It's been 3 years but it's time for another edition of the "Bus Driver rankings." Inspired by Charles Barkley's comments on Kevin Durant. We're not looking at box score stats or even advanced stats. Since a prerequisite to even make this list is earning All-NBA honors, great stats and/or impact are understood. The prime mover here will be playoff wins. The players ranked highest here continue where they left off from great regular seasons into the playoffs, earning top seeds to get an easier round or 2 in the playoffs to rack up wins.
Without further ado, the
Bus Driver Rankings
Must make playoffs and All-NBA in the same season to receive points (the amount of seasons will be indicated by # of Overlap) and played at least 1 minute last season
1 point per playoff win for 3rd team All-NBA
1.5 points per playoff win for 2nd team All-NBA
2 points per playoff win for 1st team All-NBA
10 point bonus for winning the championship as the only All-NBA player on a team
5 point bonus for winning a championship with an All-NBA teammate that's on a lower team
Points for a playoff run are cut in half if a teammate has the same or higher All-NBA. This effect can stack.
| Player | Score | Years Pro | # of Playoffs | # of All-NBA | #of Overlap | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeBron James | 355 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 19.7 |
| Stephen Curry | 159.5 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 17.7 |
| Kevin Durant | 139.75 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12.7 |
| Jayson Tatum | 105 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 21 |
| Nikola Jokic | 99.5 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14.2 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 91.5 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 11.4 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 86.5 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 14.4 |
| James Harden | 83 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 10.4 |
| Chris Paul | 78 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 7.1 |
| Luka Doncic | 50 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 12.5 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 49 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 24.5 |
| Russell Westbrook | 47 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 5.9 |
| Joel Embiid | 43 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 8.6 |
| Paul George | 37 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 6.2 |
| Jimmy Butler | 36 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 7.2 |
| Anthony Davis | 27.5 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6.9 |
| Anthony Edwards | 27 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13.5 |
| Damian Lillard | 26.5 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 4.4 |
| Jalen Brunson | 25.5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12.8 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 21 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10.5 |
| Jaylen Brown | 20.25 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 20.3 |
| Kyrie Irving | 18.5 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6.2 |
| Draymond Green | 18.25 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 9.1 |
| Derrick Rose | 18 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| Pascal Siakam | 16.5 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 8.3 |
| Rudy Gobert | 16 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Klay Thompson | 11.75 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5.9 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 11.5 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3.8 |
| Donovan Mitchell | 11.5 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 5.8 |
| Kyle Lowry | 10 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Devin Booker | 10 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 8.75 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2.9 |
| Jalen Williams | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Julius Randle | 7.5 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3.8 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 7.5 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Ja Morant | 7.5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Al Horford | 6 | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Evan Mobley | 3.75 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3.8 |
| Cade Cunningham | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 1.5 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1.5 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 1.5 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
| Bradley Beal | 1 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Trae Young | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
The Jaylen Brown/Pascal Siakam Rule
If the player won an individual award in the playoffs and received an All-NBA vote that regular season, they get points for that series based on their last made All-NBA team. The points can't be cut in half. They are treated as making that All-NBA team as it pertains to interacting with other players' scores. (Tatum receives a 5 point bonus rather than 10 in 2024, Haliburton gets a few points halved from the 2025 ECF)
The Kawhi Leonard Rule
Same as the previous rule, but if the player had not already made an All-NBA team, the points default to All-NBA 3rd team. (Yes, Kawhi did get an All-NBA vote in 2014.)
The cutting points in half gimmick isn't for everyone so here's the
Trophies, Trophies, Trophies Ranking
2.5 points per playoff win for regular season MVPs
Other All-NBA points are the same as the Bus Driver Rankings. No points are cut in half. Winning a championship as an All-NBA player always results in 10 bonus points. Finals MVPs get 5 more bonus points.
| Player | Score | Years Pro | # of Playoffs | # of All-NBA | #of Overlap | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeBron James | 435.5 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 24.2 |
| Stephen Curry | 220.5 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 24.5 |
| Kevin Durant | 194.5 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 17.7 |
| Nikola Jokic | 110.5 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 15.8 |
| Jayson Tatum | 110 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 22 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 104 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 13 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 96.5 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 16.1 |
| James Harden | 88.5 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 11.1 |
| Chris Paul | 83 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 7.5 |
| Russell Westbrook | 67.5 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 8.4 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 67 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 33.5 |
| Anthony Davis | 53.5 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 13.4 |
| Luka Doncic | 50 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 12.5 |
| Draymond Green | 48.5 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 24.3 |
| Joel Embiid | 45.5 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 9.1 |
| Klay Thompson | 41 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 20.5 |
| Paul George | 38 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 6.3 |
| Jimmy Butler | 36.5 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 7.3 |
| Jaylen Brown | 33.5 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 33.5 |
| Damian Lillard | 29 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 4.8 |
| Anthony Edwards | 27 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13.5 |
| Jalen Williams | 26 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
| Jalen Brunson | 25.5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12.8 |
| Kyrie Irving | 23.5 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7.8 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 23 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11.5 |
| Derrick Rose | 22.5 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 22.5 |
| Pascal Siakam | 16.5 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 8.3 |
| Rudy Gobert | 16 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 14 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4.7 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 13 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4.3 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 11.5 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3.8 |
| Donovan Mitchell | 11.5 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 5.8 |
| Kyle Lowry | 10 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Devin Booker | 10 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Julius Randle | 7.5 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3.8 |
| Ja Morant | 7.5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Evan Mobley | 7.5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Al Horford | 6 | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 3 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Cade Cunningham | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Bradley Beal | 1 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Trae Young | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
And we have to address the elephant in the room with
The East Is Weak Ranking
Players on East teams that did NOT win the Finals will have their points multiplied by 0.8 for that playoff run.
For example, Kawhi Leonard spent only one season in the East and those points are unaffected since the Raptors won the title. Karl-Anthony Towns' most recent season on the Knicks gets affected while the points earned on the Timberwolves remain untouched. Joel Embiid, who has been in the East his whole career, has all his points lowered.
Finally, Western Conference MVPs get 3 bonus points.
| Player | Score | Years Pro | # of Playoffs | # of All-NBA | #of Overlap | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeBron James | 391.9 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 21.8 |
| Stephen Curry | 223.5 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 24.8 |
| Kevin Durant | 194.5 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 17.7 |
| Nikola Jokic | 113.5 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 16.2 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 96.5 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 16.1 |
| Jayson Tatum | 96.4 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 19 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 91.8 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 11 |
| James Harden | 88.5 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 11.1 |
| Chris Paul | 83 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 7.5 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 70 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 35.0 |
| Russell Westbrook | 67.5 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 8.4 |
| Anthony Davis | 53.5 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 13.4 |
| Luka Doncic | 53 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 13.3 |
| Draymond Green | 48.5 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 24.3 |
| Klay Thompson | 41 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 20.5 |
| Joel Embiid | 36.4 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7.3 |
| Paul George | 33.2 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 5.5 |
| Jaylen Brown | 30.2 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 30.2 |
| Jimmy Butler | 29.4 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 5.9 |
| Damian Lillard | 29 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 4.8 |
| Anthony Edwards | 27 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13.5 |
| Jalen Williams | 26 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
| Jalen Brunson | 20.4 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 10.2 |
| Kyrie Irving | 18.8 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6.3 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 18.4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9.2 |
| Derrick Rose | 18 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| Rudy Gobert | 16 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 14 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4.7 |
| Pascal Siakam | 13.2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 6.6 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 11 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3.7 |
| Devin Booker | 10 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 9.2 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3.1 |
| Donovan Mitchell | 9.2 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4.6 |
| Kyle Lowry | 8 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Ja Morant | 7.5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Julius Randle | 6 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3.0 |
| Evan Mobley | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6.0 |
| Al Horford | 4.8 | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 3 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| De'Aaron Fox | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Cade Cunningham | 1.6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Bradley Beal | 0.8 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Trae Young | 0.8 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Notes/Observations
- After learning that Kawhi did get a single All-NBA vote in the 2013-2014 regular season before ultimately winning Finals MVP, I can safely say Andre Iguodala's FMVP in 2015 is the strangest this century.
- In the last edition I forgot to add Derrick Rose. Even though he wasn't active this past season, I made an exception to this list.
- Ben Simmons made All-NBA in 2019-2020 but was hurt during the postseason so he couldn't make it on the list. Oh wait, the Sixers were swept in the first round that year. So he really didn't make the list.
- LeBron has more All-NBA seasons than all but a handful of players have played any season
- James Harden is far and away the active leader in most seasons played without missing the playoffs. Stockton and Malone's Jazz duet both hold the record for 19 seasons. Duncan would have also shared that record but tore his meniscus late in the 2000 season and didn't suit up for the playoffs.
- Nico Harrison prefers the latter 2 rankings.
- George over Butler feels wrong but the former always made All-NBA before his 3 conference finals
- LeBron needed his Eastern points deflated to not have a higher score than Steph and KD combined
Here's a link to the first edition which includes how some all-time greats stack up