The National Basketball Association’s top stars continue to dominate night in and night out on the hardwood despite the current state of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

While games have been impacted at various times this season, the game’s top stars continue to find ways to carry their teams to win while putting together MVP caliber performances. 

The big question entering the first week of January 2022, is who is deserving of a spot on the Top 10 NBA Players right now?

One star that continues to dominate is the Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry. Curry, who recently became the NBA Three Point King, has the Warriors playing as one of the top teams in all of the league. 

Meanwhile in Milwaukee the Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is quietly putting together his own MVP stat line night in and night out. Along with those two stars Nikola Jokic has emerged as a dark horse contender to repeat as MVP as he continues to be the star of the Denver Nuggets.

With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 NBA Player Rankings for January 2022

Honorable Mention

Luka Doncic

Team: Dallas Mavericks 

The Dallas Mavericks point guard is putting together another exciting season as he has helped the team sit within the top six teams in the Western Conference for much of the season. If it wasn’t for a few of the guys on the Top 10, NBA Players list, Doncic would be deserving of a spot. 

Doncic is averaging 24.9 points a game to go along with eight rebounds and 8.8 assists per game. Over his first two games in January, Doncic is averaging 17.5 points a game to go along with 8.5 rebounds and 12.5 assists per game while helping his team to back to back wins. 

Jayson Tatum

Team: Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum continues to put in the work night in and night out for the Boston Celtics. Despite his success, the Celtics have struggled at times this season as they currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference. 

None of those struggles are due to Tatum who is averaging 25.6 points a game to go along with 8.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. The 25.6 points a game is just behind Tatum’s high of 26.4 posted during the 2020-21 NBA schedule. 

Top 10 NBA Players

10. Zach LaVine

Team: Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are red hot this season and much of that success has come at the helm of the teams big two stars of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. LaVine, who was acquired by the Bulls during the summer of 2017, has been a household name with the team while putting up solid numbers year in and year. 

That is no different this season as LaVine ranks 6th in the NBA in scoring averaging 26.3 points per game. In addition, LaVine is averaging a career high 5.1 rebounds per game to go along with 4.2 assists per game. With LaVine playing at a high level the Bulls sit atop the Eastern Conference.

9. Donovan Mitchell

Team: Utah Jazz 

One name that might go under the radar while failing to get the recognition he is warranted is the Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell, who the Jazz drafted with their 13th overall pick during the 2017 NBA draft out of Louisville has slowly emerged as one of the team’s top stars. 

This has showcased early during the 2021-22 NBA season as Mitchell is averaging 25.7 points a game to go along with 3.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while positioning the Jazz with the third best record in all of the NBA. 

8. Trae Young

Team: Atlanta Hawks

While it is hard to include many of the games top stars on teams that have struggled this season, it is hard to leave Trae Young off the list based on his production on the floor and his ability to get his team involved. 

Young is ranked 2nd in the NBA in scoring this year averaging 28.4 points per game and 3rd in the NBA in assists per game averaging 9.5 assists per game. Over his last seven games, Young is averaging 35.6 points per game to go with 3.3 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game.

7. James Harden

Team: Brooklyn Nets 

Once one of the game’s top scoring threats continues to be a team player for the Brooklyn Nets this season while ensuring Kevin Durant has the opportunity to produce at a high level. Harden is one of only a few players in the NBA that ranks in the top 30 in points per game, rebounds per game and assists per game. 

On the year, Harden is averaging 22.7 points per game to go along with 8.2 rebounds and 9.9 assists per game. 

6. Chris Paul

Team: Phoenix Suns 

It is hard to look past the leadership qualities that Chris Paul has brought to the Phoenix Suns over the past few seasons as they continue to dominate the Western Conference. Currently the Suns sit just behind the Golden State Warriors while having the second best record in all of the NBA. 

While Paul doesn’t bring the same scoring abilities as some of the other stars on this list, his ability to help his teammates produce has helped the Suns find success this season. Paul enters January leading the NBA averaging 10.1 assists per game while being the only player in the NBA to average double digit assists. In addition, Paul is averaging 14.1 points a game to go along with 4.2 rebounds per game. 

5. DeMar DeRozan

Team: Chicago Bulls

While his teammate Zach LaVine has dominated to start the season, DeMar DeRozan has possibly been one of the best acquisitions in the NBA as the Chicago Bulls currently sit atop the Eastern Conference. 

Over the past few weeks, DeRozan has been the anchor of the lineup hitting clutch shots and game winning shots night in and night out for the Bulls. On the year, DeRozan ranks 5th in the NBA averaging 26.9 points a game while also averaging five rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

4. Nikola Jokic

Team: Denver Nuggets

How can you not include Nikola Jokic into the Top 10 NBA Players conversation as well as the potential 2021-22 NBA MVP. Jokic’s resume won’t say he is a pure scoring threat or that he is one of the flashier players in the NBA. It will however include an MVP award and a long list of accolades to include ranking near the top of the NBA in nearly every statistical category. 

Jokic, like James Harden, ranks near the top in the NBA in points, rebounds and assists per game. The Denver Nuggets star is averaging 25.7 points (8th), 14 rebounds (2nd) and 6.9 assists (12th) through the first few months of the NBA season. 

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Team: Milwaukee Bucks

The Greek Freak might be the best overall player in the NBA year in and year out as he continues to dominate the floor night in and night out. In the team’s last five games, Giannis Antetokounmpo has posted over 31 points in four of the five contests while the Milwaukee Bucks have gone 4-1 over that stretch. 

In his two games in 2022, Antetokounmpo is averaging 13 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 33 points per game. In addition, the Bucks star is averaging at least 27 points for the fourth straight season to go along with at least 11 rebounds per game.

2. Stephen Curry

Team: Golden State Warriors 

The debate can be made to slot Stephen Curry into the number one overall and Kevin Durant in the number two. That said, the Golden State Warriors guard comes in at number two while being one of the top scoring threats in the entire NBA. 

Curry is averaging 27.2 points a game to go along with 5.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists while having the Warriors at the top of the Western Conference as well as the NBA with the top overall record.

1. Kevin Durant

Team: Brooklyn Nets

As we roll into the 2022 Calendar year, Kevin Durant headlines the Top 10 NBA Players MVP Race of 2022. Durant continues to lead the NBA in scoring nearly averaging 30 points a game (29.7 ppg). 

To go with his scoring production, Durant is also averaging 7.7 rebounds a game to go along with 5.7 assists. Durant ranks 1st in points per game, 35th in rebounds per game and 21st in assists per game. His success on the court has the Brooklyn Nets at 23-12 and in second place within the Eastern Conference.

So who do you have as your leading candidate for Most Valuable Player in the 2021-2022 NBA Season? Rank below to be added in the Power Rankings and to have a chance to win a gift card to LAZADA, Amazon, Fanatics.com, or more that is specific to you. Join the contest by ranking below.

Related Links:

• Top 10 NBA Teams 2021 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Season Preview 2021-2022 Team Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Teams – November 2021 Power Rankings
• Top 10 Best NBA Players – November 2021 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Rookies of November 2021 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Best Players MVP Race – December 2021 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Teams – December 2021 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Rookie Leaders – December 2021 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Rookie Leaders – January 2022 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Teams – January 2022 Rankings