By NBA insiders / ESPN, 2026-09-24 19:00:00
欢迎来到2026年NBA球员实力榜的终极揭晓时刻。
在周二公布了第100至51位，并于周三公布了第50至11位之后，重头戏终于登场。
谁将成为2026-27赛季的前十巨星？新科总决赛MVP杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson) 攀升到了怎样的高度？维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 是否正开启一段勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 式的榜首统治期？
尽管ESPN最新的前十名——或者说完整的百大榜单——势必会引发激烈争论，但无可置疑的是，本赛季榜首位置的争夺异乎寻常地胶着。尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic)、谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 与文班亚马之间仅相差3点投票积分，且三位超级巨星都各自在七位评委中至少占据了一张第一名选票。
评选专家团在2026年迎来了彻底革新。在以往赛季中，超过100名ESPN NBA业内人士、记者、编辑和制作人通过对数千组两两对决进行投票，最终生成百大球员名单。
而这种“群体智慧”的方法如今让位于七位NBA专家的真知灼见：ESPN的本·戈利弗 (Ben Golliver)、文森特·古德威尔 (Vincent Goodwill)、扎克·克拉姆 (Zach Kram)、鲍比·马克斯 (Bobby Marks)、戴夫·麦克梅纳明 (Dave McMenamin)、安德烈·斯内林斯 (André Snellings) 以及马特·“数据”·威廉姆斯 (Matt “Stats” Williams)。（评委各自的前100名榜单汇总合成了我们的最终排名。）
不过，投票准则保持不变。专家团被要求仅根据球员在2026-27赛季常规赛中的预期贡献——兼顾质量与数量——来进行排名。
让我们进入榜单——共同揭晓迈入NBA新赛季的最强王者。
注：代表性数据由ESPN Stats & Info提供。
10. 多诺万·米切尔 (Donovan Mitchell)
后卫 | 克利夫兰骑士
年龄： 30岁
2025年实力榜排名： 15
上赛季率领骑士挺进东部决赛——这也是米切尔九年职业生涯中首次获此突破——之后，他强势跻身前十。过去四个赛季中，他有三次在MVP投票中位列前七，其持球进攻能力以及利用投射射程冻结防守人的技巧，使他成为骑士不可阻挡的进攻核心。米切尔已连续七个赛季入选全明星，他与詹姆斯·哈登 (James Harden) 搭档，为克利夫兰组建了联盟中极少数首发后场双星皆多次入选最佳阵容的配置。
核心问题：米切尔能成为总冠军球队的头号王牌吗？
骑士拥有米切尔、哈登、埃文·莫布利 (Evan Mobley) 和贾勒特·阿伦 (Jarrett Allen) 四位全明星首发，但在季后赛中，他们的上限完全取决于米切尔能带他们走多远。
米切尔首次闯入分区决赛过程中颇具讽刺意味的一点是，与过去的季后赛相比，他打得并没有那么出色。在2020年至2025年的六次季后赛征程中，米切尔场均斩获30.0分，球员效率值 (PER) 高达24.5。而上赛季，他场均贡献26.0分，PER值仅为18.6（15.0为联盟平均水准）。前一个版本的米切尔绝对有实力率领骑士重返总决赛，尤其是在队友们能复制出色表现的情况下。—— André Snellings
代表性数据： 米切尔是过去九个赛季每季场均至少砍下20分的仅有八名球员之一。
范特西数据预测： 26.8分、5.7次助攻、4.8个篮板、1.6次抢断
9. 杰森·塔图姆 (Jayson Tatum)
前锋 | 波士顿凯尔特人
年龄： 28岁
2025年实力榜排名： 未上榜（伤病）
塔图姆去年秋天因在2025年5月遭遇阿喀琉斯腱撕裂而无缘入选实力榜，另外两位大约在同一时期遭遇阿喀琉斯腱撕裂的明星球员——泰雷斯·哈利伯顿 (Tyrese Haliburton) 和达米安·利拉德 (Damian Lillard)——则缺席了整个赛季。但塔图姆在全力以赴且相对迅速的康复后复出，在16场常规赛和6场季后赛中，对于一个在不到12个月前经历过如此毁灭性伤病的人来说，他的输出效率令人惊叹。
在凯尔特人季后赛负于费城的抢七大战中，塔图姆因伤缺席，球队最初称该未公开病因为左膝僵硬，但到本赛季揭幕战时，他又获得了整整六个月的恢复时间。他或许能更接近当年的自己——在凯尔特人于休赛期将二当家杰伦·布朗 (Jaylen Brown) 交易至76人之后，他也必须做到这一点。
核心问题：伤愈后的塔图姆上限依然那么高吗？
塔图姆在上赛季有限的出场时间里表现不俗。但在阿喀琉斯腱撕裂之前，他绝不仅仅是“不俗”。在受伤前的连续四个赛季里，塔图姆均入选了最佳阵容一阵，这是绝大多数争冠球队对其头号核心的要求。如果塔图姆无法重回那一水准，凯尔特人很可能缺乏重返总决赛所需的顶级巨星战力。但如果塔图姆重回MVP竞争者行列，波士顿将立即重返争冠集团。—— Zach Kram
代表性数据： 塔图姆是过去两个赛季场均至少得到25分、8个篮板和5次助攻的三名球员之一，另外两位是尼古拉·约基奇和扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo)。
范特西数据预测： 26.7分、8.6个篮板、5.8次助攻、1.1次抢断
8. 凯德·坎宁安 (Cade Cunningham)
后卫 | 底特律活塞
年龄： 24岁
2025年实力榜排名： 12
凭借极其惊艳的2025-26赛季，坎宁安强势杀入前十，不仅入选最佳阵容一阵，还率领活塞斩获了队史近20年来的首个60胜赛季。这位2021年的选秀状元成功战胜了生涯早期的伤病困扰，以及2023-24赛季仅获14胜的惨痛阴霾，成长为一名顶尖的战术组织大师。坎宁安极擅长掌控比赛节奏、洞察错位并自如变速，完全兑现了选秀前将其视为哈登和卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 式核心的美好预期。坎宁安将在本周五迎来25岁生日，活塞在接下来的三到五个赛季里必须完全专注于最大限度优化其身边的阵容配置。属于他和底特律的争冠窗口期正是当下。
核心问题：坎宁安能解决失误过多的问题吗？
高球权使用率的组织者难免会出现失误，尤其是在季后赛中被要求打极长时间的情况下。但坎宁安在2026年季后赛中创下一项尴尬的纪录：这位底特律当家后卫场均出现5.6次失误，在NBA历史上出战至少10场季后赛的球员中高居第一。
坎宁安在传控时有时显得漫不经心，但底特律拥挤的空间和缺乏第二持球点的现状，极大地增加了他的进攻负担。尽管活塞自2025年休赛期以来通过引进邓肯·罗宾逊 (Duncan Robinson) 和以赛亚·乔 (Isaiah Joe) 逐步改善了外线投射，但除非他们能找到另一位球星级的进攻组织者来合理平衡进攻，否则他们注定会在季后赛中遭遇更多令人心碎的失利。若想寻找成功范本，活塞应当回看2018年火箭的哈登与克里斯·保罗 (Chris Paul) 组合，以及2024年独行侠的东契奇与凯里·欧文 (Kyrie Irving) 双枪。正是凭借那几个赛季多点开花的进攻体系，休斯敦拿下了65胜，达拉斯也一路惊艳杀入总决赛。—— Ben Golliver
代表性数据： 上赛季，坎宁安成为继1999-2000至2001-02赛季连续三年达成的杰里·斯塔克豪斯 (Jerry Stackhouse) 之后，活塞队史首位连续两个赛季至少砍下1500分的球员。
范特西数据预测： 24.6分、9.8次助攻、5.6个篮板、1.4次抢断
7. 安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards)
后卫 | 明尼苏达森林狼
年龄： 25岁
2025年实力榜排名： 6
年仅25岁的爱德华兹，在塔图姆上赛季因伤缺阵期间接过了NBA最强攻防一体侧翼的衣钵。爱德华兹场均轰下创生涯新高的28.8分，在高产量的同时三分命中率再次达到40%（正如其在2024-25赛季所做的那样），同时迎来了整体效率最高的赛季。虽然爱德华兹因仅出场61场而无缘最佳阵容评选，但他通常是联盟中最出勤稳定的球星之一，在此前的五个赛季中，每个赛季他都至少出战了72场比赛。
核心问题：爱德华兹能在组织串联上继续进步吗？
除了一位例外——某位法国中锋——在本榜单上排在爱德华兹身前的球员以及联盟顶级的MVP候选人，之所以如此高效，是因为他们不仅能为自己、也能为队友创造绝佳的得分机会。尽管爱德华兹在挡拆阅读方面每年都在进步，但他尚未完全适应这种全面策动进攻的角色。
在休赛期交易得到拉梅洛·鲍尔 (LaMelo Ball) 之后，森林狼让爱德华兹改打控球后卫的尝试似乎已告一段落。但爱德华兹在这方面的发展可能并不会因此受阻；上赛季，他的助攻率降到了自新秀赛季以来的最低点。—— Kram
代表性数据： 爱德华兹在年满25岁前生涯累计得到10854分，在NBA历史上排名第三，仅次于詹姆斯（13927分）和凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant)（12258分）。
范特西数据预测： 30.3分、5.2个篮板、4.0次助攻、1.3次抢断
6. 杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson)
后卫 | 纽约尼克斯
年龄： 30岁
2025年实力榜排名： 10
这位“纽约之王”在六月成为了整座NBA的王者，带领尼克斯斩获了时隔50多年的首座总冠军。他连续第三年入选最佳阵容，并荣膺东部决赛MVP和总决赛MVP——在此过程中，彻底粉碎了外界对他6英尺2英寸（1.88米）身高、190磅（86公斤）体型的所有质疑。布伦森作为队史传奇已经载入尼克斯史册。如果能打破当今联盟群雄逐鹿的格局实现卫冕，他将叩开全联盟历史级巨星的大门。
核心问题：在竞争加剧的东部，布伦森能否让尼克斯保持专注？
这个赛季人们会不厌其烦地重申这一点：自2017年和2018年金州勇士凭借斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry) 和杜兰特两颗超级新星联手夺冠以来，联盟还未曾出现过能实现卫冕的球队。
此后的每一支卫冕冠军在通往六月的征途上都遭遇了波折。东部赛区正处于数十年未有的强手如林状态，而尼克斯如今成为了最大的标靶。这不仅仅局限于客队造访麦迪逊广场花园之时；无论在哪，对战尼克斯都将是各支球队最看重的战役。这需要非凡的体能储备。这也是一支冠军之师最容易产生分歧、球员开始盘算个人合同而非无私牺牲的危险时期。
作为队长，他必须在长达大半年的常规赛里让全队心无旁骛——然后在季后赛中再次提速。在经历了起伏不定的2025-26常规赛之后，许多客观条件为他们提供了完美契机，尼克斯经常为布伦森在第四节接管比赛清空道路。尼克斯还能沿用这一制胜公式吗？抑或布伦森不得不做出个人数据上的牺牲，以确保全员团结一致直到季后赛开打？他的领袖能力将经受严峻考验。—— Vincent Goodwill
代表性数据： 布伦森在2026年NBA总决赛的第四节场均狂砍11.2分，创下后卫历史最高纪录，历史全位置上也仅次于1995年和2000年的沙奎尔·奥尼尔 (Shaquille O’Neal)。
范特西数据预测： 26.9分、6.9次助攻、3.3个篮板、0.9次抢断
5. 扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo)
前锋 | 迈阿密热火
年龄： 31岁
2025年实力榜排名： 4
阿德托昆博上赛季继续交出MVP级的数据，但由于伤病缺席了太多比赛，近八年来首次跌出MVP投票前四。这位31岁的前锋在雄鹿的最后一个赛季仅出战了36场比赛，来到热火的第一个赛季，他需要证明自己仍处于巅峰状态且能保持健康。如果他在2026-27赛季两项皆能做到，阿德托昆博将依然是联盟中极少数能场均砍下30分10个篮板并领跑全队助攻榜的超巨之一。
核心问题：阿德托昆博能否在加盟首年便率领热火加入争冠行列？
当热火打包大批球员和选秀资产交易得到阿德托昆博时，外界普遍认为迈阿密需要数个赛季才能重新打开争冠窗口。但为何不能是现在？在2020年至2023年的四个赛季中，热火曾以吉米·巴特勒三世 (Jimmy Butler III) 和巴姆·阿德巴约 (Bam Adebayo) 为核心，在其余关键位置辅以功能型角色球员，三次杀入分区决赛。
由球队总裁帕特·莱利 (Pat Riley) 和主教练埃里克·斯波尔斯特拉 (Erik Spoelstra) 贯彻的“热火文化”绝非虚名，这意味着迈阿密永远球风强硬、立足防守。热火往往能榨干阵容中的每一分潜力，年复一年地取得超越普遍预期的战绩。如今阿德托昆博加盟，为球队带来了自近15年前詹姆斯率领迈阿密连续四年杀入总决赛并实现两连冠以来的最强个人天赋。
阿德托昆博在进攻端化身单兵攻城锤与战术发动机，在防守端统治篮板并提供极具破坏力防守表现的能力，或许至今仍无人能敌。对手依然必须“筑起人墙”才能阻挡他统治禁区，这意味着当阿德托昆博持球突破时，队友们将继续享受到大量空位机会——而热火引进了克莱·汤普森 (Klay Thompson) 和小蒂姆·哈达威 (Tim Hardaway Jr.) 来将其转化为得分。—— Snellings
代表性数据： 阿德托昆博离开密尔沃基时，成为在现役球队得分、篮板和助攻三项数据领跑队史的四位传奇之一，另外三位是骑士时期的詹姆斯、森林狼时期的凯文·加内特 (Kevin Garnett) 和公牛时期的迈克尔·乔丹 (Michael Jordan)。
范特西数据预测： 32.1分、11.4个篮板、6.3次助攻、1.1次抢断
4. 卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic)
后卫 | 洛杉矶湖人
年龄： 27岁
2025年实力榜排名： 3
在过去三年中第二次荣膺得分王（场均33.48分），并继续保持着自2025年夏天以来重塑的精悍体型，东契奇已准备好在湖人作为进攻指挥官迎来又一个统治级的赛季。这位身高6英尺8英寸（2.03米）的巨星在休赛期深刻影响了洛杉矶的阵容构建，管理层响应了他对“顶级中锋”的渴望，通过交易引进了沃克·凯斯勒 (Walker Kessler)，并不惜砸下重金留下了东契奇充满活力的后场搭档奥斯汀·里夫斯 (Austin Reaves)。年满27岁的东契奇正步入传统意义上的职业生涯黄金巅峰期——尽管自2018年登陆NBA以来六次入选最佳阵容的履历，证明他或许早已身处巅峰。
核心问题：东契奇能带领这套阵容赢球吗？
代表湖人出战的两次季后赛之旅中，东契奇在场上仅仅赢下过一场季后赛胜利。仅此而已。2025年，湖人位列西部第3号种子，却在五场比赛后爆冷不敌6号种子森林狼。今年春天，湖人作为4号种子闯入西部半决赛，但东契奇因腿筋问题缺席了全部两轮系列赛。
东契奇代表达拉斯独行侠在2022年打进西决、2024年打进总决赛的壮举，如今感觉已如过眼云烟。自2024年总决赛败给凯尔特人以来，东契奇在生涯成就上已经被部分同侪超越——28岁的亚历山大连夺两届MVP外加总冠军，而东契奇的前队友、30岁的布伦森则率领尼克斯夺得了50多年来的首个总冠军。
面对亚历山大的雷霆——那支在没有东契奇出战的情况下横扫淘汰湖人的球队——以及文班亚马的马刺等强敌，东契奇是否具备与之抗衡的实力？—— Dave McMenamin
代表性数据： 东契奇是NBA历史上前八个赛季达成15000分、4000个篮板和4000次助攻的三名球员之一，另外两位是詹姆斯和奥斯卡·罗伯特森 (Oscar Robertson)。
范特西数据预测： 33.0分、8.9次助攻、8.5个篮板、1.6次抢断
3. 谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)
后卫 | 俄克拉荷马城雷霆
年龄： 28岁
2025年实力榜排名： 2
未能重返NBA总决赛，只会给这位新科连任MVP注入更多动力。但正如西决对阵马刺的失利所证明的那样，当吉尔杰斯-亚历山大身边拥有健康的杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams) 协力时，雷霆才处于最强形态。在他们上赛季共同登场的出场时间里，俄克拉荷马城每百回合净胜对手15.3分。除了力求重返总决赛，吉尔杰斯-亚历山大还将尝试成为历史第三位连续五个赛季投篮命中率突破50%的后卫。此前仅有名人堂成员魔术师约翰逊 (Magic Johnson) 和莫里斯·奇克斯 (Maurice Cheeks) 达成过此项成就。
核心问题：吉尔杰斯-亚历山大能否成为自1986年以来首位三连MVP的球员？
即便算上乔丹、科比·布莱恩特 (Kobe Bryant)、奥尼尔、蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan)、詹姆斯、阿德托昆博以及约基奇的统治时代，自拉里·伯德 (Larry Bird) 在1984、1985和1986年达成壮举以来，还没有任何球员能连夺三届MVP。根据DraftKings的数据，吉尔杰斯-亚历山大在进入2026-27赛季时的MVP赔率仅次于维克托·文班亚马。—— Bobby Marks
代表性数据： 本赛季，吉尔杰斯-亚历山大有望加入威尔特·张伯伦 (Wilt Chamberlain) 和乔丹的行列，成为连续至少五个赛季以50%命中率砍下30分的球员。
范特西数据预测： 31.3分、6.4次助攻、4.9个篮板、1.7次抢断
2. 维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama)
中锋 | 圣安东尼奥马刺
年龄： 22岁
2025年实力榜排名： 5
若不是马刺在NBA总决赛中接连遭遇溃败，全世界的篮球迷早在六月份就已将文班加冕为“世界第一人”了。相反，这位22岁的中锋将在进入生涯第四个赛季时，全力追逐总冠军的终极认可，以及在已有年度最佳防守球员和最佳阵容一阵荣誉之外添上一座MVP奖杯。“外星人”依然兼具无懈可击的肉眼观感与进阶高阶数据；在2025-26赛季，他通过减少三分线外出击、增加禁区造杀伤，进一步提升了得分效率。在常规赛领跑全联盟盖帽榜与防守胜利贡献值后，文班在个人首次季后赛之旅中打出了优异的+12.9净效率值。对对手而言，究竟哪一点更令人胆寒：是他7英尺4英寸（7尺5？还是7尺6？）的遮天骨架，还是他那令人瞠目的进化速度？
核心问题：文班从总决赛的失利中学到了什么？
无论过去多久，2026年总决赛中那场“龟兔赛跑”式的反转剧情依然令人难以置信。圣安东尼奥在整轮五场系列赛的首节比赛中共计净胜纽约57分，但在随后的第二节净负29分，第三节净负14分，第四节净负26分。文班及其队友们根本无法守住领先优势。
虽然马刺整队的年轻稚气在最高舞台上让他们付出了惨痛代价，但文班在球队下半场的困局中也显露出了身体和心理上的疲态。更重要的是，他也由衷称赞了尼克斯后卫布伦森在决胜时刻掌控局面的能力。
为了夺得生涯首冠，文班必须提升体能储备，并在季后赛关键胶着时刻避免过度依赖单打跳投。纵观队史，圣安东尼奥向来是以团队之名赢取胜利。—— Golliver
代表性数据： 上赛季，文班成为NBA历史上首位全票当选年度最佳防守球员的得主，该奖项设立于1983年。
范特西数据预测： 26.3分、12.2个篮板、3.5次助攻、3.5次盖帽
1. 尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic)
中锋 | 丹佛掘金
年龄：31岁
2025年实力榜排名： 1
在ESPN的NBA球员实力榜头把交椅的争夺中，约基奇、文班与吉尔杰斯-亚历山大之间的差距微乎其微。这三位巨星都配得上榜首之位，但最终约基奇连续第三年蝉联第一。在2025-26赛季，他连续第二个赛季达成场均三双，比肩拉塞尔·威斯布鲁克 (Russell Westbrook)，成为历史上仅有的能多次达成此壮举的球员。尽管约基奇在MVP投票中再次屈居第二，但在过去的六个赛季中，他不是捧起MVP奖杯，就是高居次席。
核心问题：约基奇的三分命中率能否找回准星？
在今年休赛期失去佩顿·沃特森 (Peyton Watson) 之后，掘金的阵容深度难免会受到质疑。尽管约基奇表态“我的愿望是在丹佛打完剩余的职业生涯”，外界仍会讨论他的下一份合同。但从场上竞技层面来看，自从他在12月29日遭遇左膝过度伸展导致骨挫伤并因此缺席16场比赛后，其三分球命中率出现了大幅下滑。在受伤之前，约基奇的三分命中率高达44%，本有望创下生涯新高。然而从他在1月下旬复出到常规赛结束，这一数据暴跌至32%。
这种挣扎在季后赛首轮对阵森林狼时仍在延续，期间他三分球36投仅7中（命中率19.4%），在季后赛历史上所有至少出手35次三分的球员中排在倒数第六位。面对拥有文班、鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 和凯斯勒等强力护筐者的西部赛区，约基奇的外线投射将是维系掘金进攻空间的关键命脉。—— Matt Williams
代表性数据： 上赛季，约基奇成为NBA历史上首位单赛季同时领跑联盟场均篮板榜与场均助攻榜的球员。
范特西数据预测： 28.3分、12.7个篮板、10.1次助攻、1.6次抢断
由生成式 AI 翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
查看原文：NBA Rank 2026: The new top 10 features a razor-thin race for No. 1
NBA Rank 2026: The new top 10 features a razor-thin race for No. 1
Welcome to the grand finale of NBA Rank 2026.
After unveiling Nos. 100-51 on Tuesday and Nos. 50-11 on Wednesday, the big reveal is here.
Who will be the top 10 players for the 2026-27 season? How high did reigning Finals MVP Jalen Brunson climb? Did Victor Wembanyama just begin a LeBron James-esque run atop of the list?
While ESPN’s latest top 10 – er, full top 100 – will surely spark debate, what can’t be questioned is the remarkably tight race for this season’s No. 1 spot. Just three voting points separated Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama, with each superstar placing atop at least one of the seven panelists’ individual rankings.
That panel has been overhauled for the 2026 edition. In previous seasons, more than 100 ESPN NBA insiders, reporters, editors and producers voted on thousands of possible player vs. player matchups to arrive at the final top-100 list.
That “wisdom of the crowd” approach has given way to the wisdom of seven NBA experts: ESPN’s Ben Golliver, Vincent Goodwill, Zach Kram, Bobby Marks, Dave McMenamin, André Snellings and Matt “Stats” Williams. (The panelists’ individual top-100 lists were combined to create our final rankings.)
Voting guidelines, however, remained unchanged. The panel was asked to rank players based on predicted contributions – quality and quantity – for the 2026-27 regular season only.
Let’s get to the list – the best of the best heading into the new NBA season.
Note: Signature stats provided by ESPN Research.
10. Donovan Mitchell
G | Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 30
2025 NBA Rank: 15
Mitchell rises into the top 10 after leading the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference finals last season, his first such appearance in his nine-year career. He has finished in the top seven in MVP voting in three of the past four seasons, and his ability to create off the dribble while using his shooting range to freeze defenders makes him the offensive force of the Cavs. Mitchell has been an All-Star in seven straight seasons, and he pairs with James Harden to give Cleveland one of the few backcourts where each starter boasts multiple All-NBA selections.
Big question: Can Mitchell be the best player on a champion?
The Cavaliers start four All-Stars in Mitchell, Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but in the playoffs they will go only as far as Mitchell can lead them.
One of the ironies of Mitchell’s first run to the conference finals was that he didn’t play particularly well compared with past postseasons. In his six playoffs runs, from 2020 to 2025, Mitchell averaged 30.0 points per game with a player efficiency rating of 24.5. Last season, he averaged 26.0 points with a PER of just 18.6 (15.0 is considered average). The former version is absolutely good enough to carry the Cavs back to the Finals, especially if Mitchell sees a repeat performance from his teammates. – André Snellings
Signature stat: Mitchell is one of eight players to average at least 20 points per game in each of the past nine seasons.
Fantasy projection: 26.8 PTS, 5.7 AST, 4.8 REB, 1.6 STL
9. Jayson Tatum
F | Boston Celtics
Age: 28
2025 NBA Rank: NR (injury)
Tatum wasn’t eligible for NBA Rank last fall because of an Achilles tendon tear he sustained in May 2025, and the two other notable players who tore an Achilles tendon around the same time – Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard – both sat out the entire campaign. But Tatum returned after a concerted and relatively speedy recovery, and in his 16 regular-season and six playoff games, he was remarkably productive for someone who had suffered such a devastating injury less than 12 months earlier.
Tatum did miss Game 7 of the Celtics’ playoff loss to Philadelphia because of an undisclosed injury originally described by the team as left knee stiffness, but he’ll end up having had another six months of recovery time by opening night this season. He might look even more like his former self – and he’ll need to be after the Celtics traded co-star Jaylen Brown to the 76ers in the offseason.
Big question: Is Tatum’s ceiling still as high post-injury?
Tatum was good in his limited playing time last season. But he was far more than merely good before his Achilles tear. For four consecutive seasons before the injury, Tatum was a first-team All-NBA selection, which is the level most championship teams need from their No. 1 option. If Tatum can’t return to that level, the Celtics likely won’t have enough top-tier star power to return to the Finals. But if Tatum returns to MVP contender status, Boston will be right back in the title mix. – Zach Kram
Signature stat: Tatum is one of three players to average at least 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game across the past two seasons, joining Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Fantasy projection: 26.7 PTS, 8.6 REB, 5.8 AST, 1.1 STL
8. Cade Cunningham
G | Detroit Pistons
Age: 24
2025 NBA Rank: 12
Cunningham vaulted into the top 10 thanks to a spectacular 2025-26 season in which he earned first-team All-NBA honors and led the Pistons to the franchise’s first 60-win season in 20 years. The No. 1 draft pick in 2021 has successfully weathered early-career injuries and a miserable 14-win campaign in 2023-24 to emerge as an elite playmaker. Cunningham excels at controlling game flow, manipulating matchups and changing speeds, and he has lived up to hopeful predraft assessments that viewed him in the same mold as James Harden and Luka Doncic. With Cunningham turning 25 on Friday, the Pistons must focus solely on maximizing the talent around him over the next three to five seasons. His and Detroit’s window of opportunity is now.
Big question: Will Cunningham solve his turnover problems?
High-usage playmakers are bound to turn the ball over, especially when they’re asked to log huge minutes in the playoffs. But Cunningham set an unfortunate record during the 2026 postseason: Detroit’s franchise guard averaged 5.6 turnovers per game, the most by any player in NBA history during a playoff run of at least 10 games.
Cunningham can be sloppy with the ball, but Detroit’s cramped spacing and lack of secondary ball handlers make his job much more difficult. Even though the Pistons have gradually improved their cast of outside shooters by adding Duncan Robinson and Isaiah Joe since the 2025 offseason, they’re destined for more playoff heartbreak unless they find another star-level creator to properly balance their offense. For proof of concept, the Pistons should look back at the 2018 Rockets’ pairing of James Harden and Chris Paul and the 2024 Mavericks’ duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Thanks to the multipronged attacks during those seasons, Houston won 65 games and Dallas made a stunning trip to the Finals. – Ben Golliver
Signature stat: Last season, Cunningham became the first Piston to score 1,500 points in consecutive campaigns since Jerry Stackhouse’s three straight from 1999-2000 to 2001-02.
Fantasy projection: 24.6 PTS, 9.8 AST, 5.6 REB, 1.4 STL
7. Anthony Edwards
G | Minnesota Timberwolves
Age: 25
2025 NBA Rank: 6
Still only 25, Edwards grabbed the mantle of best two-way wing in the NBA during Jayson Tatum’s injury absence last season. Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game and again made 40% of his 3s on high volume (as he did in 2024-25) while enjoying his most efficient season overall. And while Edwards missed out on an All-NBA nod because he appeared in only 61 games, he is generally one of the sturdiest stars around, having appeared in at least 72 games in each of his previous five campaigns.
Big question: Can Edwards continue to improve as a facilitator?
With only one exception – a certain French center – the players ranked ahead of Edwards on this list and the league’s leading MVP candidates are so effective because they create prime scoring opportunities for both themselves and their teammates. But Edwards doesn’t quite yet fit that expansive playmaking role, even as he improves every year with his reads out of pick-and-rolls.
The Timberwolves’ experiment of using Edwards as a point guard appears to be over after trading for LaMelo Ball this offseason. But that might not get in the way of Edwards’ development in this capacity; last season, he posted his lowest assist rate since he was a rookie. – Kram
Signature stat: Edwards’ 10,854 career points is the third most in NBA history before turning 25, trailing only LeBron James (13,927) and Kevin Durant (12,258).
Fantasy projection: 30.3 PTS, 5.2 REB, 4.0 AST, 1.3 STL
6. Jalen Brunson
G | New York Knicks
Age: 30
2025 NBA Rank: 10
The “King of New York” became the king of the NBA in June, powering the Knicks to their first title in over 50 years. He earned All-NBA honors for the third straight year and was named conference finals MVP and Finals MVP – all while shutting down every critique about his size at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. Brunson is cemented into Knicks lore as an all-time great. A parity-busting repeat would put him on the doorstep of all-time great status leaguewide.
Big question: Can Brunson keep the Knicks focused in an improved East?
It will be said ad nauseam this season: There hasn’t been a repeat champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, when Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were co-supernovas.
Every champion since has had a hiccup on the way to June. The Eastern Conference is as deep as it has been in decades, and the Knicks are now the biggest target. It won’t just be when teams come into Madison Square Garden; the Knicks will be everyone’s biggest game. That requires extra stamina. It’s also the time when a collective group can splinter and begin thinking about contracts rather than sacrifice.
The captain will have to keep this group on task for the better part of six months – then ramp it up again for the playoffs. So much laid out perfectly after an up-and-down 2025-26 regular season, and the Knicks often cleared the way for Brunson to take over in the fourth quarters of games. Can the Knicks deploy the same formula? Or will Brunson have to make statistical sacrifices to keep everybody on board until the playoffs begin? His leadership will be tested. – Vincent Goodwill
Signature stat: Brunson averaged 11.2 fourth-quarter points during the 2026 NBA Finals, the most ever by a guard and second to only Shaquille O’Neal in 1995 and 2000.
Fantasy projection: 26.9 PTS, 6.9 AST, 3.3 REB, 0.9 STL
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo
F | Miami Heat
Age: 31
2025 NBA Rank: 4
Antetokounmpo continued to put up MVP-caliber numbers last season but didn’t finish in the top four of the MVP vote for the first time in eight years because he missed so much time to injury. The 31-year-old forward played just 36 games in his final season with the Bucks, and he will enter his first with the Heat needing to prove he is still in his prime and can stay healthy. If both are true in 2026-27, Antetokounmpo will remain one of the very few players capable of averaging 30 points and 10 rebounds while also leading his team in assists.
Big question: Can Antetokounmpo lead the Heat into championship contention in Year 1?
When the Heat traded away a large collection of players and draft assets to bring in Antetokounmpo, the general consensus was that it would take multiple seasons to reopen Miami’s title window. But why not now? The Heat made it to at least the conference finals three times in four campaigns from 2020 to 2023 with a team built around Jimmy Butler III and Bam Adebayo, with role players at every other key position.
“Heat Culture” is real, implemented by team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra, which means Miami is always defensive-minded and edgy. The Heat tend to squeeze every ounce of potential out of their lineups and garner more success than general expectations on a yearly basis. Enter Antetokounmpo, who gives the team its most talented player since LeBron James led Miami to four consecutive Finals and back-to-back titles almost 15 years ago.
Antetokounmpo’s ability to be a one-man wrecking ball and offense creator at one end while crashing boards and playing disruptive defense at the other end might still be unmatched. Opponents will still have to “build the wall” to keep him from dominating the paint, which means teammates will continue to feast on open looks when Antetokounmpo drives – and the Heat added Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. to capitalize. – Snellings
Signature stat: Antetokounmpo left Milwaukee as one of four players to lead an active franchise in points, rebounds and assists, joining LeBron James with Cleveland, Kevin Garnett with Minnesota and Michael Jordan with Chicago.
Fantasy projection: 32.1 PTS, 11.4 REB, 6.3 AST, 1.1 STL
4. Luka Doncic
G | Los Angeles Lakers
Age: 27
2025 NBA Rank: 3
Coming off his second scoring title in the past three years (33.48 points per game) and continuing to sport the revamped physique he committed to in the summer of 2025, Doncic is primed for another dominant season quarterbacking the Lakers. The 6-8 star’s fingerprints were all over L.A.'s roster construction over the offseason, as the front office heeded his desire for an “A-list center” by trading for Walker Kessler and opened up the team’s coffers to retain Doncic’s dynamic backcourt partner, Austin Reaves. Now 27, Doncic is entering what traditionally has been identified as the start of a player’s prime – although he is arguably already there, as evidenced by his six All-NBA selections since joining the NBA in 2018.
Big question: Can Doncic win with this group?
Through two postseasons with the Lakers, Doncic has been on the court for only one playoff win. That’s it. In 2025, L.A. was the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed and got upset by the sixth-seeded Timberwolves in five games. This past spring, the Lakers made it to the conference semifinals as the 4-seed, but Doncic was sidelined for both rounds because of a hamstring issue.
Doncic’s trips with the Dallas Mavericks to the West finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024 are starting to feel like distant history. And since his Finals loss to the Celtics in 2024, Doncic has been passed in career accomplishments by some of his contemporaries – with 28-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning back-to-back MVPs and an NBA title and former Doncic teammate Jalen Brunson, 30, leading the Knicks to their first championship in more than 50 years.
Is Doncic equipped to compete with the likes of Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder – the team that swept L.A. out of the second round without him – and Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs? – Dave McMenamin
Signature stat: Doncic is one of three players with 15,000 points, 4,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists in their first eight NBA seasons, joining LeBron James and Oscar Robertson.
Fantasy projection: 33.0 PTS, 8.9 AST, 8.5 REB, 1.6 STL
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
G | Oklahoma City Thunder
Age: 28
2025 NBA Rank: 2
Not returning to the NBA Finals should only motivate the reigning back-to-back MVP. But as the loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference finals proved, the Thunder are at their best when Gilgeous-Alexander has a healthy Jalen Williams paired with him. In the minutes they shared the court last season, Oklahoma City outscored its opponents by 15.3 points per 100 possessions. Besides trying to get back to the Finals, Gilgeous-Alexander is attempting to become the third guard to shoot better than 50% from the field in five straight seasons. Only Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Maurice Cheeks have done it.
Big question: Can Gilgeous-Alexander become the first player since 1986 to win three straight MVPs?
Even with the dominant runs of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, no player has won three consecutive MVPs since Larry Bird in 1984, 1985 and 1986. Gilgeous-Alexander enters the 2026-27 season behind Victor Wembanyama in MVP odds, according to DraftKings. – Bobby Marks
Signature stat: This season, Gilgeous-Alexander can join Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan on the list of players to average 30 points on 50% shooting for at least five campaigns in a row.
Fantasy projection: 31.3 PTS, 6.4 AST, 4.9 REB, 1.7 STL
2. Victor Wembanyama
C | San Antonio Spurs
Age: 22
2025 NBA Rank: 5
If not for a series of Spurs collapses in the NBA Finals, basketball fans everywhere would have crowned Wembanyama “Best Player in the World” in June. Instead, the 22-year-old center will enter his fourth season seeking championship validation and his first MVP award to go with the Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-NBA honors he earned last season. “The Alien” continues to ace the eye test and advanced stats alike, and he boosted his scoring efficiency in 2025-26 by cutting back on his 3-point attempts in favor of paint opportunities. After leading the league in blocks and defensive win shares during the regular season, Wembanyama posted an excellent plus-12.9 net rating during his first playoff run. What’s scarier for opponents: his 7-4 (7-5? 7-6?) frame or his rapid rate of improvement?
Big question: What did Wembanyama learn from his NBA Finals defeat?
No matter how much time passes, the 2026 Finals’ “tortoise and hare” dynamic still seems unfathomable. San Antonio outscored New York by 57 points in the first quarters of their five-game series only to then be outscored by 29 points in the second quarters, by 14 points in the third quarters and by 26 points in the fourth quarters. Wembanyama & Co. simply couldn’t protect their leads.
While the Spurs’ collective youth came back to bite them on the biggest stage, Wembanyama appeared to display physical and mental fatigue during his team’s second-half struggles. What’s more, he rightfully praised Knicks guard Jalen Brunson for dictating the late-game action.
To claim his first title, Wembanyama must improve his stamina and avoid an overreliance on isolation jumpers when playoff games tighten. Throughout its history, San Antonio has always won as a team. – Golliver
Signature stat: Last season, Wembanyama became the NBA’s first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, an award first presented in 1983.
Fantasy projection: 26.3 PTS, 12.2 REB, 3.5 AST, 3.5 BLK
1. Nikola Jokic
C | Denver Nuggets
Age: 31
2025 NBA Rank: 1
The margin between Jokic, Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was razor-thin for the top spot in ESPN’s NBA Rank. All three players deserved the No. 1 slot, but it’s Jokic in the first position for the third consecutive year. In 2025-26, he averaged a triple-double for the second straight season, joining Russell Westbrook as the only players to accomplish the feat multiple times. Although Jokic finished second in MVP voting once again, he has either won the award or been runner-up across six consecutive campaigns.
Big question: Will Jokic’s 3-point shooting return to form?
There will be questions around the Nuggets’ depth after losing Peyton Watson this offseason. There will be questions about Jokic’s next contract, despite him saying, “My desire is to play the rest of my life in Denver.” But from an on-court perspective, his 3-point shooting dipped considerably after he suffered a bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee Dec. 29, causing him to miss 16 games. Before the injury, Jokic was shooting 44% from deep, which would have been a career high. That rate dropped to 32% from when he returned in late January until the end of the regular season.
Those struggles continued against the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, during which he shot 7-for-36 (19.4%) from beyond the arc for the sixth-worst percentage in postseason history among players with at least 35 attempts. In a Western Conference with defensive rim protectors such as Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert and Walker Kessler, Jokic’s outside shooting will be key to the Nuggets’ spacing. – Matt Williams
Signature stat: Last season, Jokic became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists per game.
Fantasy projection: 28.3 PTS, 12.7 REB, 10.1 AST, 1.6 STL
By NBA insiders / ESPN
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