NBA players are among the best athletes in the world.
To rank among the best of the best in The Association is to truly be on top of the basketball mountain as a fascinating 2024-25 season begins.
While Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Bill Russell constantly dominate the conversation for the greatest NBA players of all-time, all of those names have recorded their final minutes on the hardwood.
In the current NBA, 3-pointers dominate and high-paced offenses run the show.
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are still making modern history.
But Victor Wembanyama is changing the future of the league, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander crashed last year’s MVP debate, and Anthony Edwards is drawing MJ comparisons.
After James and Curry successfully united for a Team USA gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics, here is talkSPORT’s inside look at the best NBA players in the world right now.
20. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Paul George isn’t the second-best 76er.
Maxey is, and the guard from Kentucky started a new season off with a bang.
Maxey averaged 31.3 points to start his 2024-25 campaign, after Philly gave Joel Embiid a huge $192 million contract.
There were several reasons that the 76ers moved on from a disgruntled James Harden.
Maxey’s huge NBA upside was near the top of the list.
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19. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Kawhi Leonard didn’t make this list, so Brown being at No. 20 tells you how stacked the NBA is in 2024.
Jayson Tatum’s championship teammate has been perfect for Boston, after the Celtics almost traded him away.
It’s uncertain how much longer Boston can keep its core together.
But Brown and Tatum are a dangerous pair, and there are times when Brown is one of the best players in the league.
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18. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
While Irving was wrong about the world being flat, he’s spent the last decade destroying ankles and shredding opposing defenses.
The 2011-12 Rookie of the Year already has a ring and has earned eight All-Star honors.
Last season, he averaged 25.6 points, 5 rebounds and 5.2 assists, while pairing with superstar Luka Doncic in a deep Dallas backcourt.
Irving was mission critical for the Mavericks as they made the NBA Finals.
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17. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama will soon be in the top 10 of this loaded list if he keeps taking over the league.
While the Spurs spent his rookie season as one of the worst teams in the NBA, Wemby has exceeded his draft hype to wow everyone from Durant to James.
There’s a long way to go for the 20-year-old from France.
But Wembanyama is already a unanimous Rookie of the Year, and now he’s scored 50 points in a game before reaching 21.
16. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
A couple years ago, Booker was on the verge of becoming one of the best players in the league.
He’s still near the top, despite another painful playoff letdown by Phoenix last season.
Booker has a big-shot, big-game mentality and is one of the premier closers in the NBA.
Phoenix faces big questions, though, and Booker still needs a ring.
15. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
The start of Williamson’s career was wrecked by everything from injuries to a lack of effort.
But there is no doubt that when he’s on, the No. 1 pick in 2019 is a game-changing talent with a generational impact.
Williamson averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5 assists last season, while shooting a staggering 57 percent from the field.
If he keeps dedicating himself to his craft, he can still be one of the biggest names in the league.
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14. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
Haliburton’s breakout year turned Indiana into an Eastern Conference contender.
He averaged career highs in points (20.1) and assists (10.9), a year after receiving Most Improved Player votes.
The 23-year-old Pacer is one of the bright new faces in the league, yet plays the game with a respectful style that old-school veterans can respect.
Haliburton also has Olympic experience after winning gold in Paris.
13. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Brunson has evolved from a second-round pick into the new face of the Knicks.
He kept New York near the top of a strong Eastern Conference last season and produced a career year, which resulted in an All-Star honor.
Once a backup for the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson’s attacking style made him an MVP contender in 2023-24.
Knicks fans love Brunson and he’s been perfect for New York.
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12. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
For all the time that Durant spends defending himself and his basketball legacy, no one doubts how talented he is.
He had a superb first half last season, averaging 28.2 points while sinking 44.3 percent of his 3s and 87.1 percent of his free throws.
Even at 36, few players in the world are as skilled offensively as the Slim Reaper.
He took a hit in a tough playoff defeat to Minnesota, and the Suns didn’t impress.
Then he made Olympic history and celebrated in Paris.
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11. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
James rivals Michael Jordan as the best player in NBA history.
Only one of the two averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists and shot 54 percent from the field at age 39.
All hail The King.
But it’s going to be hard for James to win another ring with the Lakers.
With Darvin Ham fired and JJ Redick hired, James has another new head coach and isn’t getting any younger.
He has made almost $500 million more than Air Jordan, though.
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10. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Davis gives the Lakers two players on this list.
In 2023-24, he was often better than The King and quietly had a monster season.
Davis averaged 24.7 points and 12.6 rebounds while shooting a sweet 55.6 percent from the floor and 81.6 percent from the line.
Los Angeles needs another huge numbers year for AD to gain an edge in the West.
9. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
The greatest shooter of all-time needs a better supporting cast.
But Curry is still playing at an exceptionally high level.
He lifted up the men’s and women’s games by battling the WNBA’s Sabrina Ionescu in an All-Star Weekend 3-point shootout that could become one of his greatest contributions to the sport.
All that’s missing for Curry is a Warriors team that can win another title.
In 2024, Curry is without Klay Thompson but the Warriors great has a gold medal.
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8. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Mitchell bet on himself by bouncing out of Utah.
He’s been even better with the Cavaliers, taking the next step in a career that has already featured five All-Star selections and an All-NBA second team honor.
Last season, Mitchell averaged 26.6 points while Cleveland fought for playoff positioning in the East.
The former Jazzman is a dynamic talent and has become the new face of the Cavs in a post-LeBron era.
A $150 million extension this offseason ensured that Mitchell is staying in Cleveland.
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7. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Best known as Ant Man, the speedy and athletic guard has helped turn Minnesota from a cellar dweller into one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
Edwards’s leaping ability and aggressive offensive style are perfect for the contemporary NBA.
A big playoff run moved him higher on this list and his talent shined in last year’s playoffs.
Edwards dominated the Phoenix Suns and earned Durant’s respect, then humbled Denver in Game 7 of a second-round series.
He also gave a nod to Michael Jordan by “taking it personally” when Minnesota was on the verge of being swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals.
Edwards was 3-years-old the last time the Timberwolves were this good.
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6. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Tatum is one of the smoothest and purest basketball players in the world.
He’s climbed up the annual MVP vote while carrying Boston to the precipice of an NBA championship.
The former Duke star can score from anywhere on the court and has an all-around game that should make Larry Bird proud.
Now, he finally has his elusive NBA title and gave the Celtics a record 18th championship.
Tatum even got to share the once-in-a-lifetime moment with his son.
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5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
The surprise name on this list led the surprise team of the season.
Alexander is a scoring machine, and his talent is matched by his confidence and charisma.
After spending years rebuilding and losing, OKC has serious hope with Alexander leading the charge.
The Thunder ended the regular season tied with Denver for the best record (57-25) in the West, while SGA averaged an MVP-like 30.21 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds on super-efficient 53.5 percent shooting.
4. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
On any given night, Embiid is the true unstoppable force in the NBA.
He also struggles to stay healthy and has started backward to begin the 2024-25 campaign.
Philly (47-35) fell off last season after Embiid’s injury and he needs another strong playoff run to remind NBA fans of his greatness.
The 76ers began this year 1-6 and were surrounded by Embiid drama.
He must stay on the court to complete his unfulfilled Process.
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3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
In most worlds, the Greek Freak would be the best basketball player on the planet.
Antetokounmpo has already done it all, winning the NBA Finals and twice being named the league’s MVP.
Stick around long enough, though, and you see everything.
This year, Antetokounmpo has been shadowed by constant change on and off the court.
He’s also shadowed by an injury question as the playoffs begin.
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2. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
All that’s missing from Doncic’s early NBA résumé is a Finals trophy.
He has all the talent in the world and recently drew better-than-Dirk-Nowitzki comparisons.
Nowitzki won it all with the Mavericks and beat LeBron James for a world title, so Doncic still has big work to do.
But he’s almost unstoppable on offense and is still only 25-years-old.
For all of Doncic’s talent, he must stay healthy and cut down on his whining at the refs.
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1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
The joke is on you if you still doubt Jokic.
He’s already won three MVPs and kept the Nuggets at the top of the West last season, despite major injuries for Denver.
Jokic is an unbelievable shooter and passer, and plays basketball so smoothly it’s easy to miss how dominant he is.
He’s also one of the best stories in the NBA.
A young kid from Serbia evolved from a second-round draft pick into the greatest basketball player in the world.