Last Updated on July 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
The NBA All-NBA First Team is the league’s highest annual honor for individual regular-season performance. First awarded in the inaugural 1946–47 NBA season, it recognizes the five best players in basketball each year and has become one of the most prestigious achievements in the sport.
From George Mikan and Bill Russell to Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Nikola Jokić, the All-NBA First Team serves as a historical record of the NBA’s greatest players and most dominant seasons.
What Is the NBA All-NBA First Team?
The All-NBA Team is selected annually by a panel of media members following the conclusion of the regular season.
Three teams are chosen each year:
- All-NBA First Team
- All-NBA Second Team
- All-NBA Third Team (since 1988–89)
Beginning in 2023–24, All-NBA voting became positionless, allowing the five highest vote-getters to earn First Team honors regardless of position.
Prior to 2023–24, each team consisted of:
- Two guards
- Two forwards
- One center
Selections are based exclusively on regular-season performance.
NBA All-NBA First Team Players by Season
| Season | First Team Players |
|---|---|
| 1946–47 | Joe Fulks, Bob Feerick, Stan Miasek, Howie Dallmar, Ed Sadowski |
| 1947–48 | Max Zaslofsky, Bob Davies, George Mikan, Connie Simmons, Buddy Jeannette |
| 1948–49 | George Mikan, Joe Fulks, Jim Pollard, Bob Davies, Alex Groza |
| 1949–50 | George Mikan, Bob Davies, Jim Pollard, Alex Groza, Dick McGuire |
| 1950–51 | George Mikan, Paul Arizin, Bob Cousy, Dolph Schayes, Vern Mikkelsen |
| 1951–52 | George Mikan, Paul Arizin, Bob Cousy, Dolph Schayes, Vern Mikkelsen |
| 1952–53 | George Mikan, Bob Cousy, Dolph Schayes, Paul Arizin, Neil Johnston |
| 1953–54 | Bob Cousy, Neil Johnston, Dolph Schayes, George Mikan, Paul Arizin |
| 1954–55 | Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Dolph Schayes, Neil Johnston, Jim Pollard |
| 1955–56 | Bob Pettit, Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Paul Arizin, Neil Johnston |
| 1956–57 | Bob Pettit, Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Dolph Schayes, Tom Heinsohn |
| 1957–58 | Bill Russell, Bob Pettit, Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Dolph Schayes |
| 1958–59 | Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dolph Schayes |
| 1959–60 | Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy, Jack Twyman |
| 1960–61 | Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit |
| 1961–62 | Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit |
| 1962–63 | Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Jerry West |
| 1963–64 | Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor |
| 1964–65 | Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry Lucas |
| 1965–66 | Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry Lucas, Elgin Baylor |
| 1966–67 | Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Nate Thurmond |
| 1967–68 | Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Hal Greer |
| 1968–69 | Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Billy Cunningham, Oscar Robertson |
| 1969–70 | Willis Reed, Jerry West, Billy Cunningham, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson |
| 1970–71 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Walt Frazier, Dave Bing, Billy Cunningham |
| 1971–72 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Walt Frazier, John Havlicek, Billy Cunningham |
| 1972–73 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Rick Barry, Dave Cowens, Bob McAdoo |
| 1973–74 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob McAdoo, John Havlicek, Rick Barry, Dave Cowens |
| 1974–75 | Bob McAdoo, Rick Barry, Elvin Hayes, Dave Cowens, Phil Smith |
| 1975–76 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob McAdoo, Rick Barry, Dave Cowens, George McGinnis |
| 1976–77 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Julius Erving, David Thompson, George Gervin |
| 1977–78 | Bill Walton, George Gervin, David Thompson, Elvin Hayes, Julius Erving |
| 1978–79 | Moses Malone, George Gervin, David Thompson, Elvin Hayes, Dennis Johnson |
| 1979–80 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, George Gervin, Larry Bird, Dennis Johnson |
| 1980–81 | Larry Bird, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Gervin, Magic Johnson |
| 1981–82 | Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, George Gervin, Magic Johnson |
| 1982–83 | Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Sidney Moncrief, Julius Erving |
| 1983–84 | Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bernard King, Isiah Thomas, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| 1984–85 | Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Terry Cummings, Moses Malone |
| 1985–86 | Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, Alex English, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| 1986–87 | Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon |
| 1987–88 | Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon |
| 1988–89 | Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon |
| 1989–90 | Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing |
| 1990–91 | Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, David Robinson |
| 1991–92 | Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, David Robinson |
| 1992–93 | Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Karl Malone, Mark Price |
| 1993–94 | Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, John Stockton |
| 1994–95 | David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Shaquille O’Neal |
| 1995–96 | Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Penny Hardaway |
| 1996–97 | Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Tim Hardaway, Grant Hill, Glen Rice |
| 1997–98 | Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Grant Hill, Shaquille O’Neal |
| 1998–99 | Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Alonzo Mourning, Allen Iverson |
| 1999–00 | Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton |
| 2000–01 | Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, Chris Webber, Jason Kidd |
| 2001–02 | Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Tracy McGrady, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant |
| 2002–03 | Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal |
| 2003–04 | Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Peja Stojaković, Jermaine O’Neal, Sam Cassell |
| 2004–05 | Steve Nash, Shaquille O’Neal, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan |
| 2005–06 | Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, LeBron James, Elton Brand |
| 2006–07 | Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Amar’e Stoudemire |
| 2007–08 | Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, Dwight Howard |
| 2008–09 | LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Howard |
| 2009–10 | LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash |
| 2010–11 | Derrick Rose, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant |
| 2011–12 | LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard |
| 2012–13 | LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan |
| 2013–14 | Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Joakim Noah, James Harden |
| 2014–15 | Stephen Curry, James Harden, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol |
| 2015–16 | Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, DeAndre Jordan |
| 2016–17 | Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, Anthony Davis |
| 2017–18 | James Harden, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant |
| 2018–19 | Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Stephen Curry, Paul George, Nikola Jokić |
| 2019–20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, James Harden, Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis |
| 2020–21 | Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Kawhi Leonard |
| 2021–22 | Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum |
| 2022–23 | Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |
| 2023–24 | Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum |
| 2024–25 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell |
Players with the Most All-NBA First Team Selections
Some of the greatest players in NBA history have accumulated numerous First Team honors:
- LeBron James
- Kobe Bryant
- Karl Malone
- Tim Duncan
- Michael Jordan
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Magic Johnson
- Larry Bird
- Bob Pettit
- Jerry West
Multiple First Team selections are one of the strongest indicators of sustained greatness and are frequently cited in Hall of Fame and GOAT debates.
MVP Winners and First Team Selections
Nearly every NBA Most Valuable Player has also earned All-NBA First Team honors during the same season. Notable examples include:
- Michael Jordan
- Magic Johnson
- Larry Bird
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Moses Malone
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Tim Duncan
- Steve Nash
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Kobe Bryant
- LeBron James
- Stephen Curry
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Nikola Jokić
- Joel Embiid
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Winning both awards in the same season represents one of the highest individual achievements in professional basketball.
Hall of Fame First Team Legends
The All-NBA First Team is filled with Hall of Famers who defined generations of basketball, including:
- George Mikan
- Bill Russell
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Oscar Robertson
- Jerry West
- Elgin Baylor
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Julius Erving
- Larry Bird
- Magic Johnson
- Michael Jordan
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Tim Duncan
- Kobe Bryant
- LeBron James
Why the Award Matters
An All-NBA First Team selection signifies that a player was among the five best performers in the NBA during the regular season. It is one of the league’s most prestigious honors and plays a significant role in evaluating player legacies, Hall of Fame credentials, contract incentives, and historical rankings.
For many fans and analysts, First Team selections are one of the clearest measures of sustained excellence across an NBA career.
Related Player Lists
- All-NBA Second Team Players
- All-NBA Third Team Players
- NBA MVP Winners
- NBA All-Star Players
- NBA All-Defensive First Team Players
- NBA All-Defensive Second Team Players
- NBA Hall of Fame Players
- NBA Champions (Players)