ESPN concluded its NBA player rankings for the 2025-26 season by unveiling the top 10 on Thursday.
The list mixes legends and rising stars. It also shows how much injuries have ravaged the Eastern Conference, as eight of the 10 players reside in the Western Conference. Jaylen Brown (No. 14) and Derrick White (No. 26) represented the Boston Celtics inside the top 50, but Jayson Tatum wasn’t considered while he recovers from a torn Achilles.
Here’s a look at ESPN’s top 10:
- Nikola Jokic
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Luka Doncic
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Victor Wembanyama
- Anthony Edwards
- Stephen Curry
- LeBron James
- Kevin Durant
- Jalen Brunson
On Wednesday, ESPN published a roundtable article in which analysts confirmed they would have comfortably voted a healthy Tatum inside the top 10.
“Tatum is easily top 10 if healthy,” Bobby Marks said. “It is hard not to recognize a player who consistently averages at least 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.”
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“Tatum without question would retain his spot in the back half of the top five because of his consistent excellence,” Jamal Collier declared.
“Tatum is top 10, easily, and near top five,” Anthony Slater said. “It feels like he has lived in that fifth slot on MVP ballots for half a decade, and he’s just 27. He had never been better than last season before his injury.”
Tatum’s absence allowed a rival to sneak into the top 10. Brunson moved up two spots from last year’s rankings after leading the New York Knicks to a second-round playoff win over Boston.
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Victor Wembanyama is the only other new name in this year’s top 10 after a dominant season second, but Anthony Edwards climbed from No. 10 to 6. ESPN isn’t ready to boot Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant from the top 10 near the end of their Hall of Fame careers.
Jokic maintained his No. 1 ranking for the second straight year after averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 and 10.2 assists per game last season. Although he didn’t surpass the star center, Gilgeous-Alexander leapfrogged Doncic and Antetokounmpo for the No. 2 spot after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship after an MVP season.
Five of these players will kick off the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 21, when the Thunder host the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers face the Golden State Warriors.
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