, but I don’t think it’s fair , to put him on the list since the likely won’t play this year.)
The Western Conference, on the other hand, is overloaded with talent at the four. Anthony Davis (assuming he returns to the four, which all signs point to yes), LaMarcus Aldridge, Kristaps Porzingis, dare I say Zion Williamson? That might be jumping the gun just a little too early. But the other aforementioned players, sure.
Now, when it comes to positions in this sort of positionless basketball era that we’re currently in, things tend to get a little weird. Ben Simmons, who has the build and frame of someone that would be a power forward, has only played the point guard position in his career. While Antetokounmpo has officially played shooting guard, point guard, small forward, and power forward during his career, at least according to basketball-reference, which is also where I’m gaining most of this information from because basketball-reference is one of the best resources for anything basketball, if not the best.
I think that the power forward position really falls into three types of levels at the upper echelon at the position, sort of like most positions. You have your perennial MVP candidates, your could earn All-NBA honors most seasons, and the buffer players that aren’t quite there and might not get there but are still pretty good basketball players. And then you have everyone else. So that’s how this article will go.
Without further ado, let’s dive in.