The NBA is loaded with superstars, which is quickly made obvious by how many great players don’t crack the top 20 on this list (apologies to Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton, Bam Adebayo, Paul George, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Karl-Anthony Towns and countless others). As we count down the NBA’s 20 best, we break down the stars who are shaping the league with their skill, leadership, and consistency. Whether it’s explosive scoring, lockdown defense, or all-around versatility, these players define what it means to be the best in basketball today. Let’s dive in.
20. Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
There’s no doubt Jimmy Butler can string together incredible playoff performances. He carried mediocre Miami Heat squads to the NBA Finals twice, going toe-to-toe with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic. He is a 5-time All-NBA selection, 5-time All-Defensive selection and brings the intensity every time he steps on the floor. However, he just doesn’t take over games on the offensive end quite the same way as so many superstars later on this list. While he would place even higher if this list was strictly referring to the postseason, anyone who cracks the NBA’s top 20 is an unquestioned superstar.
19. Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
Lillard’s first year with Giannis Antetokounmpo could best be described as a massive disappointment. Head coach Adrian Griffin was fired, Doc Rivers took over to produce even worse results, and the Bucks failed to reach the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The blame shouldn’t strictly be placed on Lillard, who still posted similar numbers to his Portland days with 24.3 points, 7 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. He still remains a lethal scorer who – on paper – should work seamlessly with Giannis. Expectations in year two will be high in Milwaukee – anything short of a title will be considered a disappointment.
18. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Remember when everyone was calling the Kyrie-Luka Dončić pairing a failed experiment? Fast forward seven months, and entering the NBA Finals, pundits were wondering if it was the best backcourt in NBA history. Although Kyrie and the Mavs ultimately fell short of an NBA title, fans were quickly reminded of Kyrie’s brilliance. His ball-handling skills are the best in NBA history and his ability to create offense or work as a spot-up shooter make him an ideal piece next to Dončić. The future Hall of Famer enters this season eager to prove last year was no fluke.
17. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
The defending NBA Finals MVP might not check every box as a player, but focusing on his weaknesses overlooks the significant impact he makes as a dynamic two-way player. Brown’s ability to stretch defenses with his shooting has opened up the rest of his game. His versatility on both ends of the floor is integral to Boston’s success, and the main reason he deservedly won the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals MVP awards. Although he often lives in teammate Jayson Tatum’s shadow, Brown is certainly a superstar in his own right.
16. Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Has Kawhi Leonard finally conquered his injury woes? Absolutely not. Is he a dominant force when he’s on the court though? Absolutely. Ranking Kawhi’s greatness among his peers might be more difficult than any other player. When he’s on the floor, he remains fully capable of taking over the game on both ends of the floor, but has missed too many of the Clippers’ recent postseason runs to be trusted. If the Clippers get 50 regular season games and a healthy postseason Kawhi in 2024-2025, they’d sign up for it immediately.
15. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell isn’t some wildly different player in Cleveland than he was in Utah, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The franchise cornerstone is coming off a season averaging 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. At only 28 years old, he is in the prime of his career and has proven time and time again that he can be the go-to scorer on a good team. However, we will need to see another leap from Mitchell this season if he is to lead a young Cavs squad into title contention territory.
14. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
The unsung hero for Team USA’s Olympic Gold run enters this season coming off six straight seasons averaging at least 25 points per game. Simply put, Booker is a walking bucket who doesn’t get enough credit for how efficient he is as a scorer. While figuring out how to mesh with co-superstars Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant has been a learning process, Booker remains an underrated playmaker and the best 1B scoring option in the league. With the Suns now under Mike Budenholzer’s tutelage, Booker is poised for a monster season.
13. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Coming off an All-NBA 2nd Team selection after averaging 28.7 points per game, there’s no debating Jalen Brunson’s status as an NBA superstar. Flanked by Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and the shocking acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns, Brunson is the focal point of a team with serious NBA championship expectations. Even as his usage has increased each season, the crafty lefty continues to score at an efficient clip. Now paired with another superstar in KAT, their ability to mesh will dictate how far this Knicks team can go.
12. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
No matter where you place Wemby on this list, it feels like the wrong spot. You want to place him 5th? Makes sense – he’s already the best defender in the league and averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game as a rookie. You want to place him 19th? Makes sense – he’s only played 71 NBA games and shot under 50% from the field despite being 7-foot-3. So, we split the difference and have him 12th, because we truly have never seen a player like this in NBA history. There is nothing on the court that Wemby can’t do, and his efficiency should only improve with another year under his belt. It’s hard to envision Wemby not being top-5 in the league entering next season.
11. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
Durant narrowly missing the top 10 tells you just how stacked the NBA is currently. The most gifted scorer in NBA history remains unstoppable one-on-one, but he no longer dominates on the defensive end quite the same way he did in his prime. Add in the fact that he has only played more than 55 games once in the past five seasons, and it’s easy to understand how he narrowly misses the top 10. With all that being said, if the game is on the line and you need an iso bucket, Durant would still be every NBA GM’s first choice.
10. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Anthony Davis doesn’t get the spotlight in Los Angeles (more on who does shortly), but it’s not due to a lack of dominance. Coming off a season averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, there are few players who can impact both ends of the floor the way Davis can. Capable of guarding 1-5 while scoring at an efficient clip, the only thing keeping Davis from being even more unstoppable is a reliable three-point jumper.
9. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James isn’t quite the player he was in his prime, but it’s hard to argue the fact that he is still a top-10 player in the league. If his 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game last season weren’t enough to convince you, just look at his performance in this past Olympics. Stacked with 11 other NBA superstars on Team USA, he remained the best player on the floor. Entering his 22nd season, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer can still take over any game in a multitude of ways.
8. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
We can argue the validity of the Michael Jordan comparisons, but the fact he is even being considered in these discussions is perhaps a major testament in and of itself. Edwards is as athletic as anyone we’ve seen in recent memory. His explosion towards the rim is downright scary, and he has shown tremendous growth as a shot-maker and on-ball defender. Fresh off leading his Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals last season, Edwards could soon emerge as the new face of the league.
7. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
The departure of Klay Thompson may signal the end of the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty, but that doesn’t mean Curry’s greatness has slowed down whatsoever. The greatest shooter the league has ever seen is defined by ridiculous shot-making, incredible endurance and skilled ball handling. More than just as a player, he’s a transformative figure who has changed the game forever. Although his athleticism may be slipping ever so slightly, his shooting touch remains as good as ever, and his craftiness still makes him the most dangerous scorer in the league.
6. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
NBA Champion Jayson Tatum has had quite the past few months. Even though he helped lead the Celtics to a championship in June, he was criticized for not winning the Finals MVP (that honor went to teammate Jaylen Brown). He then headed to Paris to represent Team USA, but saw his playing time shrink to DNPs. Despite all of this, there’s no debating the fact that Jayson Tatum is a top-10 player in the league today. He has been an All-NBA First Team selection each of the past three seasons and is coming off a season in which he averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steal per game, all while also playing elite defense. Criticize him all you want, but the 26 year-old is in the prime of his career and is elite.
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
The rise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the more unexpected superstar ascensions we have seen in recent memory. The former Kentucky Wildcat was scouted as a lengthy, defensive-minded point guard who would hopefully develop into an average shooter. Instead, SGA has become a dominant, highly-efficient iso scorer capable of single-handedly winning games. He has averaged over 30 points per game each of the last two seasons, and after leading the Thunder to the West’s #1 seed last year, also finished 2nd in MVP voting. Whether he’s maneuvering for a shot or setting up his teammates, SGA’s game adapts to any situation. For the first time since the Westbrook-Durant days, OKC enters the season with championship-or-bust expectations – all thanks to SGA.
4. Joel Embiid, Philidelphia 76ers
When Joel Embiid is on the court, he is a matchup nightmare for every team in the league. After capturing his first MVP award in 2022-23 (33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game), he was on pace for an even better year this past season (34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists per game). However, injuries once again derailed his season, continuing the concerning trend of Embiid’s lack of playoff success. Until he gets over the playoff hump, Embiid will be stuck admiring these three players ahead of him.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a once-in-a-generation talent, known for his incredible physical attributes and ability to dominate both ends of the floor. Last season, he averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Giannis is arguably the most unstoppable player in the league driving to the basket, and his improved playmaking makes the Bucks’ offense even more difficult to contain. There isn’t a player in the league more capable of guarding all five positions on the floor, and his defensive versatility makes Milwaukee a championship contender every year.
2. Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
Somehow, Luka Dončić took his greatness even further this past season. Leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011, Luka has established himself as a superstar. His vision and playmaking make him one of the best facilitators in the league, and his scoring ability from all three levels keeps defenses on edge. The scariest part for opponents? Luka is only 25 years old and will continue to improve. Flanked by Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson this season, Dončić enters the 2024-25 season as the MVP frontrunner.
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
What is left to say about the Serbian big man? An NBA Champion and three-time MVP, Nikola Jokić is just phenomenal. His unique ability to control the game as a center, with court vision rivaling the best point guards, makes him a one-of-a-kind talent. Jokić’s efficiency is unmatched, shooting over 58% from the field each of the past three seasons, while also being a triple-double threat every night. His basketball IQ, playmaking, and scoring versatility have cemented his status as the league’s most impactful big man. And with no opponent capable of slowing him down, he should hold the title as the NBA’s best for the foreseeable future.
