B/R 99: Ranking the 99 Best NBA Players Ahead of 2026-27

Debating top-10-star status has become a rite of passage for NBA fandom.

Is Steph Curry still among that elite group at 38? What about Jayson Tatum after his Achilles comeback? Donovan Mitchell after another failure to make the Finals?

But why stop there? Heading into the 2026-27 season, the B/R NBA staff is ready to litigate who's who among the Association's best, from No. 1 through 99. This year, we upped the ante a bit by using a breakdown of five skill categories to arrive at a final overall rating.

As in seasons past, we're not predicting where players will finish in April. This is a breakdown of where the league stands right now. Meaning players set to start the year on the sidelines aren't included. Sorry, Jimmy Butler.

Player summaries and preview content by Andy Bailey. For a full methodology breakdown, scroll to the infographic below.

Category ratings are set up as an intentional bell curve with a median of 75.

Each category counts toward the Full Rating by these shares.

Players also receive ratings bonuses for ranking in the top 10, top 5 or top 3 of multiple categories.

B/R editors reviewed the results to ensure the final rankings reflected informed basketball judgment.

Is Giannis Antetokounmpo Really Not a Top-5 Player?

Our methodology nudged Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the top five, and that might be the biggest reason to call it into question.

Anthony Edwards and Jalen Brunson are phenomenal scorers and guards. They're the faces of teams that have had more playoff success than Giannis in recent years. But in a vacuum, it'd be hard to seriously argue that either is a more effective individual player than Antetokounmpo.

Over the last three seasons, he's averaged more points in fewer minutes than both, has averaged more rebounds than both combined, had a field-goal percentage about 13 percentage points higher than both and has a box plus/minus that's higher than Edwards' and Brunson's combined.

There are plenty of numbers that suggest Stephen Curry shouldn't be in the top 10 anymore. He only played 1,329 minutes last season. And an aggregation of advanced numbers from around the internet suggests he didn't have a top-20 impact in 2025-26.

Thinking things might get better as he enters his age-38 season is bold, but Curry has earned the vote of confidence.

Curry was sixth in the league in points per 75 possessions last season. Among the top 11 in that category, only Giannis, Jokic and SGA had higher true shooting percentages. And even at his advanced age, there still isn't another player who bends a defense without the ball like Curry does.

With anything resembling a contending-level supporting cast, Curry being in the top 10 would probably feel like a no-brainer.

Will LeBron James Finish the Season in the Top 20?

Logic suggests the answer on this one has to be "no."

LeBron is entering his age-42 season. When everyone's available, he may be the fourth option on offense. Some nights, even VJ Edgecombe might command a bigger share of the team's shot diet. And with some of the players currently behind LeBron on this list being on the rise (like Cooper Flagg, Deni Avdija and LaMelo Ball), a dip feels more likely for LeBron.

But we're going on 24 years of LeBron completely breaking expectations. And even if he doesn't shoot as much as he has on previous teams, he could certainly reestablish himself as one of the league's very best playmakers with all the scorers around him in Philadelphia.

So no, he probably won't make his way into the top 20 this season. But it certainly wouldn't be shocking if he did.

How High Can a Healthy Kyrie Irving Rise in Our Rankings?

Coming off a torn ACL and entering his age-34 campaign, Kyrie Irving is outside the top 30 right now. If he struggles with availability, he'll probably stay there.

But as you scan the top 20, names like Devin Booker, Jamal Murray and Jaylen Brown stand out. And if Kyrie can stay healthy, it wouldn't be shocking to see him have a better individual season than any of the above.

Even at his age and with his growing injury history, Irving is one of the most skilled guards and reliable shooters in the NBA. Best-case scenario, he could find himself back in the top 20 before this season ends.

Can the Ja Morant, Damian Lillard Backcourt Prove Us Wrong?

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori has already tossed some cold water on the idea of Damian Lillard and Ja Morant starting together, noting that both are undersized and historically non-elite defenders.

But with their talent level, it'll be hard to keep the duo separated all the time. And at least on the offensive end, Morant's slashing and Lillard's shooting could be devastatingly complementary. Morant's drives could pull defenses away from the three-point line, creating extra time for Lillard's shots. And at the same time, Lillard's gravity as a shooter could force those same defenses out of the paint, making the driving lanes wider for Morant. The symbiosis isn't hard to imagine.

But yes, it's going to take a Herculean effort from the rest of the rotation on the other end.