With the NBA regular season over, there is no better time than now to take a look at who were the best NBA players from the 2024-25 season. There are many familiar faces like LeBron James and Kevin Durant. However, there are also quite a few new faces in the top 25 and top 10 this year. With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at the top 50 players in the NBA right now.
Related: NBA games today – Get a look at the upcoming NBA schedule
Best players in the NBA from 25 to 50
Before we get to the top 25 best players in the NBA right now, take a look at the back half of the top 50. Including Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams and Houston Rockets big man Alperen Sengun.
- 50. Zion Williamson
- 49. Josh Hart
- 48. RJ Barrett
- 47. Ivica Zubac
- 46. Darius Garland
- 45. Jamal Murray
- 44. Domantas Sabonis
- 43. Joel Embiid
- 42. Julius Randle
- 41. Scottie Barnes
- 40. DeMar DeRozan
- 39. Jalen Green
- 38. Zach LaVine
- 37. Evan Mobley
- 36. Norman Powell
- 34. Kawhi Leonard
- 34. Pascal Siakam
- 33. James Harden
- 32. Paolo Banchero
- 31. Jalen Williams
- 30. Tyler Herro
- 29. Alperen Sengun
- 28. Jaren Jackson Jr.
- 27. Franz Wagner
- 26. LaMelo Ball
25 best NBA players right now
25. De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
De’Aaron Fox is a very talented guard and was the heart of the Sacramento Kings for the last few years. However, with contract writing on the wall, the franchise took the bold step of trading the one-time All-Star to the San Antonio Spurs this year. He will certainly make Victor Wembanyama better and vice versa, as Fox gets to benefit from playing with one of the bright young stars in the game.
24. Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton overcame a surprisingly slow start and returned to All-Star status midway through this season. The Indiana Pacers are not the hottest team in the NBA to start the second half, or the fourth seed in the East in 2024-25 without the two-time All-Star. The Indy star is one of the game’s best guards.
23. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Kyrie Irving quieted his detractors again last season. After a disastrous few months in his debut with the Mavericks two years ago, he was a key part of a very good Dallas team that surprised many by reaching the NBA Finals. The gifted guard is in the final years of his prime, and when healthy, remains one of the hardest guards in the game. However, his 2024-25 season ended early due to a torn ACL. That injury could take away his last bit of prime talent.
22. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Despite the insane hype surrounding Victor Wembanyama in his rookie season, the Frenchman showed he really is a special talent. He has only added to his growing legend by becoming an All-Star for the first time in his second season. The basketball unicorn can affect the game on multiple levels, and he has still only scratched the surface of what he can be as an NBA player. The big question is whether the blood clot issue in his shoulder derails an absurdly potential-rich career.
21. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
A lot of weight is on the slight shoulders of Hawks star Trae Young this season. The franchise has chosen to go with a pseudo-rebuild and youth movement in 2024-25. Yet, despite having good reason to be a disappointing team, Young has helped elevate this group to be a playoff contender as he earned All-Star honors again in 2025.
20. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
After being traded to the New York Knicks in a blockbuster deal right before the season, the assumption was that Karl-Anthony Towns would have to sacrifice a lot of his game this season. However, that hasn’t been the case, and he has played at an All-Star level in his new surroundings. The New Jersey native has turned into a key reason why New York is a contender to reach the Eastern Conference Finals this spring.
19. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
There is little doubt that Jaylen Brown can be a No. 1 option on a contending team. He’s just not that with Jayson Tatum being the current face of the Celtics. Nevertheless, during the 2024 playoffs, he showed his big-game talents and came up huge in some highly pressurized moments. Boston would not win a title last season and isn’t a favorite to do it again in 2024-25 without Brown.
18. Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors
The man known as “Playoff Jimmy” is a unique individual. Wherever the six-time All-Star goes, he makes that team much better. However, the 35-year-old has traveled around a lot and did so again in 2025. After five and a half seasons in Miami, Butler forced his way out of town and to the Warriors. While he is no longer in his prime, he is a huge reason why Golden State is a dark horse to reach the Finals this spring.
17. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
After missing much of last season due to suspensions and injuries, Ja Morant has regained his elite form this season and has led the Memphis Grizzlies back to being a top team in the West. If he is not distracted by drama off the court, there is no denying the immense talent he has. When he is on, he can be one of the best players on the planet.
16. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker is the face of the Phoenix Suns. Sure, Kevin Durant is a living legend and higher on this list, but Booker is a special talent that often gets overlooked. While he has slipped out of being a top 10 talent over the last year, he is one of the game’s best scorers and ball handlers.
15. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
The 2024 Summer Olympics showed that Stephen Curry still remains one of the most dangerous players in the sport of basketball. At 36, his best years are behind him, but when you are the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA, Father Time still has a lot of ground to make him before having enough of an effect to remove the Warriors icon from among the best players in the NBA today.
14. Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks
Maybe Anthony Davis did not turn into the best player in the game like some foresaw when he was the No. 1 pick in 2012. But when healthy, he can be one of the most dominant forces in the game. He was playing like an MVP candidate in LA this season. However, he was shockingly traded to Dallas for Luka Doncic in January. While some frowned at the return for the Slovenian, GM Nico Harrison understands the two-way force Davis can be in Big D.
13. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
For much of his career, Donovan Mitchell has been one of the more underappreciated players in the game. It is the blessing and curse of playing in cities like Utah and Cleveland. But the Jazz wouldn’t have been a perennial playoff team without him, and he is the main reason why the Cavaliers have a real chance to get to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025. Mitchell is a legit superstar in the game.
12. Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
It’s no surprise that Damian Lillard saw his scoring decline in his first season playing with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. But the duo got a better sense of how to play with each other in 2024-25, and Lillard has returned to putting up elite stats again. After getting the designation of being injury-prone two years ago, the 34-year-old was healthy for the most part this season until suffering a surprise blood clot issue late in the campaign.
11. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Sure, Lebron James is not the player he once was. But what he can still do at 40 years old is absolutely mind-blowing. For the amount of games he’s played during an iconic career, he should be a shell of himself. But the Lakers’ star continues to play at an All-Star level because he knows what it takes to win. The big difference from his prime years is that he can’t carry a team to the Finals by himself anymore.
10 Best NBA players right now
10. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey showed he was a legitimate star on the rise last year. However, this season has solidified that Philly truly doesn’t just have a third All-Star to go alongside NBA greats Joel Embiid and Paul George. Instead, they may have the new face of their franchise as Embiid continues to be an injury waiting to happen for the Sixers.
9. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons have been one of the great stories in the 2024-25 NBA season. After being the worst team in the league last year, they are a favorite to score an upset in the 2025 NBA playoffs. Much of that is thanks to the outstanding play of young star Cade Cunningham. He leads the team in scoring while also being their top ball-handler. It is hard to live up to the hype of being a No. 1 overall pick, but the Pistons star is becoming an elite talent in the game.
8. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
As with others on this list, getting a bit longer in the tooth has impacted Kevin Durant’s ability to stay healthy. Nonetheless, he’s shown he is still a top-10 player despite being in the back half of his 30s. He remains one of the game’s best scorers, but in Phoenix, he has become a more impactful defensive player. Adding a new layer to the greatness of the man known as KD.
7. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson is an elite player in the game with being a special athlete. He has emerged as one of the league’s top players with offensive know-how, smarts, and an incomparable craftiness. He also brings guts that make him stand out among his elite peers. There is a reason why New York Knicks fans absolutely love the former Villanova star.
6. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
At this point, it’s safe to assume that Luka Doncic is one of the best NBA players of the modern era. He’s played like an All-Star since making his debut in the Association back in 2018, and season saw him take things to a whole new level by carrying the Mavericks to the Finals. While Dallas stunned the basketball world by trading him this year, he remains among the 99th percentile in the league due to his immense impact on offense.
5. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards has surprisingly gotten comparisons to Michael Jordan in recent seasons, and the claim may not be that far off. The 23-year-old has already taken his team to the West Finals and outplayed some of the game’s greatest players to do it. If he were playing in a major market like New York or Los Angeles, he would already be the face of the NBA’s marketing.
4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum solidified his place among the very best players in the NBA right now last season as he led the Boston Celtics to the best record in the league and an NBA title. There is little he can’t do on the floor, and he has handled the Boston pressure with grace. If not for some of the special talents of those in front of him on this list, he would be in the No. 1 spot.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has morphed into one of the best players in the NBA since coming over the the Oklahoma City Thunder from the Los Angeles Clippers in the Paul George trade. He was an MVP candidate last year and elevated his game further to where he is the favorite to win the award this season. The game is all about putting the ball in the basket, and there is no one better in the NBA right now than SGA.
2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic has redefined what it means to be an NBA center today. In an era where athletes are as shredded as ever, the “Dad Bod God” has absolutely dominated the highest levels of the game despite looking like a seven-foot accountant. Sure, his defense could be better, but the impact he has on so many facets of the game, and at his size, is awe-inspiring.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
This past season, Giannis Antetokounmpo was back in MVP form. Three-point shooting is the only thing the Greek Freak can’t do on the floor, or otherwise, he would be illegal. He can score at an elite level while also doing the dirty work that wins games and makes his teammates better. Antetokounmpo is as close to a perfect player as there is in the game today.