Happy NBA day to all those who celebrate this wonderful holiday! Today, I’m here with the final part of my preseason prediction trilogy: my prediction top 100 list. This is my best guess of what my top 100 players list will be at the end of the 2026-27 NBA season.
If it feels like every guy is like 10 spots too low, it’s because they kind of are, honestly. These predictions assume full health for everybody, but in 2025-26, 13 of the players on here didn’t reach the 30 games played threshold I set for my annual offseason rankings. Realistically, something similar will happen this year, but it’s impossible to guess who will miss time. Also, keep in mind these projections are for the upcoming season alone.
Let’s dive in!
Honorable Mentions (110-101)
110: Toumani Camara (2026 rank: 106)
109: Rui Hachimura (2026 rank: 105)
108: Naz Reid (2026 rank: 89)
107: Draymond Green (2026 rank: 82)
106: Kristaps Porzingis (2026 rank: 77)
105: Jalen Suggs (2026 rank: 88)
104: Devin Vassell (2026 rank: 74)
103: Andrew Nembhard (2026 rank: 86)
102: Miles Bridges (2026 rank: 75)
101: VJ Edgecombe (2026 rank: 91)
Tier 6: The Other Guys (Complimentary)
100: Peyton Watson (2026 rank: 100)
99: AJ Dybantsa (2026 rank: N/A)
98: Immanuel Quickley (2026 rank: 70)
97: DeMar DeRozan (2026 rank: 54)
96: Jrue Holiday (2026 rank: 58)
95: Andrew Wiggins (2026 rank: 85)
94: Norman Powell (2026 rank: 48)
93: Fred VanVleet (2026 rank: INJ)
92: Caleb Wilson (2026 rank: N/A)
91: Ausar Thompson (2026 rank: 83)
90: Payton Pritchard (2026 rank: 73)
89: Darryn Peterson (2026 rank: N/A)
88: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (2026 rank: 62)
87: CJ McCollum (2026 rank: 56)
86: Ajay Mitchell (2026 rank: 87)
85: Josh Giddey (2026 rank: 72)
84: Ty Jerome (2026 rank: INJ)
83: Walker Kessler (2026 rank: INJ)
82: Ivica Zubac (2026 rank: 76)
81: Donovan Clingan (2026 rank: 78)
80: Dejounte Murray (2026 rank: INJ)
79: Zach Edey (2026 rank: INJ)
78: Matas Buzelis (2026 rank: 92)
77: RJ Barrett (2026 rank: 61)
76: Mikal Bridges (2026 rank: 65)
75: Paul George (2026 rank: 53)
74: Alex Sarr (2026 rank: 81)
73: Derrick White (2026 rank: 57)
72: Jalen Green (2026 rank: 68)
71: Dillon Brooks (2026 rank: 55)
70: Aaron Gordon (2026 rank: 67)
69: Jaden McDaniels (2026 rank: 63)
Nobody in this tier really qualifies as a star, but these players are all above-average starters who are capable of being integral pieces on good teams. Some of them (I’m looking at you, Jaden McDaniels) have swung an entire playoff series at some point in their career. Here are a few of the main names to watch from this cluster this season:
- Matas Buzelis, Bench Mob Blog’s MIP pick
- Dejounte Murray, who made the Pelicans a competent team in the 14 games he played last year
- Walker Kessler, whose first campaign as a Laker will come with heavy expectations
- Ausar Thompson. How much better can he get on offense?
- Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson, and AJ Dybantsa, three of the “big four” from the 2026 draft class
Tier 5: Some Kind of Star
68: Zach LaVine (2026 rank: 66)
67: Ryan Rollins (2026 rank: 71)
66: Coby White (2026 rank: 79)
65: Jarrett Allen (2026 rank: 47)
64: Cameron Boozer (2026 rank: N/A)
63: Kon Knueppel (2026 rank: 59)
62: Trey Murphy III (2026 rank: 50)
61: Tyler Herro (2026 rank: 69)
60: Jimmy Butler (2026 rank: 52)
59: Michael Porter Jr. (2026 rank: 38)
58: Keyonte George (2026 rank: 46)
57: Rudy Gobert (2026 rank: 43)
56: OG Anunoby (2026 rank: 35)
55: Desmond Bane (2026 rank: 32)
54: Dylan Harper (2026 rank: 80)
53: Ja Morant (2026 rank: INJ)
52: Stephon Castle (2026 rank: 45)
51: Brandon Miller (2026 rank: 60)
These guys aren’t quite All-Stars, but definitely studs. Some of them will be leading teams this year, some will be playing the third banana role, some will be winning, and some will be tanking, but one thing’s for sure: they’ll all be hooping. Charlotte’s trio of Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Coby White stands out here. Who will assume the number-one-option mantle in LaMelo’s wake? Dylan Harper is a popular pick for a major breakout—just how high can he rise? Ryan Rollins is going to make himself known on a national level sooner than later.
Tier 4: Supreme Second Fiddles
50: LeBron James (2026 rank: 27)
49: Amen Thompson (2026 rank: 64)
48: Austin Reaves (2026 rank: 44)
47: Brandon Ingram (2026 rank: 31)
46: Franz Wagner (2026 rank: 49)
45: Zion Williamson (2026 rank: 34)
44: Lauri Markkanen (2026 rank: 39)
43: De’Aaron Fox (2026 rank: 29)
42: Domantas Sabonis (2026 rank: INJ)
41: Damian Lillard (2026 rank: INJ)
40: Kyrie Irving (2026 rank: INJ)
39: Jalen Duren (2026 rank: 41)
38: James Harden (2026 rank: 20)
37: Evan Mobley (2026 rank: 36)
36: Alperen Sengun (2026 rank: 30)
35: Jaren Jackson Jr. (2026 rank: 33)
34: Julius Randle (2026 rank: 28)
33: Deni Avdija (2026 rank: 18)
32: Darius Garland (2026 rank: 42)
31: Jamal Murray (2026 rank: 19)
30: Chet Holmgren (2026 rank: 37)
29: Jalen Williams (2026 rank: 51)
28: LaMelo Ball (2026 rank: 17)
27: Cooper Flagg (2026 rank: 40)
Woah, woah, woah—LeBron at 50?? Yup, it feels weird, but he’ll be the fourth option in Philly this year and he should be okay with taking a step back with a deep playoff run in mind. As for the rest of this tier, it’s all guys who should have legitimate All-Star-caliber seasons. Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Deni Avdija, and Jalen Duren will be chasing their second All-Star nods after earning their first in 2026, while Cooper Flagg, Franz Wagner, Austin Reaves, and Amen Thompson headline the crop of potential first-timers this year. Somehow, LaMelo Ball is still only a one-timer too. Salute to Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving, who, based on preseason, haven’t lost much of a step despite their serious injuries.
Tier 3: Playoff Pioneers
26: Anthony Davis (2026 rank: INJ)
25: Jaylen Brown (2026 rank: 14)
24: Devin Booker (2026 rank: 21)
23: Trae Young (2026 rank: INJ)
22: Karl-Anthony Towns (2026 rank: 15)
21: Bam Adebayo (2026 rank: 25)
20: Jalen Johnson (2026 rank: 26)
19: Pascal Siakam (2026 rank: 22)
18: Paolo Banchero (2026 rank: 24)
17: Joel Embiid (2026 rank: 23)
16: Tyrese Maxey (2026 rank: 13)
15: Tyrese Haliburton (2026 rank: INJ)
14: Scottie Barnes (2026 rank: 16)
Now we’re in All-NBA territory. This crew is composed of certified playoff-caliber number-one options—every single one of them has been the guy on a postseason squad at least once in their career. Tyrese Haliburton seems ready to remind the world exactly who he is after returning from his Achilles tear, and Pascal Siakam will want a revenge tour as well after being forced to bottom out in 2026. Jaylen Brown finally got a taste of being Batman last season. How will he adjust to life in Philadelphia? Trae Young and Anthony Davis, if healthy and locked in, could kickstart a new era in Washington.
Tier 2: Title-Team Top Dogs
13: Kevin Durant (2026 rank: 11)
12: Donovan Mitchell (2026 rank: 10)
11: Stephen Curry (2026 rank: 12)
10: Kawhi Leonard (2026 rank: 6)
9: Jalen Brunson (2026 rank: 7)
8: Cade Cunningham (2026 rank: 9)
7: Jayson Tatum (2026 rank: INJ)
6: Anthony Edwards (2026 rank: 8)
5: Luka Doncic (2026 rank: 4)
The name of this tier sums things up perfectly. All of these guys could spearhead a championship run in the right situation. Now, the problem is, some of them aren’t in the right situation. Poor Steph. Most of them, though, have an outside chance at a Finals MVP in 2027. Can Jalen Brunson bring back-to-back Larry O’B’s to the streets of NYC? Is Jayson Tatum ready to carry a bigger burden than ever right on the heels of his injury? Can Kawhi Leonard stay healthy again and strengthen his already strong legacy in Toronto?
Tier 1: Best in the World
4: Nikola Jokic (2026 rank: 3)
3: Giannis Antetokounmpo (2026 rank: 5)
2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2026 rank: 1)
1: Victor Wembanyama (2026 rank: 2)
Not much needs to be said here. It’s Wemby’s world and we’re just living in it. A motivated Giannis with a fresh start could be scary for the rest of the league.
