Top 50 Players In the NBA Right Now (2024)

The 2024-25 NBA season is nearly upon us. The regular season officially tips off on October 22nd.

So, now is a good time to look around the league and evaluate. Who are the top 50 players in the league? Have promising young stars made their mark? Are all-time greats still among the most talented players in the NBA?

The following factors were taken into consideration:

• Individual stats (points, rebounds, assists, etc.)
• Advanced stats (BPM, on/off)
• Postseason performance
• Team success

Since this is a "right now" ranking, potential and projected performance (positive or negative) are not factors. Similarly, this is also not a legacy ranking. Players are only evaluated based on their performance in recent years and their role this season.

Without further ado, let's dive in.

1. Nikola Jokić

Denver Nuggets - C

Fresh off his first NBA title, Nikola Jokic entered the 2023-24 season as the best player in the league. He followed that up by averaging a near triple-double with 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists, en route to winning his third NBA MVP Award.

Behind Jokic, the Denver Nuggets were tied for the best record in the Western Conference at 57-25. Jokic dominated the advanced stat leaderboard, ranking first in PER (31.0), box plus/minus (13.2), VORP (10.6), and win shares (17.0).

The Nuggets had a disappointing second-round exit in the playoffs, but Jokic's performance remained superb. He led the series in points (29.0), rebounds (11.4), and assists (7.9).

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks - PF

The Greek Freak's two-way ability remains unmatched.

Last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo became the only player in NBA history to average 30+ points per game in a single season, while shooting at least 60 percent from the field, per StatMuse. In addition, his 6.5 assists per game quietly ranked second among all forwards.

Antetokounmpo is a five-time All-Defensive selection and former Defensive Player of the Year (2020). His combination of size, speed, and strength allows him to seamlessly guard any position. Last season, the Bucks allowed 3.1 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.

Due to a calf injury, he was unable to play in the 2024 postseason. Now healthy, he should be a contender for the top spot, once again, this season.

3. Luka Doncic

Dallas Mavericks - SG

Speaking of near triple-doubles, Luka Dončić won the scoring title and still came close to matching that feat. No other player can compete with him in pure offensive production.

That success translated into the playoffs, as Dončić averaged 28.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. He led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011.

Dončić is only 25 years old. With more experience under his belt, he will look to capture his first career title.

4. Anthony Edwards

Minnesota Timberwolves - SG

Are we entering the Anthony Edwards era? Last season, the 23-year-old turned the Timberwolves into a legitimate contender.

During the playoffs, Edwards's squad swept the Phoenix Suns , which featured the "Big Three" of Kevin Durant , Devin Booker , and Bradley Beal . Edwards outperformed all three rival stars, averaging a series-high 31.0 points per game along with 8.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

In the second round, the Timberwolves defeated the reigning champion Nuggets in six games, and he drew comparisons to a young Michael Jordan .

The future is bright for the high-flying, superstar guard.

5. Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers - C

Joel Embiid was only able to suit up for 39 games last season, which made him ineligible for statistical leaderboards. Nevertheless, his performance was unreal, averaging a blistering 34.7 points per game. The highlight of his campaign was a historic 70-point game against the San Antonio Spurs .

Embiid has been one of the best regular-season performers over the last five years, along with Jokic and Antetokounmpo. However, he has consistently struggled with injuries during the playoffs. Despite having a variety of All-Star teammates over the years ( Jimmy Butler , Ben Simmons , James Harden , Tyrese Maxey ), he has not been able to reach the NBA Finals. This season, he will look to remedy that with free-agent acquisition Paul George .

6. Kawhi Leonard

Los Angeles Clippers - PF

Kawhi Leonard might be the trickiest player to rank on this list.

His injury struggles have been well-documented. However, he has still proven to be among the league's best at full strength. Over his past three playoff runs with the L.A. Clippers , Leonard has quietly averaged 28.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists with a 55.9/39.5/87.4 shooting split across 15 games.

Since his 2019 arrival in LA, the Clippers have posted a .672 winning percentage (154-75) with him in the lineup. That is the best mark in the NBA during that span.

Last season, Leonard was able to suit up for 68 games (his highest single-season total since 2016-17). From December to January, he led the Clippers to an impressive 26-5 record.

There is a legitimate argument for Leonard to be a top-five player. There is also a legitimate argument for him to be outside the top 10.

7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City Thunder - PG

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 's impact on Oklahoma City's success may be understated. Yes, you read that right.

The Thunder were +10.1 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor. According to Cleaning The Glass, he was credited with +21 expected wins last season. His on/off metrics are shockingly far ahead of his notable teammates; Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren actually recorded negative on/off efficiency differentials. I am not dismissing that duo's impact and talent, but it's clear that SGA is the engine of their success.

The superstar's value was further demonstrated in the seven games he missed, as the Thunder posted a meager 2-5 record.

8. Stephen Curry

Golden State Warriors - PG

Stephen Curry was the most clutch player in the NBA last season. He led the league in total clutch points (189), and his 32 clutch three-point field goals made were nearly triple the amount of the next highest player ( Buddy Hield : 13).

Unfortunately, the Golden State Warriors missed the postseason, finishing 10th in the Western Conference (46-36). It is worth noting that they were only 3.0 games behind the 6th-seeded Phoenix Suns.

The future Hall of Famer will look to lead the Warriors back to the playoffs this season with a revamped supporting cast.

9. Kevin Durant

Phoenix Suns - PF

Kevin Durant continues his run as one of the most prolific scorers in league history. Last season, he became only the second player to average 27+ points per game with a shooting split of at least 52.0/41.0/85.0 in a single season, joining Larry Bird .

Hampered by cap restrictions, the Suns' front office is having difficulty surrounding Durant, Booker, and Beal with a quality supporting cast, but individually, the 14-time All-Star shows no signs of slowing down, heading into 2024-25.

10. Jayson Tatum

Boston Celtics - PF

Is this too high? Potentially.

Nevertheless, Jayson Tatum was the best player on a Boston Celtics squad that dominated the 2023-24 season. Their 64-18 record led the NBA. They ranked first in offensive rating (123.2) and third in defensive rating (116.6). That success culminated in their 18th championship in franchise history.

Tatum led the team in points (26.9), rebounds (8.1), three-point field goals (3.1), win shares (10.4), and VORP (4.7).

11-20

Jimmy Butler and Anthony Davis lead a second tier packed with big names

Jimmy Butler is an enigma. On one hand, he is arguably the most iconic playoff performer over the last five years. During that span, Butler has led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances and three Eastern Conference Finals appearances without a "superteam", and he is third in the NBA in total playoff points (1,583), trailing only Tatum and Jokic. To make matters even more impressive, he holds that spot, despite missing the entire 2024 postseason. On the other hand, Butler posts rather pedestrian regular season stats for a superstar, and he lacks the award resume of his rivals.

Anthony Davis is a talented offensive big man, but his defensive impact sets him apart. He was tied for third in the NBA in defensive win shares (4.7). That rare combination makes him extremely valuable. His scoring average of 24.7 points per game ranked first among last season's All-Defensive team selections. In fact, Victor Wembanyama was the only other player to average 20+ points per game and make an All-Defensive team, and his shooting efficiency lagged far behind Davis's numbers.

Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell are the leaders of two Eastern Conference contenders and have established themselves as high-level playoff performers.

At 39 years old, LeBron James is still one of the biggest draws in the league. With age, James has expanded his game, shooting a career-high 41.0 percent from three-point range last season.

21-30

Victor Wembanyama is among the young stars in tier 3

This group contains some established veterans (Paul George, Kyrie Irving , Domantas Sabonis ) and some young, upcoming stars.

Tyrese Maxey had a big 2023-24 campaign, earning his first All-Star appearance and the Most Improved Player award. He backed that up with a dominant postseason, averaging 29.8 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 40.0 percent from deep.

Victor Wembanyama entered the league with plenty of hype, and the 20-year-old is on a superstar trajectory. His length and athleticism made him an elite defender. His 3.6 blocks per game were the highest single-season mark since 2016. In addition, he finished second in the NBA in defensive box plus/minus (+3.3). His offensive game is still developing, but all the tools are there. Last season, the big man averaged 21.4 points per game on a 46.5/32.5/79.6 shooting split.

At 21 years old, Paolo Banchero led an underrated Orlando Magic roster to the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round of the playoffs, he averaged a team-high 27.0 points per game in a competitive seven-game series loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers .

31-40

James Harden and Trae Young lead a talented, polarizing group

James Harden and Trae Young are two polarizing stars with dynamic offensive skillsets.

Last season, Harden took a backseat to accommodate Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Nevertheless, his playmaking elevated the Clippers' performance. With Harden, the Clippers had an unbelievable 26-5 stretch. In the playoffs, Leonard was injured, and George struggled offensively. As a result, Harden was the Clippers' best player, averaging 21.2 points, 8.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds, while shooting 38.3 percent from three-point range. With George gone, look for Harden's statistics to rise this season.

Young has become one of the most underrated players in the league. In fact, we wrote an article about that subject recently. Young has averaged 25+ points and 9+ assists in each of the last five seasons. During that stretch, he was responsible for +69 projected wins for the Hawks, per Cleaning the Glass.

Cade Cunningham may be too high for some fans. However, he has been put into an awful situation in Detroit, and his individual numbers have been great. The 22-year-old guard averaged 22.7 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds last season. How big was the gap between Cunningham and his supporting cast? He was the only Piston to record a positive box plus/minus last season (minimum 20 games played).

41-50

Two Celtics and Jalen Green are included in the final group

How do you value Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis ? That was a hard question for us to debate, honestly. White has been an undeniable star in his role for the Celtics. His two-way ability was indispensable during their title run. Meanwhile, Porzingis quietly averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks for the best team in basketball. We had trouble putting them ahead of "bigger-stat stars" like Markkanen, Young, and DeRozan, but they are absolutely top-50 players.

Jalen Green makes a surprise appearance in the top 50. After a solid start to the season, the shooting guard caught fire in March, playing like an MVP candidate. During the month, he averaged 27.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals with an efficient 49.2/40.8/76.7 shooting split and led the Rockets to a 13-2 record. Hopefully, that was a glimpse of the future for the young guard.

Honorable mentions: C Alperen Sengun, PG Darius Garland, PF Jerami Grant, SG Zach LaVine, C Jaren Jackson Jr., C Jarrett Allen, SG Anfernee Simons, PG Jrue Holiday

All statistics courtesy of Statmuse, NBA, Cleaning the Glass, and Basketball Reference.