The "Definitive" Top 10 NBA Players Heading into the 2025-2026 Season
The Definitive Top 10 NBA Players (2025-2026)
🏀 Top 10 NBA Players Heading into the 2025–2026 Season
The NBA landscape continues to evolve, with emerging stars and seasoned legends battling for the title of best in the world. Here's a breakdown of the top 10 players heading into the new season, ranked by impact, production, and playoff performance.
🏅 Honorable Mentions
🧠 Lebron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Age: 40
2024-2025 box score numbers, (24.4, 8.2, 7.8)
🎯 Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Age: 26
(24.2, 11.6, 3.1)
Inspired moves by the front office has turned the hawks into a dark horse contender in a weak eastern conference. Will Trae Young be able to reach the heights of 2021 with possibly his best team yet?
🛡️ Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks
Age: 31
(24.7, 3.5,11.6)
In his first full year as a no. 1 option since his days in New Orleans; does the 2-way phenom still have it?
🚀 Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Age: 23
(26.1, 9.1, 6.1)
At age 23, and coming off his greatest season yet; does Cade have an MVP-caliber leap in him?
⚡ Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Age: 24
(24.6, 7.2, 5.3)
Very few players in NBA history have seen as many ups, and downs in their first 6 seasons. Entering year 7, can Zion reach the 65 game award requirement for only the 2nd time in his career?
The "Definitive" Top 10
The reigning Clutch Player of the Year put up 26 points and 7 assists on an impressive 61% true shooting percentage, leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals. For the fourth consecutive season, Jalen Brunson increased his scoring average in the playoffs. However, concerns about his isolation-heavy style of play became more pronounced during the conference finals.
Still, at 28 years old, Brunson is in the heart of his prime and looks poised for another deep playoff run in a weakened Eastern Conference. His ability to score from anywhere on the court, despite standing just 6'2", makes him one of the most unique and impactful players on this list.
9️⃣ Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Despite a statistical down year, Donovan Mitchell earned All-NBA First Team honors and led the Cavaliers to the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Yet, in a storyline that’s become all too familiar for D-Mitch, his strong postseason performance wasn’t enough to prevent another early exit that fell short of expectations.
Mitchell’s ability to score at all three levels, combined with his underrated playmaking, makes him a reliable No. 1 option during the regular season. Averaging 28.3 points per game in the playoffs, he ranks seventh all-time in postseason scoring average; a feat that speaks volumes and cannot be overstated.
8️⃣ Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
At 36 years old, Kevin Durant is tied as the oldest player on this list. Despite his age, he posted a remarkable 64% true shooting percentage, second-highest among all 20-point-per-game scorers, while averaging 26.6 points per game. Though signs of regression have begun to show, Durant remains a fringe top-five scorer in the league and has quietly evolved into a strong defender.
During his time in Phoenix, Durant often took a backseat to Devin Booker on a poorly managed Suns team. But in 2025–2026, he’ll step into a new role as the clear No. 1 option on a young, contending Houston Rockets squad; offering a fresh opportunity to remind the league just how impactful he can still be.
7️⃣ Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Before season-ending blood clot issues cut his campaign short, Victor Wembanyama had all but secured the Defensive Player of the Year award, averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds while leading the league in combined steals and blocks ("stocks"). After just two seasons, and at only 21 years old, Wembanyama is already a borderline top-five player in the league, with perhaps the most obvious room for growth among the elite.
Standing at 7'5", Wembanyama possesses all-time great rim deterrence, paired with elite switch-ability at the five spot. With the Spurs now looking poised for playoff contention, fans are hopeful that Wemby will finally get the chance to showcase his generational talent on the biggest stage.
6️⃣ Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
The score-first two-guard finished fifth in scoring with 27.6 points per game, while also leading the league in total three-pointers made. At just 23 years old, the high-flying “Ant-Man” hasn’t even entered his prime. Like Wembanyama, Edwards has clear areas for growth; particularly in playmaking and off-ball movement.
However, judging by his historic leap in three-point shooting during the 2024–2025 season, there’s no doubt Edwards has the tools to make the necessary improvements to reach true best-in-the-world status. His postseason was polarizing: a rise in efficiency came with a dip in volume, and his MVP-level ceiling and glaring weaknesses were both on full display; sometimes within the same quarter.
Looking ahead to 2026, another offensive leap from Ant-Man could quietly become one of the most underrated storylines of the season.
5️⃣ Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors
At age 36, the greatest shooter of all time once again led the league in three-point makes per game and free throw percentage, while guiding a subpar Warriors team to the second round of the playoffs. The 2024–2025 season was a bumpy ride for Stephen Curry, as management, coaching, depth, and even his own play came under scrutiny.
However, following the addition of Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, Curry returned to near-prime form, averaging 27 points per game. A clear decline in athleticism has impacted his ability to dominate as a scorer, making his gravity and the defensive attention he commands more valuable than ever.
4️⃣ Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
With arguably the greatest first-five-season résumé in NBA history, Luka Doncic finally had a down year in 2024–2025, despite being one of only two players to average 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists per game. Heading into Year 7 and his first full season in the City of Angels, Luka appears poised for yet another MVP-caliber campaign.
Despite being ranked No. 4 on the list, Luka is closer to the best-in-the-world conversation than to the fifth spot. Much like Nikola Jokic, Luka’s ability to both score and pass at a top-five level makes him a one-man offensive engine. With improved conditioning and better physical health, Luka should return to the version of himself that can once again contend for the title of best player in the world.
3️⃣ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The reigning MVP, Finals MVP, and scoring title winner had his best season yet, and was arguably the best player of the 2024–2025 campaign. The only thing keeping Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 3 is the shorter length of his best-in-the-world track record compared to others.
What makes Shai’s greatness so fascinating is that his only truly elite skill is scoring. However, he is so incredibly efficient from all areas of the court that his average playmaking is more than enough to lead a top-10 offense in the league. His ability to lead as a score-first guard without elite passing is reminiscent of prime Stephen Curry.
Shai’s scoring dominance stems from his mid-range excellence, his ability to create space, and his knack for drawing fouls on nearly every attempt; resulting in either an open shot or a trip to the free-throw line. Another season like this, and it will be nearly impossible to keep Shai out of the top two spots in the league.
2️⃣ Giannis Antetokounmpo
Another historically great individual season, and another disappointing team result, for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2024–2025, Giannis ranked second in points per game, sixth in rebounds, and 13th in assists. He also led the playoffs in both rebounds and points per game.
The 30-year-old has finished top four in MVP voting and made the All-NBA First Team for seven consecutive seasons. Rarely injured, elite on both ends of the court, and in the middle of his prime, the 2025 version of Giannis is one of the greatest NBA players ever to not be considered the current best in the league.
Despite all of this, the 2026 outlook for Giannis and the Bucks is not promising. Without Damian Lillard, the Greek Freak seems destined to carry a subpar Bucks roster to yet another disappointing postseason exit.
🥇 Nikola Jokic
In the 2024–2025 season, Nikola Jokic became only the third player in NBA history, and the first center, to average a triple-double for an entire season. Despite not winning his fourth MVP, "The Joker" had his best individual season yet, finishing top three in points, rebounds, and assists per game, while ranking sixth in true shooting percentage (TS%).
Similar to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jokic has produced MVP-caliber seasons for half a decade and appears poised for several more. Despite questionable coaching and poor roster management, Jokic, far from his best, managed to push the champion Thunder to seven games.
After back-to-back second-round exits and with their first positive offseason in a while, the Nuggets seem poised to contend for another championship. At 29 years old, Jokic has already accomplished everything in the NBA. The only questions that remain are: how long can he keep the throne, and how far can he climb all-time?
Who was ranked too high, too low, or snubbed from the list altogether. Please feel free to share your opinions in the comments, and stay tuned for more content on all things NBA!
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