NBA day is finally upon us! In celebration of what should be a national holiday, I’m delivering the prelude to my favorite annual tradition: my top 100 players list. This is a prediction of what my rankings will look like at the end of the 2025-26 season. I’m projecting the upcoming season alone, assuming health for everyone except for those already out for the year (Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard and Fred VanVleet). It’s fun trying to guess who will make leaps and who will regress, and it should be even more fun seeing how this prediction holds up come next summer.
Let’s dive in!
Honorable Mentions (110-101)
110: Mitchell Robinson (2025 rank: INJ)
109: Jabari Smith Jr. (2025 rank: NR)
108: Santi Aldama (2025 rank: NR)
107: Donovan Clingan (2025 rank: NR)
106: Walker Kessler (2025 rank: 103)
105: Alex Sarr (2025 rank: NR)
104: Mark Williams (2025 rank: 106)
103: Jalen Duren (2025 rank: NR)
102: Devin Vassell (2025 rank: 105)
101: Malik Monk (2025 rank: 93)
Tier 8: Supreme Role Players
100: Alex Caruso (2025 rank: 96)
99: Herb Jones (2025 rank: INJ)
98: John Collins (2025 rank: 79)
97: Christian Braun (2025 rank: 92)
96: Andrew Nembhard (2025 rank: 108)
95: Matas Buzelis (2025 rank: NR)
94: Ausar Thompson (2025 rank: NR)
93: Jakob Poeltl (2025 rank: 90)
92: Dyson Daniels (2025 rank: 87)
91: Jalen Suggs (2025 rank: 86)
90: Anfernee Simons (2025 rank: 83)
89: Payton Pritchard (2025 rank: 95)
88: Jaden McDaniels (2025 rank: 82)
87: Bennedict Mathurin (2025 rank: NR)
86: Cam Johnson (2025 rank: 78)
85: Collin Sexton (2025 rank: 64)
84: Jaden Ivey (2025 rank: NR)
83: Bradley Beal (2025 rank: 75)
82: Nic Claxton (2025 rank: 104)
81: Jrue Holiday (2025 rank: 70)
80: Aaron Gordon (2025 rank: 74)
The designation of “role player” has a negative connotation around it sometimes, but it’s far from an insult. The guys in this tier are prime examples of the cliché but valuable idea of being a star in your role. Alex Caruso, Christian Braun and Bennedict Mathurin, for example, have been integral cogs of Finals teams despite being placed in boxes on the court. You may be surprised to see Jrue Holiday and Bradley Beal in this group, but neither of them are All-Stars anymore. Instead, they can make a huge impact by embracing an Aaron Gordon/Andrew Wiggins-esque part on a team and scaling down to focus on their biggest strengths (which, to Jrue’s credit, is pretty much what he did in Boston). Matas Buzelis and Ausar Thompson aren’t role players yet, but they’re also too theoretical to be higher, so they land here anyway.
Tier 7: Accidentally Became Too Important at Work
79: Immanuel Quickley (2025 rank: 85)
78: Andrew Wiggins (2025 rank: 80)
77: Dejounte Murray (2025 rank: 69)
76: Michael Porter Jr. (2025 rank: 81)
75: Paul George (2025 rank: 71)
74: Miles Bridges (2025 rank: 76)
73: Brandon Miller (2025 rank: INJ)
72: Cooper Flagg (2025 rank: N/A)
71: Draymond Green (2025 rank: 67)
70: CJ McCollum (2025 rank: 63)
69: Norman Powell (2025 rank: 62)
68: Shaedon Sharpe (2025 rank: 100)
67: Nikola Vucevic (2025 rank: 61)
66: Josh Giddey (2025 rank: 77)
65: Jordan Poole (2025 rank: 60)
64: RJ Barrett (2025 rank: 57)
63: Mikal Bridges (2025 rank: 68)
62: Trey Murphy III (2025 rank: 56)
61: Myles Turner (2025 rank: 66)
60: Jalen Green (2025 rank: 54)
59: Cam Thomas (2025 rank: INJ)
Most of the players in this tier could loosely be considered stars. Several of them have made All-Star games in the past. However, while they do play featured roles right now, they’re also probably overtasked. Guys like RJ Barrett, Miles Bridges and Cam Thomas are way too talented to fall in with the traditional “role player” crowd, but they also couldn’t be top two-or-three options on a real contender. Jordan Poole is the perfect representation of that, as even though he played some of his best individual basketball last season with Washington, he was at his best as Golden State’s super sixth-man.
Tier 6: Low-Tier Stars
58: Rudy Gobert (2025 rank: 59)
57: Amen Thompson (2025 rank: 73)
56: Austin Reaves (2025 rank: 53)
55: OG Anunoby (2025 rank: 58)
54: Scottie Barnes (2025 rank: 52)
53: Coby White (2025 rank: 51)
52: DeMar DeRozan (2025 rank: 47)
51: Deni Avdija (2025 rank: 72)
50: Tyler Herro (2025 rank: 43)
49: Desmond Bane (2025 rank: 50)
48: Jarrett Allen (2025 rank: 42)
47: Ivica Zubac (2025 rank: 41)
46: Kristaps Porzingis (2025 rank: 46)
45: Derrick White (2025 rank: 44)
44: Lauri Markkanen (2025 rank: 65)
43: Jalen Johnson (2025 rank: 55)
All of these players should have an outside chance at an All-Star nomination this year. Most of them won’t make it, but they’ll still have that level of impact. Jalen Johnson, Amen Thompson and Deni Avdija are favorites to have massive nationally-recognized breakouts. Lauri Markkanen seems poised to bounce back after a below-par 2024-25, and Kristaps Porzingis could do the same if he stays healthy. Shoutout DeMar DeRozan, who remains a pillar of consistency at age 36.
Tier 5: Remarkable Robins
42: Brandon Ingram (2025 rank: INJ)
41: Zach LaVine (2025 rank: 48)
40: Julius Randle (2025 rank: 39)
39: Jimmy Butler (2025 rank: 37)
38: Jamal Murray (2025 rank: 49)
37: Bam Adebayo (2025 rank: 40)
36: Alperen Sengun (2025 rank: 36)
35: Darius Garland (2025 rank: 32)
34: LaMelo Ball (2025 rank: 34)
33: Jaren Jackson Jr. (2025 rank: 30)
32: Kyrie Irving (2025 rank: 25)
31: Tyrese Maxey (2025 rank: 35)
30: Franz Wagner (2025 rank: 33)
29: Domantas Sabonis (2025 rank: 28)
Every superhero needs his sidekick, and this tier includes the cream of the crop in that department. Jamal Murray and Kyrie Irving have won championships in the second-fiddle role. Franz Wagner, Tyrese Maxey and Alperen Sengun are younger stars who could accomplish similar things in the near future.
Tier 4: All-NBA Caliber
28: Ja Morant (2025 rank: 38)
27: De’Aaron Fox (2025 rank: 26)
26: Evan Mobley (2025 rank: 29)
25: Jaylen Brown (2025 rank: 27)
24: Jalen Williams (2025 rank: 31)
23: Chet Holmgren (2025 rank: 45)
22: James Harden (2025 rank: 16)
21: Karl-Anthony Towns (2025 rank: 18)
20: Pascal Siakam (2025 rank: 17)
19: Zion Williamson (2025 rank: 24)
18: Trae Young (2025 rank: 21)
Guys in this tier are all over the map in terms of career timeline. Evan Mobley, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are on meteoric upward trajectories. Zion Williamson and Ja Morant are fighting to reestablish themselves amidst plaguing injuries. James Harden is a former MVP in the twilight years (sadly) of his career. However, one thing is true for all of them: they’re all certified perennial All-Stars (well except for Chet, technically, but he’s going to get there very soon).
Tier 3: The Staples
17: Kawhi Leonard (2025 rank: 13)
16: LeBron James (2025 rank: 11)
15: Devin Booker (2025 rank: 22)
14: Paolo Banchero (2025 rank: 23)
13: Donovan Mitchell (2025 rank: 14)
12: Cade Cunningham (2025 rank: 20)
11: Joel Embiid (2025 rank: INJ)
10: Anthony Davis (2025 rank: 12)
9: Stephen Curry (2025 rank: 9)
8: Kevin Durant (2025 rank: 8)
The passing of the torch is happening right here. As LeBron, Steph, KD and other all-time greats are starting to dwindle, young fellas like Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero are rising up to fill their place. Faces of the past, present and future are all in this tier. Joel Embiid was probably the single most difficult player to project on this list, because his health is a complete question mark. His uncharacteristic performance in 2024-25 threw an extra wrench in things.
Tier 2: Watch the Throne
7: Jalen Brunson (2025 rank: 7)
6: Victor Wembanyama (2025 rank: 10)
5: Luka Doncic (2025 rank: 6)
4: Anthony Edwards (2025 rank: 5)
The league’s BITW pantheon is pretty cemented, but if anyone is going to challenge the crown, it’s these guys. Wemby and Ant feel like the NBA’s heir apparents, the future faces of the league once Jokic and Giannis are ready to step off the throne.
Tier 1: Best in the World
3: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025 rank: 3)
2: Giannis Antetokounmpo (2025 rank: 2)
1: Nikola Jokic (2025 rank: 1)
No explanation needed here. Shai being only the third best player in hoops feels weird considering everything he achieved last year, but that’s just a testament to the greatness of the Joker and Greek Freak.
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