RealGM

Oh hey again good pals. This is the thing where we rank the top 25 NBA players for 2025-26 hooray.

Basically vote for 1 of the guys in the poll, and you can also post a comment that nominates a player to be added for the next round of voting. Then a day or two later I'll pop in and make the next poll.

So like: "Vote Jokic, nominate Kuzma." Or whatever.

If you change your mind, the poll is set up so you can change your vote as often as you'd like until the poll closes and the next thread goes up. (The poll is limited to 10 options.)

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Results so far:

#1: Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets with 63% of the votes;
Added to next poll: Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472330

#2: Shai Gilgeous Alexander, OKC Thunder with 54% of the votes;
Added to next poll: Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472418

#3: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks with 50% of the vote
Added to next poll: Jalen Williams, OKC Thunder
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472506

#4: Luka Doncic, LA Lakers with 62% of votes;
Added to next poll: Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472644

#5: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs with 60% of the vote;
Added to next poll: Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472702

#6: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves with 41% of votes;
Added to next poll: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472754

#7: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors with 30% of the votes;
Added to next poll: Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2472918

#8: Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks with 46% of the vote;
Added to next poll: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473076

#9: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks with 36% of votes;
Added to next poll: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=119556568#p119556568

#10: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers with 29% of votes;
Added to next poll: Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473174

#11: Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons with 27% of votes;
Added to next poll: Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473228

#12: Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers with 31% of votes
Added to next poll: Karl-Anthony Towns, NY Knicks
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473294

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Not yet added:
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
James Harden, LA Clippers
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Derrick White, Boston Celtics
Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Lamelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Jaren Jackson Jr, Memphis Grizzlies
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
Lauri Markannen, Utah Jazz
Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers
Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers
Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Etc etc.

This is meant to be a projection of player rankings for this coming season. Guys like Tatum ( ), Hali and Dame are likely not playing, so I begrudgingly left them out.

Enjoy!

I'm going Banchero and nominating Derrick White

Getting closer to 25 each day!

I am going with LeBron here and still believe LeBron is better than Jalen Williams/Paolo Banchero and trust him more than Durant/KAT. Kawhi is interesting, though can't stay healthy.

Nominate Amen Thompson

I do not part take in this, I think it is too hard to pick a guy in this range, but it is funny, I been opening and checking the poll of this for like 3 days, and every time LeBron had a big lead, but he does not get elected at the end. LeBron believers vote early I guess.

Voted Kawhi

Nominate Embiid

UcanUwill wrote:I do not part take in this, I think it is too hard to pick a guy in this range, but it is funny, I been opening and checking the poll of this for like 3 days, and every time LeBron had a big lead, but he does not get elected at the end. LeBron believers vote early I guess.

Nah, I've been checking the last few polls too, and LeBron never had a lead like this.

It's quite concerning, since LeBron doesn't belong on the Top 25 list. There isn't even a valid argument for him to be on the top 25 list. If I'm being objective myself, I'm not sure he's top 50. Let alone #13, which is laughable given how much of a net negative he is. I wouldn't take him over Dejounte Murray in 2025.

This is even more clear when in the playoffs, we watched the Lakers get exposed. We just saw LeBron got dominated by Julius Randle in 2025 on both ends of the floor and in every facet of the game. Wherever LeBron is, Julius is two or three levels above.

The answer, of course, is Kawhi Leonard.

Nominate Embiid

Vote: Durant
Nominate: Embiid

Vote: it’s a secret
Nominate: Wagner

Has to be JW now. He was borderline top 10 last year and the only thing that hurt him was youth and lack of playoff experience. Now he has the confidence of a champion.

Nominate Franz. Another young guy who was top 10 in the league before the injury last season.

I love my guy JDub, but KD is still a top 5 pure scorer in the league imo.

V KD
N Joel

Got to go Jalen Williams here.
Nominate Derrick White

Voted: Chet - I feel like he's going to be in the conversation for 1st or 2nd All-Defense and All-NBA this season. His defense is Mobley-AD level already and I expect an offensive breakout this season.

Nominate: Jimmy Butler

Wanted to got with Kawhi here, but after yesterday, who knows if he even plays. So going with Banchero.

To make the Orlando Magic vote complete I nominate Wagner (but not Moritz).

So you guys see Durant improving at age 37? Getting a bump from the new situation?

-Luke- wrote:Wanted to got with Kawhi here, but after yesterday, who knows if he even plays. So going with Banchero.

To make the Orlando Magic vote complete I nominate Wagner (but not Moritz).

Yeah At the very least he faces a suspension and will miss some games. A full year season seems possible. Idk.

V Williams
N Gobert

LeBron was clearly better than Durant last year. Why is everyone voting for KD?

ReggiesKnicks wrote:LeBron was clearly better than Durant last year. Why is everyone voting for KD?

It’s about who will be top 25 this coming year….still not sure why people are voting for KD. I guess people are expecting him to get better at age 37,
Not sure why people are voting for 41 yo LeBron for that matter.

KD over Bron, Paolo, JDub is ridiculous for me