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NBA teams where one player carries the heaviest load
| # | Team | Star | PPG | Share% | Gap | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jalen Brunson | 28.7 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 50-22 | |
| 2 | Donovan Mitchell | 26.6 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 52-20 | |
| 3 | Joel Embiid | 34.7 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 41-31 | |
| 4 | Tyrese Haliburton | 20.1 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 46-26 | |
| 5 | Trae Young | 25.7 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 38-34 | |
| 6 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 30.1 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 57-15 | |
| 7 | Nikola Jokic | 26.4 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 50-22 | |
| 8 | Anthony Edwards | 25.9 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 49-23 | |
| 9 | Luka Doncic | 33.9 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 47-25 | |
| 10 | De'Aaron Fox | 26.6 | 100% | +5 | 62 | 42-30 |
Every NBA team builds around its best player, but some teams push that concept to the extreme. Star-dependent teams live and die by their franchise player's performance. When the star is locked in, these teams can beat anyone. When the star struggles or sits, they often look lost.
In the playoffs, defensive game plans specifically target the opposing team's best player. Star-dependent teams face a unique challenge: if the defense can slow down their primary option, the supporting cast often lacks the ability to pick up the slack. This is why many star-dependent teams flame out in the postseason despite strong regular-season records.
A star-dependent team relies disproportionately on one player for scoring and playmaking. This is measured by the star's scoring share (percentage of team points), the PPG gap between the top scorer and second scorer, and overall usage concentration.
Not always. Many championship teams featured a dominant star (LeBron, Jordan, Shaq). However, excessive dependency makes teams vulnerable when the star is injured, resting, or facing elite defensive game plans in the playoffs.
The New York Knicks have the highest dependency score (62), with Jalen Brunson accounting for 100% of tracked roster scoring at 28.7 PPG.
The dependency score combines scoring share (60% weight) with the PPG gap between the top scorer and second scorer (40% weight). Higher scores indicate greater reliance on a single player.