Rankings – and the debates those create – fuel the NBA, more so than any of the major domestic sports leagues.
Player rankings in particular span generations and eras, showcasing the league's elite starpower. We enlisted 12 NBA experts across the USA TODAY Network and asked them to rank a field of 40 players, taking the weighted average to generate the USA TODAY Sports Top 25 NBA player rankings for the 2025-26 season.
For the purposes of this year's rankings, we have omitted star players who are likely to miss at least the majority of the season due to injury – players like Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.
Who topped our rankings? Check out our countdown from 25 to 1 below. And if you disagree, tell us why by dropping a note to Lorenzo Reyes at lgreyes@usatoday.com.
2024-25 stats: 23.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.3 apg
