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 in 2025.
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.
Big men used to be everything in basketball, while some of the league’s greatest players have never won a ring.
LeBron James, 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 new MVP, and Anthony Edwards returned to the Western Conference playoffs.
With Joel Embiid and Kyrie Irving affected by injuries and falling out of the top 20, here is talkSPORT’s inside look at the best NBA players in the world right now.
20. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
The comeback begins now for one of the smoothest and purest basketball players in the world.
Tatum has climbed up the annual MVP vote while carrying Boston to a record 18th NBA championship.
The former Duke star can score from anywhere on the court and has an all-around game that makes Larry Bird proud.
But a devastating Achilles injury in the playoffs immediately changed Boston’s future and could have implications for years to come.
“Thankful for all the love and support,” Tatum posted after surgery.
GettyJayson Tatum faces a long road to recovery[/caption]19. 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 this 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.
Detroit is only going forward, while Cunningham is just getting started.
18. Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
James Harden disappointed again in the playoffs.
The Klaw almost carried the Clippers into the second round.
Leonard only played in 37 games this season and his career has been limited by constant injuries.
But the two-time NBA Finals MVP averaged 25 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor as Los Angeles pushed Denver to seven games.
GettyKawhi Leonard did his best to carry the Clippers past Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets[/caption]17. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Trae Young puts up bigger stats but Brown is a world champion for a reason.
The Boston tough guy is a huge piece for the Celtics, teaming with Tatum to keep the reigning 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.
Next year, Brown must carry the Celtics with Tatum on the mend.
16. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
For all the time that Durant spends defending himself and his basketball legacy, no one doubts how talented he is.
He surpassed 30,000 points in his career and is coming off a fourth gold medal with Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Even at 36, few players in the world are as skilled offensively as the Slim Reaper.
His main drawback right now is that the Suns aren’t serious title contenders.
No one will be surprised if Durant is playing for his fifth NBA team next season.
GettyKevin Durant could have played his final game in Phoenix[/caption]15. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
A couple of years ago, Booker was on the verge of becoming one of the best players in the league.
He’s still near the top, despite another painful letdown by Phoenix.
“The most frustrating part is being that close a few years ago, and now being back to where we are,” Booker said.
He has a big-shot, big-game mentality and is one of the premier closers in the NBA.
But Phoenix faces big questions and Booker still needs a ring.
14. Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks
Davis is a force – when he’s healthy.
A blockbuster trade to Dallas shook up the NBA.
Davis wowed Mavericks fans in his debut, but then he was forced to leave the court and miss several weeks of action.
His 26.3 PER, which ranked fifth in the league, is a reminder of Davis’ full-court talent.
Anthony Davis needs a bounce-back season in DallasGetty13. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Before he got into serious trouble with the NBA, Morant was one of the bright new stars in the league.
He regained his flash this season, pushing Memphis into the play-in tournament.
Morant is only 25 and should be playing for another decade.
But does he have the inner drive and focus to be a true leader for the Grizzlies?
12. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama will soon be in the top five of this loaded list if he keeps taking over the league.
While the Spurs spent his rookie season as one of the worst teams in the NBA, Wemby has exceeded his draft hype to wow everyone from Durant to James.
There’s a long way to go for the 21-year-old from France.
But Wembanyama is already a unanimous Rookie of the Year, and he’s scored 50 points in a game.
The Spurs need to start winning nightly with Stephon Castle and Wemby.
But first Wembanyama must get healthy and find his way back to the court.
Victor Wembanyama could take a huge leap next yearGetty11. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
The Clutch King spent the playoffs laughing in the face of his ‘overrated’ haters.
Haliburton hit big shot after big shot, sending the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals.
“First of all, Tyrese Haliburton is not an overrated player,” Shaquille O’Neal said on Inside the NBA.
“He’s a great player. He plays the right way.”
10. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
A healthy and fit Doncic would be much higher on this list.
He has all the talent in the world and has drawn better-than-Dirk-Nowitzki comparisons.
Doncic can be unstoppable on offense and is still only 26-years-old.
If he stays in Los Angeles, Doncic can learn the ways of the force from The King and become the next face of the Lakers.
GettyLuka Doncic and LeBron James were knocked out of the first round[/caption]9. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
James rivals Michael Jordan as the best player in NBA history.
Only one of the two averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and shot 51 percent from the field at age 40.
All hail ‘The King’, who became the first player in NBA history to reach 50,000 points.
Now he has Doncic in Los Angeles, while his son Bronny is also an occasional Laker.
But another first-round letdown should have The King thinking big.
8. 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 six All-Star selections and an All-NBA second team honor.
This season, Mitchell averaging 24 points while Cleveland fought for the best record in the NBA.
But a disappointing second-round letdown had Mitchell apologizing.
“We let the city down,” he said.
GettyDonovan Mitchell knows the Cavs must be better when it matters[/caption]7. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Brunson has evolved from a second-round pick into the new face of the Knicks.
He kept New York near the top of a strong Eastern Conference the last two seasons, and cracked the top-five of NBA MVP voting in 2023-24.
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 for the Knicks.
6. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
The greatest shooter of all-time recently added Jimmy Butler, and Curry is still playing at a very high level.
But whether Golden State can make another Finals run with No. 30 is a growing question.
The Warriors have lost Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green can be unreliable.
Curry has spent years carrying Golden State.
He’s made more than 4,000 3-pointers, but another ring is his main goal.
He couldn’t finish the 2024-25 postseason after a frustrating hamstring strain.
Steph Curry is still a scoring machine and carries the Warriors nightlyGETTY5. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
KAT paired with Brunson to take the Knicks back to the Eastern Conference finals.
Towns spent years putting up big numbers with Minnesota.
A huge trade gave him a better shot at reaching the NBA Finals with New York.
Ten years after being the No. 1 pick of the 2015 draft, the big man from Kentucky is still climbing up the NBA mountain.
4. 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, especially after a blockbuster trade for Damian Lillard was a bust.
The Greek Freak has a huge career decision to make this summer.
Antetokounmpo might not be long for MilwaukeeGetty3. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Best known as ‘Ant-Man’, the speedy and athletic guard has taken over the Timberwolves.
Edwards’s leaping ability and aggressive offensive style are perfect for the contemporary NBA.
A big playoff run last season moved him higher on this list, and he was back in the Western Conference finals again in 2024-25.
All that’s next for Ant-Man is the glowing lights of the Finals.
2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
The joke is on you if you still doubt Jokic, who pulled off the first 30-20-20 in NBA history.
He’s already won three MVPs and again had the Nuggets near the top of the West this season.
‘The Joker’ is an unbelievable shooter and passer, and plays basketball so smoothly it’s easy to miss how dominant he is.
He’s also one of the best stories in the NBA.
A young kid from Serbia evolved from a second-round draft pick into the greatest basketball player in the world.
GettyNikola Jokic needed a break after facing the Thunder[/caption]1. 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 serious hope with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge.
The Thunder spent the year as the best team in the NBA, while SGA topped Jokic for MVP.
No one is surprised by SGA anymore, especially not OKC supporters.
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