Who’s the best player in the NBA right now? Depends on who you ask.
SGA is the back-to-back MVP. Nikola Jokic is a walking triple-double year after year. Victor Wembanyama might already be the scariest two-way player alive, coming off his first NBA Finals appearance.
Throw in a wild offseason — Giannis in Miami, LeBron and Jaylen Brown in Philly, LaMelo in Minnesota — and the pecking order for the NBA’s best player is wide open.
But who’s the best player in the association today? Three PrizePicks Playbook NBA writers ranked the top 10 best NBA players for 2026-27. Here’s where the top 10 players landed.
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NBA Player Rankings 2026-27: Consensus Top 10 NBA Players
Here’s how our three NBA Player rankings stack up side by side. SGA and Jokic split the top spot with a 1.67 average rank, Wembanyama is a clear #3, and Giannis and Luka are deadlocked at #4.
The only true consensus? Cade Cunningham at #9 and Stephen Curry at #10 — every writer put them in the same spot. Find each writer’s analysis on their rankings below.
Note: rankings were created before Anthony Edwards underwent knee surgery, which will sideline him for around two months.
Mike’s Top 10 NBA Player Rankings for 2026-27
Read more NBA picks from Mike Barner here.
1. Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
Jokic has averaged a triple-double in back-to-back seasons. He has also quietly become a good three-point shooter, averaging at least 1.7 3-pointers in each of the last two seasons. He also shot at least 38.0% from deep in three of the last four seasons.
2. Victor Wembanyama, PF/C, San Antonio Spurs
It feels like you can’t guard Wembanyama on offense or get around him on defense. For a player his size, 7-foot-4, it’s insane that he averaged at least 1.8 3-pointers in all three seasons of his career. He almost single-handedly stops teams from getting to the rim, averaging at least 3.1 blocks in all three of his campaigns.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
The back-to-back MVP again leads one of the league's best teams. He's averaged at least 30.1 points per game for four straight seasons and shoots 50.8% from the field, both incredible numbers.
4. Luka Doncic, PG, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are now Doncic’s team, with LeBron James departing for the 76ers. Don’t be surprised if he challenges the stats he put up in 2023-24 with the Mavericks when he averaged 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Miami Heat
Now with the Heat, Giannis remains one of the hardest players to stop in the league when he attacks the rim. He’s not a great three-point shooter and struggles from the free-throw line, but he's already shown he can still carry a team to a championship.
6. Anthony Edwards, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
Edwards is one of the league's best scorers and now has LaMelo Ball as his top running mate at point guard. In what should now be an up-tempo offense, Edwards could approach averaging 30.0 points per game.
7. Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks
Brunson proved to be one of the league’s most clutch players during the Knicks’ run to a championship last season. Despite his size, he can get to just about any spot on the floor. Since joining the Knicks, he has averaged at least 24.0 points and shot at least 46.7% from the field in all four seasons.
8. Jayson Tatum, PF, Boston Celtics
Now a full year removed from a torn Achilles, Tatum is the clear leader of the Celtics following their trade of Jaylen Brown to the 76ers. Tatum has already finished inside the top six in MVP voting four times, consistently showing that he’s one of the league’s best.
9. Cade Cunningham, PG, Detroit Pistons
Now 25, Cunningham made First Team All-NBA last season. He also finished fifth in MVP voting and made his second All-Star Team.
10. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
Injuries were a problem for Curry last season, but he still averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.4 3-pointers. He changed the league with his three-point shooting, and despite turning 38 this season, he can still dominate from deep.
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Jordan’s Top 10 NBA Player Rankings for 2026-27
Read more NBA picks from Jordan Foote here.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
I’ve seen far too many folks drop a back-to-back MVP out of his spot, especially when no one in the league is the obvious choice to take it. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a ridiculous inside-the-arc scorer who also canned 38.6% of his 3-pointers in 2025-26. If he can become a more dynamic long-range threat, we may somehow be looking at new heights for SGA.
2. Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
Before he got hurt right before the calendar flipped to 2026, Nikola Jokic was averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game on a video game-like 60.5% shooting from the field and 43.5% from deep. He won’t replicate that over a full season and has his fair share of defensive shortcomings, but he’s a transcendent all-around offensive presence.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Miami Heat
A run of rotten luck with injuries and a bad situation around him in Milwaukee seems to have made many forget about Giannis Antetokounmpo. The last time we saw him, he was still carrying a 32.8% on-ball rate (100th percentile, via databallr) with a 21.8% defensive rebounding clip (97th percentile) and a -4.7% field goal differential on defense (87th percentile). The Greek Freak is inspired and could be in for an MVP-caliber campaign.
4. Victor Wembanyama, C/PF, San Antonio Spurs
Speaking of defense, there may not be a more unfair combination of length, instincts and deterrence on that end than Victor Wembanyama. He’ll never have a guard-like handle and remains a somewhat streaky jump-shooter, although his reign as the best in the world could start as soon as this season.
5. Luka Doncic, PG, Los Angeles Lakers
If Luka Doncic is ever going to capture an elusive MVP trophy, this would be the year. The Los Angeles Lakers should be a 50+ win team in the regular season, Doncic is in tremendous shape, and he’ll clearly put up gaudy numbers after leading the sport in per-game scoring (33.5 PPG) a season ago.
6. Anthony Edwards, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards has emerged as one of basketball’s scariest players to guard, especially now that he can approach double-digit 3-point attempts at a 40% clip each night. His playmaking is a bit lacking, yet adding PG LaMelo Ball via trade could unleash the most locked-in Ant-Man we’ve seen.
7. Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics
Modern medicine is a marvel. Jayson Tatum looked shockingly like his pre-Achilles injury self when he returned last season and finished in the 77th percentile in relative true shooting (+3.1%) in the NBA Playoffs. With SF Jaylen Brown now on the 76ers, Tatum could contend for an MVP given his workload — him getting back to peak form on defense will help.
8. Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks
A small guard who’s a poor defender will rarely be a top-five player, so this isn't a slight to Jalen Brunson. The NBA champion PG is a more-than-capable facilitator and, via NBARAPM, handled 97th-percentile usage with 80th-percentile scoring efficiency last year. He’s a one-man show, giving him staying power entering his age-30 season.
9. Cade Cunningham, PG, Detroit Pistons
Despite turning 25 last month, Cade Cunningham has already established himself as a premier shot creator, passer, and offensive engine. He racked up 9.9 dimes per game in 2025-26 and led the Detroit Pistons to a conference-leading 60 wins. Both will be quite difficult to do again, but it’s clear what Cade can do night in and night out.
10. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
The only question for Stephen Curry now is availability, and he’s already nicked up as he starts a new season. When he’s on the floor, the 38-year-old is still the NBA’s premier long-range marksman and has the best gravity in team sports.
On the back nine of his career, some added bulk has helped Curry stay strong enough to withstand tough defense when attacking the rim and also hold his own against slower guards on the other end.
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Chris’ Top 10 NBA Player Rankings for 2026-27
Read more NBA picks from Chris Bengel here.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
SGA has captured back-to-back MVP awards and already led the Thunder to an NBA title. SGA has finished top three in scoring in three consecutive seasons and shoots 36.0% from three in his career.
2. Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
It’s rare to see a walking triple-double in the NBA, but that’s what Jokic brings. Jokic averaged 27.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, and 10.7 APG last season, and he impacts the game in so many ways. The big man’s court vision is something to behold, and he might be one of the league's most gifted passers.
3. Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama is an oddity on the court because he can do things a 7-foot-4 player shouldn’t be able to. The Spurs’ star had his best statistical season in 2025-26 and helped lead San Antonio to the NBA Finals. Wembanyama’s range is downright impressive, with a career 34.1% from beyond the arc.
4. Luka Doncic, PG, Los Angeles Lakers
Doncic is certainly one of the NBA’s most gifted scorers, and now he’ll take the reins in Los Angeles after LeBron James left town. The star PG put up an impressive scoring season in 2025-26 with 33.5 PPG, and those numbers could creep up a bit with James no longer in the picture.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Miami Heat
Antetokounmpo is now with the Heat following an offseason trade, but that shouldn’t affect how dangerous he is on the floor. The 10-time All-Star is a matchup nightmare, as few players can shut down Antetokounmpo. While his range isn’t elite, his ability to dominate in the paint still puts him in the league’s upper echelon of scorers.
6. Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics
Tatum spent most of the 2025-26 season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, but returned for the postseason. The Celtics’ star is one of the league’s more talented scorers and has averaged 23.5 PPG throughout his career. With Jaylen Brown being traded to the 76ers, Tatum could put together an MVP-caliber season in 2026-27.
7. Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks
Brunson may be one of the most underrated free agency signings in league history, especially after leading the Knicks to an NBA title last season. Brunson is an efficient scorer who always seems to rise to the occasion in crunch time. The Knicks’ star has averaged at least 26.0 PPG in three of his four seasons in New York.
8. Anthony Edwards, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
Edwards can be a matchup nightmare and has become one of the NBA’s most lethal scorers, averaging 24.6 PPG. With LaMelo joining the Timberwolves, Edwards’ scoring could rise even more, as it has in each of his six professional seasons.
9. Cade Cunningham, PG, Detroit Pistons
Cunningham has finished in the top seven of NBA MVP voting in each of the past two seasons. The Pistons standout is an above-average facilitator and finished second in APG (9.9) a season ago.
10. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
Curry was hampered by injuries throughout the 2025-26 campaign, playing in just 43 games. Still, the Warriors’ star completely revolutionized the game with his three-point shooting ability and is shooting 42.2% from deep in his career. At 38, Curry remains one of the NBA's most dangerous scorers.
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SGA or Jokic? Our writers can’t agree on #1, and Wemby is lurking right behind both of them. Does SGA chase a third straight MVP in 2026-27, does Jokic take his crown back, or is this the year Wemby officially takes over the league?
The NBA player rankings are up for debate — but the box score isn’t.
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