Ranking the best NBA players right now – LeBron James fighting for his legacy as Lakers on brink

NBA players are among the best athletes in the world.

To rank among the best of the best in The Association is to truly be on top of the basketball mountain.

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Who’s the best basketball player in the world?

While Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar dominate the conversation for the greatest NBA players of all-time, those legendary names have recorded their final minutes on the hardwood.

“Michael Jordan, for sure,” Dallas Mavericks star and newly crowned NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg exclusively told talkSPORT, when asked to pick between Air Jordan and LeBron James.

“That’s the GOAT to me. I don’t know if it was how I was raised by my parents or not, but that’s just my answer.”

Big men used to be everything in basketball, while some of the league’s greatest players have never won a ring.

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are still making modern history.

But Victor Wembanyama is changing the future of the league, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and won the recent Finals, and Luka Doncic is the new face of the Los Angeles Lakers.

With Jayson Tatum and Cade Cunningham back from injuries and the Lakers trying to survive vs the Oklahoma City Thunder, this list is stacked with huge names.

Here is talkSPORT’s inside look at the best players in the NBA during the 2025-26 playoffs.

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20. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

Murray rediscovered his All-Star form in 2025-26.

The 2023 NBA Finals winner averaged 23.7 points and 5.7 assists in the first round, despite only shooting 35.7 percent from the field.

But Denver’s stunning defeat to an injury-ridden Minnesota Timberwolves team was a reminder that the Nuggets’ peak is in the past.

The good news for Murray is that the nine-year pro played his most regular-season games (75) in seven seasons.

19. Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets

KD would be higher on this list if he was playing in the playoffs.

For all the time that Durant spends defending himself and his basketball legacy, no one doubts how talented he is.

He surpassed 32,000 points in his career and earned a fourth gold medal with Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Even at 37, few players in the world are as skilled offensively as the Slim Reaper.

A historic seven-team trade sent Durant to Houston, and now he’ll attempt to lead the Rockets to the Finals for the first time in 31 years after signing a two-year, $90 million contract extension.

But injuries limited Durant vs the Lakers, and his first year in Houston ended with frustration and disappointment after the Rockets fell in the first round to a beat-up Lakers squad.

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18. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

Sengun’s stats can’t be ignored.

The big man from Turkey is averaged 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds vs the Lakers, and already has two All-Star selections before turning 24.

His next big step is winning a playoff series.

17. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Tatum’s speedy recovery from an Achilles injury was one of the best stories of the season.

The No. 3 overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft has made six All-Star teams, earned five All-NBA honors, been named All-Star Game MVP and won the 2023-24 NBA Finals.

Tatum averaged 23.3 points and 10.7 rebounds as Boston fought to keep its season alive in the first round vs the 76ers.

Now he must spend the entire offseason dealing with a stunning defeat.

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16. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

Flagg’s late surge handed the No. 1 overall pick the Rookie of the Year award.

Consistently winning with the Mavericks could be a struggle during the next couple years, though, especially with Anthony Davis traded to Washington.

But there’s no doubt that the Duke phenom has been NBA ready and Flagg has already scored 51 points in a game.

“It’s such a surreal feeling to see where I came from and what I’ve been able to do,” Flagg told talkSPORT.

With Wembanyama leading the revived Spurs, The Association has a sparkling new collection of young names to guide the league once James retires.

Flagg can already do it all on the hardwood and he should be battling Wemby for years in the Western Conference.

He just needs some help in Dallas.

15. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

With Luka Doncic recovering and Austin Reaves sometimes misfiring, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has reminded basketball fans across the globe of his historic power.

But can James pull the Lakers out of a 3-0 second-round hole vs the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder?

The King entered Game 4 averaging 23.1 points, 7.8 assists and 6.1 rebounds in the playoffs.

He carried Los Angeles past the Houston Rockets but this could soon be the end for James as a Laker.

14. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

A few years ago, Booker was on the verge of becoming one of the best players in the league.

He’s still near the top, despite a series of playoff letdowns for Phoenix and the departure of key stars. 

Booker has a big-shot, big-game mentality and is one of the premier closers in the NBA.

But his biggest problem is playing for a Suns squad that keeps getting knocked out of the postseason.

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13. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

Mitchell bet on himself by bouncing out of Utah.

He’s been even better with the Cavaliers, taking the next step in a career that has already featured seven All-Star selections and two All-NBA honors. 

Last season, Mitchell averaged 24 points while Cleveland fought for the best record in the NBA.

This year, he’s averaged 27.9 points while adjusting to new teammate James Harden.

The next big step for Mitchell is carrying the Cavs in the playoffs and reaching the NBA Finals. 

First, Cleveland has to get past the Detroit Pistons in the second round.

12. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

The greatest shooter of all-time is still playing at a very high level – when he’s healthy. 

But whether Golden State can make another Finals run with No. 30 is a serious question.

The Warriors have lost Klay Thompson, while Draymond Green can be unreliable even when he’s not calling out his teammates.

Curry has spent years carrying Golden State, but he couldn’t finish the 2024-25 postseason after a frustrating hamstring strain.

Curry was limited to 43 games this year, but averaged 26.6 points and shot 46.8 percent from the field when he was on the floor. 

The four-time champ has made more than 4,200 3-pointers, but another ring is his main late-career goal.

Green might stay in San Francisco, while Steve Kerr has already committed to a coaching return.

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11. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Maxey has become the 76ers’ most dependable star. 

He ranked fifth in the NBA in nightly scoring (28.3 points) and guided Philly past the Boston Celtics in Game 7.

A 4-0 second-round knockout by the Knicks was a setback for Maxey’s team, though.

10. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Brunson has evolved from a second-round pick into the new face of the Knicks.

He’s kept New York near the top of the Eastern Conference the last three seasons, and cracked the top 10 of NBA MVP voting in back-to-back years. 

Once a backup for the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson’s attacking style has been perfect for New York.

But he has another stage to reach to become an all-time great inside Madison Square Garden.

Veteran head coach Mike Brown was brought in to solidify the Knicks from within. 

Brunson is dreaming of a Finals breakout in Manhattan. 

New York dominated Philly in the second round and is now waiting on its Eastern Conference finals opponent.

9. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Cunningham is a former No. 1 pick coming into his own.

Detroit finished 44-38 and avoided the play-in tournament last season, and the ex-Oklahoma State star was the primary reason why.

Cunningham set career highs in average points (26.1) and assists (9.1), becoming the face of the rebuilt Pistons.

He then averaged 25 points, 8.7 assists and 8.3 rebounds during a first-round series defeat to the New York Knicks.

Cunningham was a legit MVP candidate this year, before a collapsed lung halted his rise.

Now the top-seed Pistons are battling with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round.

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8. Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers

The Klaw is still a force in his 14th season.

Leonard is the last man standing with the Clippers and his 2025-26 campaign was his best in years.

After James Harden forced a trade to Cleveland, Leonard put Los Angeles’ other NBA team on his shoulders.

The Clippers turned around their season, thanks to their team MVP. 

Then they were kicked out of the play-in tournament by Stephen Curry and trolled by Chris Paul.

7. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

Ant-Man is a speedy and athletic guard who has taken over the Timberwolves.

Edwards’s leaping ability and aggressive offensive style are perfect for the contemporary NBA.

Back-to-back Western Conference finals appearances have set the stage. 

All that’s next for Ant-Man is the glowing lights of the Finals.

Can his Wolves overcome Wemby’s Spurs in the second round?

Ranking Michael Jordan’s greatest games

5. 61 points - Bulls 125, Pistons 120 in OT on March 4, 1987

The final full month of the 1986-87 season produced some of Jordan’s best scoring outbursts.

He began March by scoring 30 points, then dropped 61 two games later.

Nights featuring 49, 44, 40, 40, 46, 56 and 40 points followed, as MJ announced to the basketball world that a new name was taking over.

On March 4 inside the Pistons’ home, Jordan was almost unstoppable.

He played a team-high 43 minutes while producing 61 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks.

Shooting 17-of-18 from the free-throw line, MJ outscored every other Chicago starter by at least 50 points.

The Bulls needed overtime — and all 61 of Jordan’s points — to hold off Detroit.

6. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Brown is a world champion for a reason.

The Boston tough guy is a huge piece for the Celtics, teaming with Jayson Tatum to keep the 2023-24 world champs near the top of the Eastern Conference.

Brown is a Finals MVP and can do it all for Boston — he’d put up even bigger numbers on a lesser team.

This year, Brown carried the Celtics and kept them in contention until Tatum could return. 

But a first-round loss and Game 7 defeat will sting for months.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

In most worlds, the Greek Freak would be the best basketball player on the planet.

Antetokounmpo has already done it all, winning the NBA Finals and twice being named the league’s MVP.

But his time in Milwaukee could be limited.

A blockbuster trade for Damian Lillard was a bust, while the Bucks will miss the playoffs this year. 

The Greek Freak still has a huge career decision to make.

Despite being limited to 36 games in questionable circumstances, he’s averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and shooting 62.4 percent from the floor.

Milwaukee would be much better off moving on from head coach Doc Rivers and quickly rebuilding around Antetokounmpo, but that scenario might be impossible due to a frayed star-team relationship. 

At least the Bucks were smart enough to get rid of Rivers, after getting it wrong with Adrian Griffin.

4. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

‘The Joker’ is an unbelievable shooter and passer, and plays basketball so smoothly it’s easy to miss how dominant he is — until he scores 55 points while shooting 18 of 23 from the field in just 34 minutes.

Jokic also has one of the best backstories in the NBA.

A young kid from Serbia evolved from a second-round draft pick into the greatest basketball player in the world.

He’s already won three MVPs and pulled off the first 30-20-20 in NBA history.

But the Nuggets’ disappointing finish this season and first-round knockout is a reminder of how difficult it is to remain on top of a star-driven league.

“We just lost in the first round so I think we are far away,” Jokic said. “Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all get fired.”

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3. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers

A healthy and fit Doncic is a basketball cheat code.

But now the Lakers are waiting for his return from a hamstring injury while trying to close out the Houston Rockets.

Doncic is one of the most talented basketball players in the world and has drawn better-than-Dirk-Nowitzki comparisons.

The Slovenia native can be unstoppable on offense and is still only 27-years-old.

Donic might not win MVP this season but he can become a Lakers legend with a Finals trophy. 

The biggest question currently is if Los Angeles can survive in the playoffs until Luka Magic returns.

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

SGA is a scoring machine, and his talent is matched by his confidence.

After spending years rebuilding and losing, OKC has taken over the NBA with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge.

The 68-win Thunder spent last season as the best team in the NBA, while SGA topped Nikola Jokic for MVP.

This year, OKC has held off the rising San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the league, while SGA battled, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Wembanyama for No. 1 in the regular-season MVP race. 

No one is surprised by SGA anymore, especially not OKC supporters.

He won the Finals, received a $285 million supermax extension, and will be representing the small-market Thunder for years to come.

“What Shai has done is, he has gotten better through every experience,” Thunder sideline reporter Nick Gallo exclusively told talkSPORT. 

“Every time he comes back from a summer, every time you turn the calendar month, he’s better at something than he was the month before.”

1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Wemby has taken a huge leap this season and should win the MVP — if voters don’t gift it to SGA. 

While the Spurs spent Wemby’s rookie year as one of the worst teams in the NBA, the 7ft 4in center exceeded his draft hype to wow everyone from Kevin Durant to LeBron James.

The 22-year-old from France is already a unanimous Rookie of the Year winner and has scored 50 points in a game.

Now, the Spurs are starting to win nightly with Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox and Wemby.

The former No. 1 overall pick could win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year this season — that’s how big Wemby’s leap has been.

His next big test is reaching the top of the West and advancing to the Finals. 

An ejection from a hard elbow led to the Spurs being tied with the Wolves 2-2 in the second round.

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