Who is the best player in the NBA?

Let's do this community-style and give everyone who reads this Substack their opportunity to have a say

While compiling the results of the first-ever reader survey in the history of The Stein Line, I realized that I wished I had phrased one of the questions differently.

Instead of just asking respondents to write in a selection of their favorite NBA player, I think it would have been better to ask everyone to register their own choice for Best Player on the Planet.

Why rely on ESPN’s or anyone else’s player rankings? We can do it ourselves (to a degree).

So …

I’m trying that here today. Everyone is invited to select the player they think ranks as the best player in the league.

One important caveat, though!

Substack polls embedded in stories only allow for a menu five choices. This is a technological limitation beyond my control.

The best solution I could come up with: Assemble two polls below that create space for nine different candidates, all of whom are pictured in the above season preview graphic published by the NBA, for our maiden Best on Earth vote.

Please make your choice in only ONE of the poll boxes below. If your selection is, say, Golden State’s Stephen Curry … PLEASE just skip over the first poll box that features #thisleague’s foremost international stars from Europe and Africa.

I’m going to keep the polling open for three days. Can’t wait to see who prevails.

PS: If you are clicking the line that says OTHER, please list your choice — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for example — in the comment section below.

And here, in case you missed it, is Tuesday’s piece with all the survey results: