Fan Rankings Home » NBA » Top 10 Best NBA Players 2025-2026 Rankings

Best NBA Players Right Now 2025-2026

The marathon of a 2025-26 NBA season finally ended a few weeks ago. Once again, four rounds of playoffs in each conference, plus the Play-In Tournament to decide the final two entrants in each conference comprised this year’s version of the annual war of attrition to decide the NBA champion. And in a mild surprise, the New York Knicks emerged as the winner for the first time since 1973. Finals MVP Jalen Brunson (more on him later) etched his name into Knicks’ and NBA lore with clutch performances throughout the postseason. So does that now make him the best player in the NBA? That will likely be one of many fiercely-debated throughout the summer of 2026, especially over the 2.5 months of dead NBA air between the end of the summer league play and the start of preseason play in early October.

Taking into consideration factors that go well beyond the 2025-26 NBA playoffs, here are the updated rankings for the 2025-26 Top 10 NBA Players – End of Season Edition.

Honorable Mention

Lebron James

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: Forward

Lebron James is about to enter an unprecedented 24th season as an NBA player, and will celebrate his 42nd birthday about two months into the 2026-27 NBA campaign. While that type of longevity in itself might be worthy of a Top Ten ranking, James is still performing at a high level. And while he certainly doesn’t cover ground, especially on the defensive end, as consistently as he used to, and he’s at the age where he can wake up one morning and all his super powers are gone, he can still impact a basketball game in a multitude of ways and is still one of the only players who can man any of the five positions on a basketball court.

In recent days he found himself faced with a dilemma most 41-year-old NBA players never have to deal with: deciding which team to suit up for next. Recently informed by the Los Angeles Lakers that his services were no longer needed, James suddenly finds himself as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026 with several teams vying for his talents. That he even has suitors at all at his age is incredible, but he’s still viewed as potentially the missing piece for several teams with championship hopes, and only financial constraints prevent even more teams from making a bid.

Playing fewer games and minutes, Lebron is no longer the ironman he was during his prime years, and he’s lost a step or three on the defensive end of the floor, but he can still make enough of a difference to help a contender reach its goals. Though James has many detractors, especially in the world of social media, the hope is that he doesn’t hang around too long and end up being remembered for the results of slowing down.

Stephen Curry

Team: Golden State Warriors

Position: JUST A GUARD

Another player approaching 40 years old and still performing at a high level, Steph Curry’s ability to shoot a basketball will keep him on an NBA court longer then most players. Already having won multiple NBA titles and having transformed a sport and given hope to many attempted imitators at all levels, the 38-year-old Curry had one of his best statistical seasons in 2025-26 despite playing only 43 regular-season games. Still, missing so many games serves as a reminder that we only have a short while to appreciate players like Curry, Durant, and Lebron James as they push themselves through the grind of an NBA season.

While Curry has never been a lockdown defender, his efficient shooting, in addition to his ballhandling and passing ability, make him still the one player the Golden State Warriors can least afford to lose. Now it’s imperative for the Warriors to surround him with the type of roster that can survive extended regular-season absences while prepping for the postseason grind. He is still a dangerous player.

Kevin Durant

Team: Houston Rockets

Position: Forward

Kevin Durant will celebrate his 38th birthday right before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. He has been putting up efficient offensive numbers for a long time – since the Seattle Supersonics were a thing – and it’s incredible to think a player at his age and with his history of injuries could still put up 26 points per game while shooting well over 50 percent from the floor – mostly from the perimeter – without breaking a sweat. He has amassed well over 30,000 points in the NBA and has won two NBA titles.

With Durant now in his late thirties, teams have accepted that he can still dominate in the midrange, particularly during the regular season. They have also focused on using his slender frame against him, playing him with more physicality and forcing him into turnovers on offense while making him move more laterally on defense during the postseason. He is now on his fourth team since leaving Oklahoma City ten years ago, and might be looking to move again. Any team who takes him on at this stage of his career will have to take the bad with the good with injuries becoming more of an issue, as the Houston Rockets discovered during their 2026 first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. But when he takes the court, he’s still as close to a sure thing as there is in terms of efficient offensive production.

Top 10 Best NBA Players 2026 Rankings

10. Cade Cunningham

Team: Detroit Pistons

Position: GUARD

Any doubts regarding the importance of Cade Cunningham’s importance to the Detroit Pistons’ fortunes were erased during the 2025-26 season. After leading the Detroit Pistons to the best regular-season record in the Eastern Conference and suffering a late-season lung ailment, Cunningham willed his team to a grueling seven-game first round win over the Orlando Magic before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in another seven game series in the second round. The Pistons’ postseason offensive struggles accentuated the team’s need for reliable secondary and tertiary scorers behind Cunningham. That Cunningham seemed to run out of gas at some point during the Orlando series was also a result of him giving all-out effort on the defensive end. But he never complained, just kept playing and trying to will his team to the conference finals before falling short.

This is already one of the better two-way players the NBA has to offer and is only a slight uptick in field goal percentages away from being one of the league’s top five players. He plays the full game, impacts both ends of the court and, at 6’6″ has a size advantage over most guards. Still only 24 years old, the Pistons are hoping he will be the face of their franchise for many years to come.

9. Jalen Brunson

Team: New York Knicks

Position: GUARD

That Jalen Brunson’s ability to perform on the largest NBA stage has been the focus of attention in recent months, largely because of his relative lack of height, is actually a testament to how effective he is as an offensive basketball player. Blessed with a high basketball IQ and footwork clearly borne out of many years of hard work, Brunson became a polarizing figure when basketball discussions turned to the likelihood of a team in the current NBA landscape could win a championship while being led by a small guard. The topic only came up because the Knicks were a real threat to make a deep playoff run with the 6’1″ Brunson as the focal point. Now the reigning NBA Finals MVP and newly-crowned ‘King of New York,’ Brunson silenced his critics though even he would admit the championship series against San Antonio was not the most efficient version of himself (including 30-for-81 shooting from the field in Games 3 through 5) while facing the Spurs’ larger guards.

Should Brunson now be considered the NBA’s best player after the Knicks’ championship run? No, he still – but for the occasional charge taken – really impacts only one end of the court, and as recently as a few weeks prior to the finals he was being criticized for not playing well with others, but his ability to connect in the clutch at the highest levels of the sport at least puts him in the conversation. Meanwhile, his doubters, including one prominent WNBA coach, are now catching heat for suggesting a smallish guard could not lead a team to the NBA title, and it appears, based on the most recent NBA draft results and player transactions, that there is still a place in the NBA for the small guard. Brunson’s most recent performances have a lot to do with that.

8. Jaylen Brown

Team: Boston Celtics

Position: SHOOTING GUARD/SMALL FORWARD

Speaking of two-way players, Jaylen Brown’s 2025-26 performance catapulted the Boston Celtics to a surprising second-place finish in the Eastern Conference’s regular season. What made this so impressive was the team spent the summer of 2025 purging the roster of several key – but expensive – components from its 2024 championship squad and dealing with Jayson Tatum’s Achilles’ injury, expected to cost him the entire 2025-26 season. But behind the two-way play of Jaylen Brown combined with his best offensive season statistically, the Celtics played well beyond expectations before losing a first-round series to Philadelphia with the then-active Tatum missing Game Seven.

Brown finished 2025-26 with career best numbers in scoring, rebounding, and assists while finishing sixth in MVP voting. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop the Celtics from making roster adjustments as on July 6th, Brown was traded to division rival Philadelphia in what reeks of yet another cost-cutting maneuver. With teammates like Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, plus the occasional cameo appearance from Joel Embiid, Brown’s offensive numbers going forward will surely take a hit. But he definitely plugs a hole at the small forward position for Philly, giving them a reliable scorer and wing defender still in his prime years.

7. Kawhi Leonard

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Position: SMALL FORWARD/SHOOTING Guard

Kawhi Leonard makes this list because he actually played in 2025-26. As long as he plays, he’s a Top 10 player. In 2025-26, Leonard suited up for 65 games, his second highest total in the last ten seasons. Now we could argue all day as to whether this was merely a play for a contract extension, but the impact he has on both ends of the floor when he plays cannot be disputed. In addition to his usual lockdown defense, Leonard contributed close to 28 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the floor for the 2025-26 Los Angeles Clippers. He also finished 7th in league MVP voting and was named to the All-NBA’s Second Team.

As NBA franchises become more cost and Second Apron conscious, the Clippers decided against dealing with an extension for Leonard – (his contract paying him $50 million per year expires at the end of next season) it wasn’t a total shock when the Clippers sent him to the Toronto Raptors a few days ago. Leonard is still a hero in Toronto, having led the Raptors to their only NBA title in 2019 while winning his second Finals’ MVP award. Given the 35-year-old Leonard’s injury history, the trade and any extension are huge gambles the Raptors feel are worth taking.

6. Anthony Edwards

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

Position: SHOOTING GUARD

Anthony Edwards does not lack for confidence, and he backs it up. Behind the trash-talk with opposing players and the vulgar exchanges with heckling fans is a player who has improved in each of his six NBA seasons. This is a guy who was known mostly for his athleticism and poster dunks gone viral, but there is way more to the Ant-Man than that. He has improved his scoring in each of his six seasons, averaging just shy of 29 points per game in 2025-26. After shooting just 32 percent from three-point range as a rookie, he’s been a steady 40 percent shooter over the past two seasons. And for the past two seasons, he’s finished third in the running for Clutch Player of the Year. Combine all that with being the vocal leader of a squad that advanced to the Western Conference finals for two consecutive years before bowing to the eventual conference champion San Antonio Spurs in 2026.

He will also get in your face on the defensive end and even hands out about four assists per game. His strength and athleticism create problems for most opponents. This past season was the first of six where Edwards missed significant time with injuries, including the postseason. Still just a few weeks away from his 25th birthday, there’s no reason believe Edwards won’t continue to improve in all phases of the game.

5. Luka Doncic

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: Guard

Luka Doncic, now the unquestioned face of the Los Angeles Lakers, one the NBA’s most celebrated franchises, is on a short list of the most potent offensive players in the league. He hit the ground running as a rookie in 2019 averaging 21 points per game, and has flirted with 30 points and nine assists per game every year since. In 2025-26, Doncic won his second NBA scoring title, averaged 33.5 points per game while earning All-NBA First Team honors for the sixth time in his eight-year career. With Lebron James no longer in the mix, Doncic will now be counted on to give a hungry fan base reason to believe an 18th franchise championship is not far away. The Lakers’ jersey is heavier than most, and Doncic will have to resolve a couple of issues to keep the critics at bay.

Never the league’s best-conditioned athlete, Doncic has only played in 70 or more regular season games twice in his eight years. He missed 18 regular season games this past season, and missed the postseason completely. In addition, Doncic is not considered a defensive presence, and he’ll need to become decent, at worst, to supplement his offensive prowess. There are few NBA players who will be under a bigger spotlight going forward than Luka Doncic. Likewise, there are few who can accomplish what he does on the offensive end. If he shows up and gets into a defensive stance, any Lakers’ shortcomings will largely fall on the front office.

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Team: Milwaukee Bucks

Position: PoWER FORWARD

The 2025-26 NBA season was a difficult one for Giannis Antetokounmpo, with injuries limiting him to 32 games amid swirling trade rumors. On June 22nd, the rumors ended and Giannis was traded to the Miami Heat in exchange for four players and draft capital. While the Bucks received four productive players in the deal, the Heat get a player still regarded as one of the best in the league, a player who climbed the ranks despite not being a three-point threat or a good free-throw shooter. Giannis is only a 27 percent three-point shooter over his career and, as a result, doesn’t attempt many, but he does everything else. Originally selected with the 15th pick of a 2013 draft recognized as one of the weakest in recent memory (the “Anthony Bennett” draft) and viewed as a European stash at best by some scouts, we watched Giannis’ skills develop over time as he got stronger and more confident. We saw him struggle to score seven points per game as a gangly rookie while shooting 41 percent from the floor, clearly not ready for NBA speed and physicality.

Now we are looking back an an NBA Champion and Finals’ MVP, 2-time NBA Most Valuable Player, 10-time NBA All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year who, at 31 years old, still has more to accomplish. 6’11” players with the ability to score, rebound, pass, handle the ball, start a fastbreak, finish a fast break, and guard multiple positions don’t come along very often. If the Miami Heat bring in some shooters to clear driving lanes for Giannis to operate, they will benefit every bit as much as the Milwaukee Bucks did. Durability has become an issue in recent years, as Giannis has suited up for 70 or more games only once in the past seven seasons. The Miami Heat will take what they can get.

3. Nikola Jokic

Team: Denver Nuggets

Position: Center

Nikola Jokic presents a strong argument for why teams shouldn’t toss second-round picks away like pennies. Not even the first center chosen by his own team in the 2014 NBA draft (the Denver Nuggets selected Josef Nurkic in the first round), Jokic didn’t even play for the Nuggets the first year after being drafted. The prototypical “European stash” played in Serbia his first year and honed his skills before joining the Nuggets for the 2015-16 season. By his fourth NBA season, he was earning MVP votes for his scoring, rebounding, and passing ability, and he hasn’t looked back.

An NBA champion and Finals’ MVP in 2023 and 3-time league Most Valuable Player, Jokic led the NBA in rebounds (12.7) and assists (10.7) and finished eighth in scoring (27.7) in 2025-26 while finishing second in the league’s Most Valuable Player award voting. The one knock against Jokic is the lack of rim protection, but the Nuggets aren’t complaining. Jokic is still just 31 years old in an era where the top players, barring injury, continue into their late thirties. Things are about to become very interesting in Denver as their franchise cornerstone approaches the end of his current deal with a player option after the 2027-28 season. Should the Nuggets find themselves in a tricky situation, Jokic will be nearly impossible to replace.

2. Victor Wembanyama

Team: San Antonio Spurs

Position: CENTER

The 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama, accompanied by a 21-year-old (Stephon Castle) and a 20-year old (Dylan Harper) sidekick, managed to reach the 2026 NBA Finals, dethroning the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on the way there. Now the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Victor is the clear anchor of one of the league’s best defensive teams. Only some youthful decisions made both on the court and the sidelines, in addition to the inability to close games (coupled with the Knicks’ inability to quit) during the championship series prevented the Spurs from winning the entire thing. In addition to being a scary defensive presence, Victor tossed in 25 points per game and pulled down 11.5 rebounds per game while still figuring out what he’s doing.

He also displayed a bit of a mean streak during the NBA playoffs, picking up several flagrant fouls along the way. So this seemingly docile guy can swing elbows with the best of them. He’ll at least attempt to guard all areas of the court, and will likely improve even more as a defender should the Spurs add a bruiser or two to their front line. The one knock against Wembanyama is still the perceived lack of strength, as well as an unwillingness to utilize his size on the offensive end, settling for long-distance shots. Perhaps the lack of strength factors on, but should he develop the lower body strength to become immovable in the low post, the league will have one more problem to deal with. That said, the Spurs will be a problem for the foreseeable future, and Victor Wembanyama is the main reason why.

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

POSITION: GUARD

Over the past two NBA regular seasons, the Oklahoma City Thunder have amassed a record of 132 wins and 32 losses. They won the NBA title i 2025, and without several injuries to key players in 2026, were a good bet to win it again. Among the many reasons for this sustained level of excellence, the now two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player award winner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is the main one. The 2026 season saw SGA finish second to Luka Doncic in the scoring race while his Thunder quad were considered favorites to repeat as NBA champions in 2026. SGA has now averaged in excess of 30 points per game for four consecutive seasons, and his ability to draw fouls is one of many reasons why. Another reason is his efficiency. It’s one thing to draw shooting fouls, quite another to connect on 88 percent of your free throw attempts. In 2025-26, he also hit on 55 percent of his field goal attempts overall, including nearly 39 percent from three-point range.

When he’s not doing that, he’s dishing out over six assists per game. And of course, if you’re going to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder, you are going to play defense, and SGA uses his 7-foot wingspan to be a very disruptive defender. He is involved in every aspect of the game when he’s on the court.

The main criticism of SGA is his alleged hunting for fouls. With his level of proficiency from the free throw line, he’d be crazy not to. He has the respect of his teammates as the leader and from around the league for his commitment.

The OKC Thunder hope Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, the best player in the NBA, is with them for many more years hunting fouls.

How would you rank the best NBA players so far into the 2025-2026 NBA Season? Rank below to be added in the NBA Power Rankings.

• Top 10 NBA Point Guards 2024 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Shooting Guards 2024 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2024 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Power Forwards 2024 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Centers 2024 Rankings