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

#13: Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets with 29% of votes
Added to next poll: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473394

#14: Jalen Williams, OKC Thunder with 31% of votes;
Added to next poll: Jimmy Butler, GSW
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473480

#15: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic with 34% of votes;
Adde to next poll: Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=119580758#p119580758

#16: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics with 35% of votes;
Added to next poll: Derrick White, Boston Celtics
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473652

#17: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers with 40% of votes;
Added to next poll: Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473716

#18: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns with 28% of votes;
Added to next poll: Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473780

#19: Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers with 31% of votes;
Added to next poll: Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473874

#20: Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers with 19% of votes;
Added to next poll: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2473956

#21: Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets with 18% of votes;
Added to next poll: Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2474090

#22: Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic with 21% of votes;
Added to next poll: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2474184

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Not yet added:
James Harden, LA Clippers
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves
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
Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors
Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns
OG Anunoby, NY Knicks
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Kristaps Porzingis, Atlanta Hawks
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings
Zach Lavine, Sacramento Kings
Jrue Holiday, Portland Trailblazers
A Bull?
A Wizard?
Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics
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!

Vote early vote often.
Derrick White
Nominate Zubac

Same as last round:

Chet
Zubac

Voted Jimmy Butler

Nominate J Harden

Vote Jimmy
Nominate Scottie

Voted Chet
Nominate Jarrett Allen

Voted Trae Young

Nominate TJ McConnell, because why not, these late nominees won’t make the list

Vote: Towns
Nominate: JJJ

V Gobert
N Zubac

Vote: Embiid
Nominate: Sabonis

Voted Joel Embiid
Nominated Ivica Zubac

V: KAT
N: JJJ

Derrick White is nothing more than a role player. He cannot be the second best player on any team champion.

He’s a really good 3 and D Role player but most of the guys are number 2 stars

Vote Ja
Nominate Adebayo

mdonnelly1989 wrote:Derrick White is nothing more than a role player. He cannot be the second best player on any team champion.

He’s a really good 3 and D Role player but most of the guys are number 2 stars

Role players are in vogue. There are some in here whose top-25 would basically look as if they started with the premise of "I'm excluding at least the best player -- if not the best 2 players on each team" once they got past the top ~7 or so.

V Chet
N Zubac

If Chet is healthy he’s a top 3 paint defender and has an evolving offensive game that stretches to the three point line. I would have him right after Siakam in this poll.

If Butler is not selected this time, it will be his 4th time in a row finishing second

Jimmy Butler finally gets the win
Zubac added to next poll

Continue voting here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2474320

SA37 wrote:

mdonnelly1989 wrote:Derrick White is nothing more than a role player. He cannot be the second best player on any team champion.

He’s a really good 3 and D Role player but most of the guys are number 2 stars

Role players are in vogue. There are some in here whose top-25 would basically look as if they started with the premise of "I'm excluding at least the best player -- if not the best 2 players on each team" once they got past the top ~7 or so.

I’m not sure what you’re saying