Stephen Jackson Snubs LeBron James Names Top 5 NBA Players This Season

• Former San Antonio Spurs forward Stephen Jackson has said that LeBron James is currently not a top 5 player in the NBA
• James is not in the top 10 of this season's MVP ladder
• The 38-year-old is averaging 30.2 points per game, but the Lakers are currently out of the playoff picture

LeBron James has been playing at an MVP level this season for the Los Angeles Lakers, but 2003 NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs Stephen Jackson says the 38-year-old is not in his top 5 players this season.

James has broken several records this season and is set to make history next month by becoming the all-time scorer in the NBA.

In the recently released NBA MVP ladder, James is not in the top 10. Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is leading the race and is aiming for his third MVP award in a row.

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James is averaging 30.2 points in 40 games this season. To make it more impressive, it's his 20th NBA season, and he is 38 years old. His performances, however, have not masked the Lakers' struggles this season.

His team is 13th in the Western Conference with a 23-27 record. They are out of the play-in picture for now, but given how the West is shaping up this season, they may have a chance if they put together a run.

Jackson snubs James in top 5

Jackson, who hosts 'All the Smoke' podcast with Matt Barnes, complimented James, saying he is top three in his all-time list. However, he added that there are other players who have been better than him this season, via Sportskeeda.

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"Best in the league right now, Kevin Durant. I would go Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Luka [Doncic], Jokic and Embiid. Excuse me, I’ll take Jokic out and put in Jayson Tatum. He [James] ain’t in my top 5 right now, not right now. He’s in my top 3 all-time but right now in the league, he is not the 5 best player in the league right now.”

[starts at 0:29]

All the players Jackson mentioned are in the top 5 of the NBA MVP ladder. Jokic has led the Nuggets to the top of the Western Conference. Embiid leads the NBA in points per game this season, ahead of Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant was having an incredible season before he went down with an MCL sprain.

Fans react to James snubbing

Many fans did not like Jackson's remarks about James. Here are some of their reactions.

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@Ratedrplayboy:

"Right now I can honestly say , Stephen Jackson was never a top 25 player in the nba."

@TownshipToes:

"I Don’t think this is bold at all. Steph, Giannis, jokic, KD, Luka, Embiid, Lebron all are close. I got Bron at 7."

@Vince1o7:

"He’s just a hater lmfao."

@vanman_1000:

"Facts! He can’t get his team over .500."

@nba_neeko:

"It’s not a crazy take, the league is so talented right now. There’s probably about seven or eight guys that all have a case of being a top 5 player right now."

James makes All-Star history

Sports Brief earlier reported on James tying Lakers icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most All-Star selections with 19.

No other NBA player has more All-Star appearances than James and Abdul-Jabbar, who retired in 1989 at age 42. James received 7,418,116 fan votes and will be captain for the 6th consecutive year.

The former Cleveland Cavaliers star now has the most consecutive appearances in NBA history and has the most selection among active players by some distance.