Going into the 2025 All-Star break we already talked about the 10 best teams, now let’s put more spotlight on the players who have been making the NBA so much fun to watch this season. The talent in the NBA gets better and better every year, and every season it gets harder and harder to stay a top 10 player. Simply being considered among the best highlights the exceptional talent and skill level of these players.
This list is solely composed of who has been the best this season. So if a ten year vet is not playing as good as a rookie this year, then the rookie would make it over the first player because it is only based off this season. This list was near impossible to make and honestly the top 15-20 players all had arguments to be top 10, so if you disagree with me, you’re not wrong. These are the players that I have in TRU-YAK”S TOP 10.
This list is based on all factors of basketball, scoring, defense, rebounding, playmaking, and impact on their team all comes into account when making this list. Please comment below who should have made the list, who should be taken off, who was too high, who was too low, and who was just right.
Without further ado this year’s top 10 players heading into All-Star break!
HM (11-20): There were too many HONORABLE MENTIONS that deserved to be on the list so my HM list is going to be my 11-20 rankings.
20. Trae Young
19. De’Aaron Fox
18. Jaylen Brown
17. Karl Anthony-Towns
16. Tyrese Maxsey
15. Damian Lillard
14. Victor Wembanyama
13. Devin Booker
12. Donovan Mitchell
11. Cade Cunningham
All these guys have some type of argument to be top 10 but they are not in mine. Cade Cunningham just missed the 10 list but deserves to be talked about-He is having a stellar season averaging 25.4 points per game, 9.4 assists per game, and 6.3 rebounds per game on 45.5/35.1/85.0 shooting splits. He also has the DETROIT 
PISTONS at a
29-26 record which puts them at a 6 seed in the East. He is carrying the Pistons who went 14-68 last year which was last in the whole league to a playoff spot as the number 1 option.
Him being just off this list is not a diss, but should be thought of as a compliment that he was that close to making it and that he is being talked about in the same sentence as the top 10 guys. He also seems like he is a lock to make the list next year. If you want an in depth analysis of rankings 12-20 comment below.
10: Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis this season was an absolute monster this season for the Lakers and he even played an outstanding game for the Mavericks in his debut before getting hurt. Davis will be sidelined for at least a month, but up to this point he has been a top 10 player and it would be disrespectful to the way he’s played this year to leave him off solely because he just got hurt. This season Davis averages 25.7 points per game, 12 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals per game, and 2.2 blocks per game on 52.8,/31.3/ 78.6 shooting splits in 34.2 minutes per game.
Davis, who is known to be inconsistent on the offensive side, has done a great job of being a consistent scoring option this season. His dominance is a big reason the Lakers sit where they are right now in the standings. Davis was the Lakers leading scorer and he had some monster games this season. He has had eighteen 30+ point games and 3 of those games were 40+ point performances. He also has 33 double doubles this year in his 43 played games, and he has had 11 games with 15+ rebounds. His best game of the season was against the Hornets where had 42 points and 23 rebounds.
It is so impressive that he carried the main offensive load this season for the Lakers while also being a top defender in the NBA. He has 16 games with 3+ blocks including a game with 6, and he has had 7 games with 3 steals. Aside from his blocks and steals he has 107.7 defensive rating this year which is some of the best in the league for players who play real minutes.
Davis can guard almost every position and has locked up some of the league’s best. He has held Domantas Sabonis to 13-33 shooting, Anthony Edwards to 7-24 shooting, Victor Wembanyama to 8-21 shooting, and Donovan Mitchell to 3-8 shooting.
Davis was having a tremendous year and it was great to see him dominating on the court. Hopefully he will come back off this injury ready to pick up where he left off. The Mavericks will need him to come back strong if they want to have a chance to make the playoffs.
9: Steph Curry
Steph Curry is one of the greatest players ever. One of the most influential players ever. And one of my personal favorites. He has been inducted into the Yak Hall of Fame. Nonetheless that does not affect his ranking for this season’s top 10 and puts him right at the number 9 spot. Let’s first start by saying that Curry has been in a really tough position this year.
Before the recent acquisition of Jimmy Butler, Curry was playing on a team where Andrew Wiggins was the second biggest scoring threat, the rest of the team was either very young or Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Through all of this Curry still has done a great job as the Warriors number one option, somehow carrying them to a 28-27 record which is good enough to be in the play-in.
Curry has put up a really impressive 23.4 points per game, 6.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1 steal per game on 43.4/39/92.4 shooting splits at 36 years old all while essentially being triple teamed every game. This all started at the beginning of the season where the Warriors started off scorching hot and were one of the best teams in the NBA. The Warriors started off 12-3 and since then are 16-24, however the addition of Jimmy Butler has brought life and hope back to the team.
Curry, who was just named All-Star game MVP, has had twelve 30+ point games this season, 6 double doubles, 15 games with at least 5 three pointers made including a game where he went 8 for 8, and 12 games with at least 7 rebounds. He has been doing it all trying to get his team back to the top of the hill one more time.
Curry has been exceptional this year which is so impressive to his longevity,and he is one of the most fun players to watch night in and night out. Ninth spot may seem low on the list but the fact that he is still a top 10 player at this point of his career is impressive in itself and with the level of talent this year, 9 is the perfect spot for him.
8: Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson is having another astounding season for the New York Knicks that currently has them at 36-18 which is the third seed in the West. Brunson is a strong and crafty undersized guard that is an unstoppable force on offense no matter who you put up against him. He is elite at scoring on all three levels and he has become a better playmaker every year of his career. Brunson now finally has the team around him to really compete for a title and it has been breathtaking to see what he can do with some real help around him.
Brunson is putting up 26.1 points per game, 7.5 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game on 49.2/39.7/81.6 shooting splits in 35.2 minutes per game. Brunson’s offensive bag and efficiency can not be understated, he is a 6’2 190 pound guard that scores like he is 6′ 8 220. He shoots 58.4% from within 10 feet, 48.4% from mid range, and he shoots 43.1% on catch and shoot threes.
Brunson has had 19 games of 30+ points, 3 of those games being 40+ points and 1 of those games being his season high of 55 points. He also has 11 double doubles including a game with 17 assists, and he has 6 games with at least 30 points and
10 assists. These are the stats of an absolute offensive juggernaut that has been destroying whoever he sees in front of him.
Brunson was named an All-Star for the second time in his career and it looks like he is on his way to being named All-NBA for the second time in his career as well. A lot of people were skeptical when it came to Brunson signing a max deal with the Knicks a few years ago, but year after year, he has consistently demonstrated that his contract might have been undervalued
Brunson is another one of those guys who are must see TV. Watching his skillset in The Garden with all the celebrities out to play while he is surrounded by players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby is absolutely electric. His defensive struggles and his inability to get the job done vs the best teams has him at 8, but even though that seems low for the list, lets not forget that means there are only 7 players in the whole NBA I view as better.
7: Kevin Durant
Kevin “Y’all know who I am” Durant is another player that is still in the league’s elite talent at 36 years old. Durant is one of the most dangerous and efficient scorers in NBA history and absolutely nothing has changed this year as he is once again one of the most proficient and unstoppable scorers in the league. Although the Suns are currently 26-28 and outside of the playoff race so far, it is in no way because of Durant, he has actually been the driving force that is keeping the Suns in contention along with Devin Booker.
Durant is putting up 27.3 points per game, 6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game on 53.2/40.4/ 82.5 shooting splits in 36.5 minutes per game. Durant’s offensive game is impossible to stop and he is a danger in every aspect of the game. Durant can score from any spot on the court on any defender and he can score at all three levels. He is 6 ’11 handling the ball like a point guard, he is faster than anyone his size and he will get to his spot and shoot over basically everyone in the league.
Durant being able to score at that rate while also being able to play-make, grab boards, block shots and play some defense when needed, is very underrated and his Swiss army knife abilities do not get enough recognition because he is such an amazing scorer that is all anyone ever pays attention to.
Durant this year has had sixteen 30+ point games including a 43 point game, 17 games with 3+ threes made, 3 double doubles, 8 games with 3 or more blocks including a game with 5, and 14 games with at least 6 assists. He is holding his own on both sides of the court as well. He has held Jaren Jackson Jr. to 4-13 shooting, James Harden to 2-7 shooting, and Steph Curry to 1-5 shooting.
Durant is having another extraordinary season and I would like to make it clear we will most likely NEVER see someone that can score like Durant again. Even though we are in the age of “alien” like players who have similar skill sets like Victory Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren they do not move like Durant. Everyone should enjoy Durant’s greatness while he is still in the league and recognize that they are watching a 1 of 1 scorer.
- Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards is what most believe is the next face of the league and he is a walking highlight reel that can literally do it all. His scoring abilities improve every year. He can jump out of the gym-finish at the rim with touch and/or enthusiasm. He can shoot it from mid range, he has become one of the best three point shooters in the league, he is an improved playmaker and rebounder, and he strives to guard the other teams best player. All the things you look for in a franchise’s superstar player.
Edwards came in this year facing the highest expectations he ever has had while also trying to figure out the fit of this new Wolves roster. The team still may be taking some time to gel as mentioned in my Top 10 Teams article, but Edwards has not wasted a second in showing the world he is still a top player in this league. Edwards this year is averaging 27.8 points per game, 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 44/41.4/ 84.3 shooting splits with a defensive rating 111.2 this season.
The most impressive improvement in Edwards’ game is that his 41.4% from three is coming on 10.1 attempts per game which means he makes 4.2 threes per game. Shooting a career high in attempts and matching it with shooting a career high in 3 point percentage is not something you see very often, but it is crazy to think about-Edwards is doing the best to will his team to a 31-25 record which has them as a 7th seed in the very competitive Western Conference.
This year Edwards has 18 games this year where he has scored at least 30 points including four 40+ point games and one 53 point game. He also has gone on two of the craziest three game stretches I have ever seen. He has 3 consecutive games where he scored 53, 37, then 32, and another 3 game stretch recently where he scored 49, 41, and then 44 points. He also has 3 double doubles, he also 35 games with at least 4 threes made including multiple games with 8 threes made.
Edwards will cross over your best defender, dunk on your best paint protector, and then will talk his and let you know exactly what he just did-And I am here for all of the tension. Edwards is at the 6 spot and he is only 23 years old (and he’s an actual 23 not like Jayson Tatum who may still be 19). Edwards will be top 5 and even possibly top 1 in the coming years if he keeps his unbelievable play up.
- LeBron James
Yes, we have finally entered the top 5 and there is no better way to start it off than the 40 year old YAK (goat) LeBron mother James. James is in his 22nd season but is playing like it is year 10, or 12, or 13, or any of them. The point is he is always going to be a top player in the league from the moment he was drafted to the day he retires. James is aging like fine wine and has helped the Lakers to a 32-20 record that puts the Lakers in 5th in the West.
James this year 24.3 points per game, 7.7 rebounds, and 9 assists per game on 51.6/39.6/75.9 shooting splits. James has twelve 30+ point games this season including a recent 42 point performance, he has 24 double doubles and 10 triple doubles this year, 10 games with 4 or more threes including a game with 7 made threes and he is shooting 43.6% from mid range this year, one of the best in his career.
LeBron James is still the ultimate jack King of all trades, he can still get by and finish through on anyone and his jumper is improving with age as well. It seems like every year his 3 point shot and mid range seems to get better and a lot of it has to do with him taking more jumpers, but they are falling. He also is still the best playmaker in the game and the highest IQ player the game has and will ever see.
He is a big reason that Davis made this list as well. Davis obviously is an outstanding player with or without LeBron, but having someone that can get you the ball in great positions at any moment that also draws a lot of attention on and off the ball does not hurt whatsoever. LeBron has been elevating players for years and he is still doing it. Hopefully he can continue and get the best out of newly acquired teammate Luka Doncic as well.
James is another player that everyone should appreciate, value, and watch before it is too late. While it’s already been highlighted, it can’t be stressed enough how extraordinary it is for him to be performing at such an elite level at 40 years old. It’s truly a testament to his dedication and talent. And, incredibly, it looks like he’s got plenty more left in the tank to keep dazzling fans for years to come.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Greek Freak comes in at number 4 and is once again having a mind boggling season. In my personal opinion, fans have become so accustomed to Antetokounmpo’s jaw-dropping stats that they now expect them as a given. This makes it easy to overlook just how extraordinary his performance truly is, year after year. It’s similar to voter fatigue, but from the perspective of how fans perceive his incredible achievements
Antetokounmpo is 2nd in the league in scoring with 31.8 points per game, 5th in the league in rebounds per game with 12.2, and he averages 5.9 assists and 1.3 blocks per game on 60.8% field goal percentage. Everybody knows what the Greek Freak brings to the game, he is one of the best around the rim players of all time, he has a high Iq allowing him to make great passes, and he is one of the best all around defenders in the NBA. He has 37 double doubles and 5 triple doubles this year, and a 109.2 defensive rating.
He has recorded 28 games with 30+ point, five 40+ point games including a 59 point game. Before the All-Star break he was on a 20 game streak of 11+ rebounds. He has 9 games of 3+ blocks and 10 games with multiple steals. All these insane numbers and stats have helped the Bucks to the 5th seed in the East with a 29-24 record. The Bucks have not been widely regarded as a true contender this year, but with Antetokounmpo at the helm the Bucks are always a threat to win another championship.
Giannis can not be guarded 1 on 1 (unless you’re Al Horford and you’re just randomly the Giannis stopper) and you need a whole team to wall up to guard Giannis. To have any chance to beat the Bucks you have to contain Antetokounmpo and he loves the challenge when it comes his way.
Antetokounmpo has always lacked shooting touch, shot creating ability and ball handling skills, so not being able to score on more than 1 level is why he sits at the 4 spot. The fact that he is so good that he can only score from one level and is considered one of the best in the league just shows how great he is at everything else.
- Jayson Tatum
The reigning champ gets the nod at 3, as he is somehow having the best year of his career, after every year, it seems like he is having his best year. Tatum is a 3 level scorer that can score with the best of them, he also is one of the most underrated playmakers and rebounders in the NBA and he has the ability to get it done on both sides of the ball. Tatum is another guy like James or Durant that can really do it all at an elite level and lead their team to a Championship.
Tatum this year averaged 27 points per game, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 45.5/35.8/79.5 shooting splits in 36.4 minutes per game and an outstanding defensive rating of 108.7. Tatum has a catalog of posters in his resume for when defenders try to stop him at the rim, his side step three is un-guard-able, and his mid range has improved tremendously. He also always makes the right play, his passing vision and ability is elite, as well as his ability to grab the ball off the rim.
He has 22 games of 30+ points and two of those being 40+ point performances, he also went on some crazy 3 game stretches like Edwards. Just before the break, his last three games were 32, 33, 40, and earlier he had a 3 game stretch of 32, 43, 31. All of this is while being on one of the best rosters in the NBA where 4 other players take at least 10 shots a game and Jrue Holiday takes 9. People say that Tatum playing with other great players should take away from his greatness, but I think it just makes his personal accolades that much more impressive. If he played on the Wizards he could shoot 50 shots a night and average 30, but doing it with other greats is even more impressive.
Tatum is getting the job done on both sides of the floor. It has always been known that Tatum can be an elite defender however, I think how much effort he is putting in on the defensive end this year is not getting talked about enough. Tatum has averaged at least one steal per game every year of his career and he is continuing that streak this season. Tatum also does not stray away from guarding superstar players, in fact Tatum has a pretty good resume when it comes to guarding the league’s best. This season he has held players like Damian Lillard to 3-9 shooting, Anthony Edwards to 2-8 shooting, Scottie Barnes to 2-7, and Pascal Siakim to 0-5 shooting.
Tatum is having another MVP caliber season and he is once again the best player on what is possibly the best team in the league. The Celtics are 39-16 putting them at the 2 seed in the East. Tatum’s growth in every aspect of the game is astounding to watch, and it is hard to root against someone with so much talent and such a smooth game. Tatum will be looking to lead the Celtics to back to back Championships, and hopefully this year get his first Finals MVP award.
- Nikola Jokić
The most famous horse rider in the USA is actually a three time NBA MVP that also happens to be one of the greatest big men we have ever seen. Jokić is a triple double threat every single night. He is easily the best passing big man of all time. Jokić is yet to see anyone that can stop him in the paint or post and he can shoot from anywhere too. He has the ball in his hands every play and he always somehow manages to make the right play, the whole entire Denver Nuggets offense revolves around Nikola Jokić, and he rarely has a bad game.
This year Jokić is putting 29.8 points which is third in the league, 12.6 rebounds which is 4th in the league, 10.2 assists which is second in the league, and 1.8 steals which is 4th in the league, all while having shooting splits of 57.7/45/82.3 in
36 minutes per game. He is absolutely stuffing the stat sheet and still remaining extremely efficient even though he is the focal point of the offense.
This season Jokić has 21 games of 30+ points, 7 games of 40+ points including a 56 point performance, 41 double doubles and 25 triple doubles, 7 games with 15+ assists, and 12 games with 15+ rebounds. There are video game numbers that no one else in the league is putting up. Offensively there is nothing he can not do, and he has also gone on some pretty crazy scoring stretches. He had a 4 game stretch earlier in the season where he scored 38,27,56,48, and more recently he had a 4 game scoring stretch of 23, 46, 41, 35.
Jokic defensively is not great but he is not bad either-Night in and night out he gives effort on defense and he always comes to play defensively when matched up against other star players (beside Joel Embiid who gives him 40-15-10 every time they play. This year with Jokic as the primary defender he held Victor Wembanyama to 3-12 shooting, Anthony Davis to 2-12 shooting, and Paolo Banchero to 1-7 shooting.
Jokic has been the best player in the NBA for the past 4-5 years and it is hard to deny the argument that he continues to earn that accolade. Jokic is carrying the Nuggets to a 36-19 record that has the Nuggets at 3rd in the west and only a half game back of 2nd. The Nuggets are always a threat for the Finals with Jokic and they will be a tough team to get past once again this year.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The front runner for MVP this year and my number 1 player in the NBA this year is none other than the 26 year old guard from Canada Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 44-10 record which is number 1 in the league and in the West. Gilgeous-Alexander has mastered the art of the mid range shot, the free throw, and finishing in the lane. He has also become a reliable shooter from three and an even better playmaker then he already was- His 6 ‘6 frame also allows him to be an elite rebounder for a guard and one of the best defending guards in the NBA.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging a league leading 32.5 points per game, 6.1 assists per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 1.9 steals per game, and 1 block per game on 52.3/35.9/89.7 shooting splits in 34 minutes per game. Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder in points, assists, steals and he is 3rd in blocks. What makes Gilgeous-Alexander so impressive is that he is another player that is the main focal point of his offense and the whole entire offensive runs through him. He is controlling the ball and the game every possession and he is doing it so well that his team is the best in the league.
Even when the Thunder were dealing with some injury issues, he still willed the Thunder on his back and he came/comes out and performs every night effectively and efficiently. Gilgeous-Alexander has one of the deepest sacks in the NBA and his shot creating ability, his ball handling and his shot making ability is up there with the best in the league. He does all this while having an out of this world 104.7 defensive rating.
This season Gilgeous-Alexander has 33 games of 30+ points, 8 games of 40+, multiple 50+ point performances, 4 double doubles, 38 games of multiple steals or blocks, and he rarely turns the ball over. He does all this while playing elite on ball defense. He normally does not have to guard the other team’s best players because of players like Lu Dort and Alex Caruoso, but he does great with whoever he is matched up against. This year he held Jalen Brunson to 1-7 shooting, James Harden to 2-7 shooting, Tyler Herro to 1-5 shooting, and Kyrie Irving to 1-4 shooting.
What Gilgeous-Alexander has done this year on both sides of the ball is truly special and is the reason why he is the favorite to win this year’s MVP. He looks like he is finally ready to contend for a championship and he has the roster constructed around him to do so-If he can keep this up for the rest of the year, there is no reason the Thunder should not remain the number one seed and even come out of the West.
ONWARD!
TRU-YAK
