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The NBA Top 100

Updated October 14, 2026.

Welcome to The Ringer’s Top 100, updated and revamped heading into the 2026-27 season. As usual, our panel of ball knowers—Bill Simmons, Zach Lowe, Danny Chau, Kirk Goldsberry, Rob Mahoney, Michael Pina, Justin Verrier, and Isaac Levy-Rubinett—will rank the 100 best players in the NBA each month of the season. But this time around, these rankings have a new design and a few new features, including a poll for you to weigh in on each player’s rank. So skim, peruse, or deep dive on our first edition and catch up on the one essential question for each guy on the list. (Note: Players with long-term injuries are ineligible for consideration until they play.)

  1. Victor Wembanyama

    1
    Otherworldly talent with a totalizing impact—and more room to grow.
    1
    Victor Wembanyama

  2. Nikola Jokic

    1
    Sees all, does all, and has the hardware to show for it.
    2
    Nikola Jokic

  3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

    2
    Methodical scoring machine whose midrange excellence has made him the defining guard of this era.
    3
    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

  4. Luka Doncic

    An all-time offensive genius, now in superhero-movie shape.
    4
    Luka Doncic

  5. Giannis Antetokounmpo

    2
    The game’s preeminent physical force, expanding his limits in a new environment.
    5
    Giannis Antetokounmpo

  6. Jalen Brunson

    1
    The King of New York, an über-confident scorer with historic leadership qualities.
    6
    Jalen Brunson

  7. Anthony Edwards

    1
    A volcanic athlete with supreme skill who’s knocking on the “best guard alive” door.
    7
    Anthony Edwards

  8. Kawhi Leonard

    Apex two-way wing who can still dominate the NBA game … when he’s healthy.
    8
    Kawhi Leonard

  9. Cade Cunningham

    Offensive engine who refuses to let any opponent rev him up or slow him down.
    9
    Cade Cunningham

  10. Jayson Tatum

    3
    Multifaceted superstar embarking on a new solo venture.
    10
    Jayson Tatum

  11. Stephen Curry

    1
    GOAT shooter who spawned a league of imitators yet still stands alone.
    11
    Stephen Curry

  12. Donovan Mitchell

    1
    Electric bucket getter who is still trying to earn his playoff stripes.
    12
    Donovan Mitchell
  13. 13
    Karl-Anthony Towns

  14. Tyrese Maxey

    1
    A matchup nightmare, a perfect complement—a star among stars.
    14
    Tyrese Maxey

  15. Kevin Durant

    1
    Lone gunslinger still at the top of his game after all these years.
    15
    Kevin Durant

  16. Jaylen Brown

    2
    The smartest person in the room is also one of the best downhill scoring wings in the league.
    16
    Jaylen Brown

  17. Tyrese Haliburton

    The league’s ultimate wild card, now recovered from an Achilles tear suffered at the very pinnacle of basketball and hoping to shock the world once again.
    17
    Tyrese Haliburton

  18. Scottie Barnes

    1
    Funky all-around talent homing in on his best ways to dominate.
    18
    Scottie Barnes

  19. Devin Booker

    1
    Sweet-shooting Kobe acolyte trying to lift his team back to contention.
    19
    Devin Booker

  20. OG Anunoby

    1
    A mythmaking defensive monster with a reliable outside shot and fearless mindset in the paint.
    20
    OG Anunoby

  21. LeBron James

    1
    A lion in winter taking on one last job to finish off a historic career.
    21
    LeBron James

  22. Jalen Johnson

    1
    A point guard’s brain in a dunk contest champion’s body.
    22
    Jalen Johnson

  23. Jamal Murray

    4
    One-half of a historically great pick-and-roll duo, proving in his own right to be among the best shotmakers of his generation.
    23
    Jamal Murray

  24. Evan Mobley

    A game-changing defensive presence whose widely anticipated leap has become a real Waiting for Godot situation.
    24
    Evan Mobley

  25. Jalen Williams

    7
    One of the most well-rounded two-way stars in the league, ready to put an injury-riddled season behind him.
    25
    Jalen Williams

  26. Bam Adebayo

    1
    A generational defender whose offensive repertoire could stand to evolve.
    26
    Bam Adebayo

  27. Deni Avdija

    5
    A downhill force to be reckoned with, still exploring the depths of his all-around potential.
    27
    Deni Avdija

  28. Chet Holmgren

    Ace shot blocker who is just scratching the surface of his offensive potential.
    28
    Chet Holmgren

  29. Stephon Castle

    3
    A stick of dynamite who is a jumper away from superstardom.
    29
    Stephon Castle

  30. Pascal Siakam

    3
    Security blanket forward who, despite his whirling style, brings every possession a sense of calm.
    30
    Pascal Siakam

  31. Cooper Flagg

    10
    A titanic two-way wing with all the tools to vault into elite territory as a sophomore—and he still won’t be able to legally buy a drink until the end of 2027.
    31
    Cooper Flagg

  32. Paolo Banchero

    3
    A mighty scorer with all the goods to take the game by force—but first he needs some major refinement.
    32
    Paolo Banchero

  33. LaMelo Ball

    Visionary point guard who sometimes drifts to another plane of existence.
    33
    LaMelo Ball

  34. Lauri Markkanen

    3
    Catch-and-shoot Markksman who has size and understated power and can play multiple positions.
    34
    Lauri Markkanen

  35. Alperen Sengun

    5
    An undeniably skilled big man who relishes in the razzle-dazzle and is still trying to stake his claim as a long-term cornerstone in Houston.
    35
    Alperen Sengun

  36. Austin Reaves

    2
    Swashbuckling bucket getter entering a new phase of his career.
    36
    Austin Reaves

  37. James Harden

    6
    Offensive engine who can still take you where you want to go—unless that’s deep in the playoffs.
    37
    James Harden

  38. Anthony Davis

    Streamlined unicorn who is looking to revive his career.
    38
    Anthony Davis

  39. Joel Embiid

    4
    An injury-prone superstar who may never know what a lengthy playoff run feels like.
    39
    Joel Embiid

  40. Amen Thompson

    4
    A T-1000 in a tank top—but in need of an offensive bag to take the next step.
    40
    Amen Thompson

  41. Kyrie Irving

    One of the most imaginative creators the game has ever seen.
    41
    Kyrie Irving

  42. Franz Wagner

    4
    Power wing with major potential but stuck in breakthrough purgatory.
    42
    Franz Wagner

  43. Derrick White

    8
    Plus-minus god whose 3-ball is a bellwether for one of the NBA’s best teams.
    43
    Derrick White

  44. Jaren Jackson Jr.

    A one-time Defensive Player of the Year who needs to reenter that conversation.
    44
    Jaren Jackson Jr.

  45. Rudy Gobert

    6
    An honest-to-goodness defensive institution.
    45
    Rudy Gobert

  46. Jalen Duren

    2
    A strongman and double-double machine who needs to shake off his playoff disappointment.
    46
    Jalen Duren

  47. Dylan Harper

    2
    Immensely talented playmaker angling to upend the pecking order of a new perennial contender.
    47
    Dylan Harper

  48. Kon Knueppel

    1
    Knockdown shooter with untapped layers to his game.
    48
    Kon Knueppel
  49. 49
    Desmond Bane

  50. Jaden McDaniels

    1
    Long-limbed stopper capable of going toe-to-toe with the league’s titans.
    50
    Jaden McDaniels
  51. 51
    Brandon Miller

  52. Aaron Gordon

    10
    Title-swinging X factor who has been besieged by leg injuries.
    52
    Aaron Gordon

  53. Trey Murphy III

    4
    The Lamborghini of the 3-and-D wing … and possibly more?
    53
    Trey Murphy III
  54. 54
    Zion Williamson

  55. Ivica Zubac

    Burly but nimble anchor injecting a new wrinkle into one of the NBA’s most feverish systems.
    55
    Ivica Zubac

  56. De'Aaron Fox

    10
    Stop-and-go killer who can keep an entire defense on its heels.
    56
    De'Aaron Fox

  57. Keyonte George

    4
    A high-wattage talent adjusting to life on a good team.
    57
    Keyonte George
  58. 58
    Nickeil Alexander-Walker

  59. Darius Garland

    4
    A resourceful, undersized scoring point guard with a golden slingshot—kind of like David, except the Goliath here is the Clippers’ disastrous next decade.
    59
    Darius Garland

  60. Domantas Sabonis

    A walking double-double whose impact is undercut by his defensive limitations.
    60
    Domantas Sabonis

  61. Ausar Thompson

    5
    Singular defensive force who transcends roles and matchups.
    61
    Ausar Thompson

  62. Michael Porter Jr.

    5
    Why so unserious? The kind of shotmaker every team would love to have—once he fine-tunes his foibles.
    62
    Michael Porter Jr.

  63. Julius Randle

    9
    The patron saint of bully-ball tweeners, hoping to revive his leaguewide stock by once again playing in a New York borough.
    63
    Julius Randle

  64. Trae Young

    1
    An all-time great passer who’s entering his post-heliocentric phase to steward a young, exciting, and unknowable Wizards team.
    64
    Trae Young

  65. Paul George

    1
    Do-it-all forward who makes every lineup feel more cohesive.
    65
    Paul George

  66. Damian Lillard

    Franchise legend looking to refind his place on a team that no longer revolves around him.
    66
    Damian Lillard

  67. Mikal Bridges

    6
    Iron man and timely shotmaker with excellent defensive instincts.
    67
    Mikal Bridges

  68. Alex Caruso

    8
    A legendary role player whose playoff showings supersede his regular-season absences.
    68
    Alex Caruso

  69. Dillon Brooks

    10
    An antagonistic defensive presence who has never met a shot he didn’t want to take.
    69
    Dillon Brooks

  70. Jarrett Allen

    12
    What-you-see-is-what-you-get big man whose reliability is its own superpower.
    70
    Jarrett Allen

  71. Payton Pritchard

    1
    Lights-out shooter with half-court range and a deepening bag of iso scoring tricks.
    71
    Payton Pritchard

  72. Tyler Herro

    4
    All-Star-minted scorer looking to forge a new path in a low-stakes environment.
    72
    Tyler Herro

  73. Cason Wallace

    2
    One of the game’s great hellhounds at the point of attack, hoping to unlock dimensions in his game beyond 3-and-D.
    73
    Cason Wallace

  74. Ajay Mitchell

    3
    Sixth Man of the Year candidate whose skill deserves a larger role.
    74
    Ajay Mitchell
  75. 75
    Isaiah Hartenstein

  76. Josh Hart

    12
    Fearless competitor who does the dirty work for one of the NBA’s best teams.
    76
    Josh Hart

  77. Norman Powell

    15
    Veteran volume shooter still surprising amid a late-career prime.
    77
    Norman Powell

  78. Fred VanVleet

    Rock-solid point guard whose leadership has become just as integral as his game.
    78
    Fred VanVleet

  79. Jrue Holiday

    5
    A generation-defining defensive guard stepping into his twilight.
    79
    Jrue Holiday

  80. VJ Edgecombe

    4
    The talent, the agility, the shooting, the spirit. What’s not to love?
    80
    VJ Edgecombe

  81. Andrew Nembhard

    9
    A versatile and fearless guard who has tackled everything the NBA has thrown at him.
    81
    Andrew Nembhard

  82. Naz Reid

    5
    Microwave scorer who’s stepping into a new kitchen.
    82
    Naz Reid

  83. Josh Giddey

    10
    A do-it-all (at a level that is just not quite good enough) point guard.
    83
    Josh Giddey

  84. Devin Vassell

    19
    Deadeye shooter whose defense and decision-making need to be more consistent.
    84
    Devin Vassell

  85. Donovan Clingan

    3
    Glass-eating, rim-protecting mammoth who won’t pass up an open 3.
    85
    Donovan Clingan

  86. Ayo Dosunmu

    5
    All gas, no brakes. An open-court terror who never stops applying pressure.
    86
    Ayo Dosunmu

  87. Jalen Suggs

    2
    High-voltage glue guy who makes others better but can’t seem to stay on the floor.
    87
    Jalen Suggs

  88. Peyton Watson

    12
    Dynamic two-way wing who needs to build off last year’s breakout stretch on a new team.
    88
    Peyton Watson

  89. Dyson Daniels

    11
    Lockdown defender whose shooting needs to keep pace with the rest of his improving offense.
    89
    Dyson Daniels

  90. Walker Kessler

    Unproven rim protector and vertical spacer sent to Hollywood for the role of a lifetime.
    90
    Walker Kessler

  91. Cameron Boozer

    Rookie of the Year favorite who’ll try to start off a new era of Grizzlies basketball on the right foot.
    91
    Cameron Boozer

  92. Collin Murray-Boyles

    1
    Omnipositional defender honing his craft in Toronto with the guidance of the best possible mentors.
    92
    Collin Murray-Boyles

  93. Toumani Camara

    1
    One-size-fits-all defender who can go toe to toe—and move for move—with anyone.
    93
    Toumani Camara

  94. Tobias Harris

    8
    Not the answer, but an answer for an offense that needs a steady bucket getter.
    94
    Tobias Harris

  95. RJ Barrett

    16
    Momentum-driven power wing trying to Euro-step the persistent trade rumors threatening to take him away from his hometown team.
    95
    RJ Barrett

  96. Onyeka Okongwu

    13
    Flexible big who keeps the ball moving and the defense connected.
    96
    Onyeka Okongwu

  97. Ja Morant

    Rebel with a new cause, searching for his place in the NBA after his starry ascent was completely derailed.
    97
    Ja Morant

  98. Dejounte Murray

    9
    Old-school point guard who’s bouncing back from an Achilles injury.
    98
    Dejounte Murray

  99. Matas Buzelis

    Rising building block with (some of) the weight of a franchise on his shoulders.
    99
    Matas Buzelis

  100. AJ Dybantsa

    Rookie sensation who should be a driving force for decades to come.
    100
    AJ Dybantsa