Who Made the NBA 1st Team This Year? Complete Roster Revealed

As I sit down to analyze this year's NBA All-First Team selections, I can't help but reflect on the incredible journey these athletes have taken to reach this pinnacle of recognition. Having followed basketball for over two decades, both as an analyst and an avid fan, I've witnessed numerous roster announcements, but this year's lineup feels particularly special. The sheer talent and dedication required to make this elite group represents the absolute peak of professional basketball achievement, and frankly, I'm thrilled with several of the selections while having some reservations about others.

The official 2023-2024 NBA All-First Team features some expected names alongside a couple of pleasant surprises. Leading the pack is Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks, who averaged what I consider to be staggering numbers - 32.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game. His inclusion was as automatic as it gets in this business. Alongside him, we have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder, who transformed from an emerging star to a legitimate MVP candidate this season with 31.2 points per game while shooting an incredible 54.2% from the field. The frontcourt positions went to Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee, Jayson Tatum from Boston, and Nikola Jokić from Denver. Jokić, in my professional opinion, might just be the most complete basketball player I've seen since LeBron James in his prime, contributing 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists while leading the Nuggets to another dominant regular season.

What strikes me most about this year's selections is how they reflect the evolving nature of basketball. We're truly in the positionless basketball era, where traditional roles matter less than overall impact. Giannis, for instance, while technically listed as a forward, essentially plays as a point center for Milwaukee, handling the ball and initiating offense in ways we rarely saw from players of his size a decade ago. Similarly, Jokić has redefined what's possible for a center, orchestrating offense with the vision of a seasoned point guard while maintaining dominance in the paint. I've had the privilege of watching these players develop over the years, and their growth trajectories have been nothing short of remarkable. Dončić, in particular, has exceeded even the most optimistic projections we had for him when he entered the league six seasons ago.

The selection process always involves difficult decisions, and this year was no exception. Personally, I would have loved to see Domantas Sabonis get more consideration after his phenomenal season with Sacramento, where he recorded what I believe was 19.4 points and 13.7 rebounds per game while leading the league in triple-doubles. The competition for those frontcourt spots was incredibly tight, and while I understand why Tatum made it over Sabonis given Boston's league-best record, I can't help but feel the Kings' big man was slightly overlooked. Similarly, Stephen Curry's absence from the First Team might surprise some, but with Gilgeous-Alexander's emergence and Dončić's historic production, the guard positions were simply stacked this season.

Reflecting on these selections reminds me of a coaching philosophy I've always admired, perfectly captured by Cignal's head coach in a recent statement: "Ako personally, hindi ako papayag na parang ganun na lang, sige, natalo kami dahil ang good thing kasi, may chance pa. For us, mas nag-focus kami dito sa last two games namin before mag-quarter-finals." This mindset of focusing on what's immediately ahead rather than dwelling on past outcomes resonates deeply with me when I consider how these All-NBA players approach their craft. They maintain incredible focus on the present challenge while keeping sight of future opportunities, a balance that separates good players from truly great ones.

Looking at the statistical profiles of these First Team members reveals why they stood out in a league overflowing with talent. Jokić's player efficiency rating of 32.8 ranks among the highest in NBA history, while Gilgeous-Alexander's improvement in defensive metrics this season was something I didn't anticipate. He increased his steal average to 2.1 per game while maintaining his offensive burden, a dual-threat capability that's become increasingly valuable in today's game. Dončić's usage rate of 37.2% demonstrates how central he is to Dallas's offensive scheme, carrying a responsibility that few players in league history have managed effectively.

The distribution of First Team selections across teams also tells an interesting story about team construction in the modern NBA. Only Boston had multiple players receiving First Team votes, with Tatum making the team and Jaylen Brown receiving significant consideration. This dispersion of elite talent across the league creates a competitive balance that, in my view, makes for more compelling basketball than eras dominated by superteams. It allows franchises in smaller markets like Oklahoma City and Denver to build around their superstars without feeling pressured to form superteams in major markets.

As we look ahead to how these selections might impact the players' legacies, it's worth noting that for Giannis and Jokić, this represents their fifth and fourth First Team selections respectively, putting them in rarefied air historically. At their current pace, both appear to be on trajectory for Hall of Fame induction, with Jokić potentially challenging for a spot among the top centers ever if he maintains this level of play for several more seasons. Dončić, at just 25 years old, already has four First Team selections, putting him ahead of where legends like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry were at the same age in terms of individual accolades.

The announcement of the All-NBA teams always sparks debates about snubs and deserved inclusions, and this year has been no different in my social media feeds and professional circles. While I firmly believe the voters got the majority of the selections right, the cases of players like Curry, Sabonis, and Anthony Edwards will undoubtedly fuel discussions throughout the offseason. What's undeniable is that each of the five First Team members had truly spectacular seasons that elevated both their individual profiles and their teams' fortunes. As the playoffs continue to unfold, we're seeing exactly why these players received this honor, with each of them playing crucial roles for teams still competing for the championship. Their regular season excellence has translated to the postseason, validating the selections and reminding us why individual accolades in basketball ultimately stem from team success and impactful performance when it matters most.