{"id":485254,"date":"2026-02-19T12:16:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T12:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/485254\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T12:16:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T12:16:18","slug":"ranking-the-nbas-best-players-top-25-revisited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/485254\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranking the NBA’s best players: Top 25, revisited"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2026 NBA All-Star break<\/a> offered the chance for the entire league to catch its breath, reset and look ahead to the playoffs, which \u2013 seemingly suddenly \u2013 start in two months.<\/p>\n

The break is also giving us the chance to revisit the USA TODAY Sports<\/a> Top 25 NBA player rankings<\/a> for the 2025-26 season, which we published in early October.<\/p>\n

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Where did we get it right? Where did we get it wrong?<\/p>\n

Rankings and perceived value, of course, are subjective, so we welcome the debate. But for the purposes of this list, we\u2019re omitting star players who are likely to miss at least most of the remainder of the season due to injury \u2013 players like Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum,\u00a0Indiana Pacers<\/a>\u00a0guard Tyrese Haliburton and Dallas Mavericks<\/a> guard Kyrie Irving.<\/p>\n

1 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n

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1 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n

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2 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards’ Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.<\/p>\n

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3 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.<\/p>\n

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4 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns’ Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.<\/p>\n

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5 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.<\/p>\n

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6 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 24: The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.<\/p>\n

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7 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 22: The New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

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8 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.<\/p>\n

More: NBA All-Star Game winners and losers: US vs World format is an upgrade<\/a><\/p>\n

USA TODAY Sports’ Top 25 NBA players, ranked<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a021.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 4.8 apg<\/p>\n

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His scoring numbers and efficiency have lagged significantly, and the Magic \u2013 before Franz Wagner got hurt \u2013 often played better when he was off the floor.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a016th<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a017.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 1.8 apg<\/p>\n

With a steadily-improving mid-range jumper, his offensive game has developed. And, with his size and defensive presence down low, Duren is becoming a force for the Pistons.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a0unranked<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a026.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.1 apg<\/p>\n

The Jazz may not want him to play fourth quarters<\/a>, but Markkanen is averaging career highs in points per game and is quickly becoming a premier inside-out threat who can stretch the floor.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a0unranked<\/p>\n

22.\u00a0Jalen Johnson<\/a>, forward, Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a023.3 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 8.2 apg<\/p>\n

He\u2019s quickly becoming one of the more versatile players in the entire NBA and is a player who impacts the game in several ways. He also often puts up monster stat lines.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a0unranked<\/p>\n

21.\u00a0Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a>, forward-center, New York Knicks<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a019.8 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2.9 apg<\/p>\n

His defensive effort and propensity to fall into foul trouble often compromise his ability to be a consistent, game-changing force, but his shooting range and rebounding still make him a unique talent.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a018th<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a019.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.6 apg<\/p>\n

Now in his fifth season, Barnes is quietly becoming a consistent force on both ends. His scoring isn\u2019t eye-popping, but he\u2019s a play-making presence on a Raptors team that has been the biggest surprise in the East.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a0unranked<\/p>\n

19.\u00a0Joel Embiid<\/a>, center, Philadelphia 76ers<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a026.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.9 apg<\/p>\n

Both Embiid and the 76ers have been calculated and cautious when it comes to the soon-to-be 32-year-old\u2019s knee issues. And while Embiid has missed his share of games, he has been very productive when on the floor. He\u2019s not quite at his MVP levels from 2022-23, but he nonetheless remains a dominant force.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a019th<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a026.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.9 apg<\/p>\n

To look at the impact Siakam has had on the Pacers, all you need to do is take a quick peek at the team\u2019s injury reports from this season. Yet, despite being the focus of opposing defenses, Siakam has been the team\u2019s lone bright spot.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a024th<\/p>\n

17.\u00a0Jamal Murray<\/a>, guard, Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a025.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 7.6 apg<\/p>\n

During the stretches when Nikola Joki\u0107 has had to miss time, Murray has carried the Nuggets. And, after Denver lost some of its perimeter shooting with the trade of Michael Porter Jr., Murray has filled in that void, tying his career-best 3-point shooting percentage (42.5%) on a career-high 7.4 attempts per game.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a0unranked<\/p>\n

16.\u00a0LeBron James<\/a>, forward, Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a022.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 7.1 apg<\/p>\n

What James is doing at 41 years old does not have a precedent. He remains an impact player who can drive, make the right pass and rebound. He has lost a step, however, and isn\u2019t as efficient with his shot and needs to manage back-to-backs. But at his age, that\u2019s only natural.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a08th<\/p>\n

15.\u00a0Tyrese Maxey<\/a>, guard, Philadelphia 76ers<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a028.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 6.8 apg<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most glaring oversight of the unranked players, Maxey ranks sixth in the NBA in scoring and is proving that he\u2019s an elite shot maker. He\u2019s also showing that he can drag the Sixers to victories, even if Embiid is unavailable.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a0unranked<\/p>\n

14.\u00a0Devin Booker<\/a>, guard, Phoenix Suns<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a025.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.3 apg<\/p>\n

Although the Suns were seemingly entering an apparent rebuild, Booker\u2019s play has helped Phoenix (32-23) become one of the surprises out West. His silky jumper and ability to orchestrate an offense has been on display following the departures of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a015th<\/p>\n

13.\u00a0Jalen Brunson<\/a>, guard, New York Knicks<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a027.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.1 apg<\/p>\n

Although the ball sometimes stagnates in his hands, it\u2019s for a good reason; Brunson is effective in the clutch, can get to the line and has excellent understanding of body positioning and leverage. He\u2019s also a tireless worker.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a011th<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a025.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.4 apg<\/p>\n

His assimilation into the Rockets hasn\u2019t been without its hiccups<\/a>, but Durant remains one of the elite scorers in the game, even at 37 years old. He\u2019s more reliant than ever on his jumper, but it\u2019s still lethal.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking: 9th<\/p>\n

11.\u00a0Donovan Mitchell<\/a>, guard, Cleveland Cavaliers<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a029.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.9 apg<\/p>\n

He still needs to dispel the notion that he cannot perform well in the postseason, and the acquisition of James Harden will only intensify that pressure. But Mitchell is a strong guard who can score at all three levels, take over games and distribute when needed.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a010th<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0Jaylen Brown<\/a>, guard, Boston Celtics<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a029.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 4.7 apg<\/p>\n

This season has shown what Brown can do when he\u2019s the No. 1 threat on a team. He ranks fourth in the league in scoring, has become a nightmare matchup on defense and has willed the Celtics (35-19) all the way to the current No. 2 seed in the East, even without Jayson Tatum (Achilles) and the departures of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a020th<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0Kawhi Leonard<\/a>, forward, Los Angeles Clippers<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a027.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.7 apg<\/p>\n

He was the main reason why the Clippers came back from the dead, after an abysmal start to the season. Yet, with James Harden and Ivica Zubac now gone, Leonard becomes even more important. His absolute clinic in the 2026 All-Star Game showed that he\u2019s among the best in the world when he\u2019s on.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a014th<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0Stephen Curry<\/a>, guard, Golden State Warriors<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a027.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.8 apg<\/p>\n

The greatest shooter of all-time and the player who fights hardest to get separation and space, Curry is a singular talent. He\u2019s also the Warriors\u2019 only hope to make a run, and Golden State\u2019s window to win is quickly closing.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a06th<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a025.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 9.6 apg<\/p>\n

Somehow, Cunningham still flies under the radar relative to other stars in the NBA. Yet he is the main reason the Pistons (40-13) have had their remarkable turnaround over the last two seasons, and his command of Detroit\u2019s offense makes him a legitimate MVP candidate.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking: 12th<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/a>, guard, Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a032.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 8.6 apg<\/p>\n

He leads the league in scoring, and he\u2019s arguably the premier offensive player in the NBA, but he has become such a defensive liability, it\u2019s hard to justify him being in the Top 5. Opposing teams constantly seek him out and attack him on the other end. Still, with the game on the line, or when L.A. needs a big shot, you know who\u2019s going to take it.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a04th<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Anthony Edwards<\/a>, guard, Minnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a029.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.7 apg<\/p>\n

The 2026 NBA All-Star Most Valuable Player<\/a>, Edwards is a threat to score from anywhere. Though it may appear as though he\u2019s too reliant on his 3, he\u2019s converting those at a career-high 40.2%.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a05th<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Victor Wembanyama<\/a>, forward-center, San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a024.4 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.8 apg<\/p>\n

Arguably no player impacts the game on both ends of the floor more than Wembanyama. He leads the NBA with 2.7 blocks per game and his offensive portfolio continues to evolve. His greatest asset, however, might be his competitiveness<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a07th<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a028.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 5.6 apg<\/p>\n

His future in Milwaukee seems secure \u2013 for now \u2013 but Antetokounmpo needs to shake off nagging calf injuries that have robbed him of time on the court. He\u2019s the best transition scorer in the world and his size, power, length and athleticism make him a nightmare to defend. His jump shot, though, is still a weakness.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a03rd<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a031.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 6.4 apg<\/p>\n

Though he was banged up headed into the All-Star break, Gilgeous-Alexander is the preeminent model of consistency in the NBA. His scoring streak of at least 20 points stands at 121 games, which is just six away from Wilt Chamberlain\u2019s all-time record.<\/p>\n

Pre-season ranking:\u00a02nd<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Nikola Joki\u0107<\/a>, center, Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n

2025-26 stats:\u00a028.7 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 10.7 apg<\/p>\n

The only player this season to average a triple-double, Joki\u0107 is the most dominant presence in the entire NBA. His vision is unparalleled. His footwork and finesse under the basket is flawless. His knowledge and expertise of the game gives Denver such a massive advantage. For a lot of fans, the most frustrating part about Joki\u0107 is his apparent apathy when it comes to things like the All-Star Game. Don\u2019t fall into that trap; he\u2019s one of the all-time great players in history.<\/p>\n

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Pre-season ranking:\u00a01st<\/p>\n

Players who were ranked in the preseason Top 25, but fell off the list: Ja Morant, Grizzlies (25th); James Harden, Cavaliers (23rd); Jimmy Butler, Warriors (22nd); Evan Mobley, Cavaliers (21st); Jalen Williams, Thunder (17th); Anthony Davis, Wizards (13th).<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking NBA’s best players, new top 25 after All-Star break<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 NBA All-Star break offered the chance for the entire league to catch its breath, reset and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":485255,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[36999,6703,1222,6685,49,24617,48,2357,2695,2898,8028,8225,2358,24624,8228,8217,8223,2697,14418,19284,18735,9924,5720,1525,21091,3556,1526,6698,17593,14728,6695,15047,18706,2327,1527,8231,12887,6692,8216,14102,459,2901,5725,3555,15716,24611,14614,1528,6002,23249,2696,14731,6691,82,13596,10676,16306,19746,15717,21217],"class_list":{"0":"post-485254","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-anthony-edwards","9":"tag-atlanta-hawks","10":"tag-boston-celtics","11":"tag-bradley-beal","12":"tag-ca","13":"tag-cade-cunningham","14":"tag-canada","15":"tag-cleveland-cavaliers","16":"tag-dallas-mavericks","17":"tag-denver-nuggets","18":"tag-detroit-pistons","19":"tag-devin-booker","20":"tag-donovan-mitchell","21":"tag-franz-wagner","22":"tag-giannis-antetokounmpo","23":"tag-golden-state-warriors","24":"tag-houston-rockets","25":"tag-indiana-pacers","26":"tag-ivica-zubac","27":"tag-jalen-brunson","28":"tag-jalen-duren","29":"tag-jalen-johnson","30":"tag-jamal-murray","31":"tag-james-harden","32":"tag-jaylen-brown","33":"tag-jayson-tatum","34":"tag-joel-embiid","35":"tag-jrue-holiday","36":"tag-karl-anthony-towns","37":"tag-kawhi-leonard","38":"tag-kevin-durant","39":"tag-kyrie-irving","40":"tag-lauri-markkanen","41":"tag-lebron-james","42":"tag-los-angeles-clippers","43":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","44":"tag-luka-doncic","45":"tag-michael-porter-jr","46":"tag-milwaukee-bucks","47":"tag-minnesota-timberwolves","48":"tag-nba","49":"tag-new-york-knicks","50":"tag-nikola-jokic","51":"tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","52":"tag-orlando-magic","53":"tag-paolo-banchero","54":"tag-pascal-siakam","55":"tag-philadelphia-76ers","56":"tag-phoenix-suns","57":"tag-pre-season","58":"tag-san-antonio-spurs","59":"tag-scottie-barnes","60":"tag-shai-gilgeous-alexander","61":"tag-sports","62":"tag-stephen-curry","63":"tag-toronto-raptors","64":"tag-tyrese-haliburton","65":"tag-tyrese-maxey","66":"tag-utah-jazz","67":"tag-victor-wembanyama"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=485254"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485254\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/485255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=485254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=485254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=485254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}