NBA top 150 starter rankings Part 1 (150-11): Ranking every team's starting players for the 2025-26 season

Everybody these days has a ranking of the top players in the NBA. Our Sporting News staff comes together to vote on a top 30 at various points throughout the year. Several other outlets go all the way up to a top 100, or even top 125. 

Nobody does a top 150 ranking. That is a lot of players to cover, which makes it difficult to get right and ripe for criticism. I'm always up for a challenge. That was enough of a reason for me to try one out. 

Here's a bit on the methodology before we dive into the rankings. This list comprises all 150 projected starters for the 2025-26 season. Players who will likely be out for most or all of the year, such as Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard are not included. Neither are super-subs  off the bench who are comfortably in the top 150 NBA players, such as Alex Caruso or Naz Reid. 

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There are also going to be a handful of players missing from this list given that starting spots are fluid throughout the year. It's going to be more accurate than any other list you find though. I pay close attention to every team, and I made my best guess at each team's starting five based on talent, announcements from coaching staffs, and what a team's most commonly-played starting lineups were last year. 

In order to rank players, I created a complex formula that accounted for regularized adjusted plus-minus data. I crunched the numbers. I carefully divided players into several tiers. Then I tossed all of that stuff into the trash. 

This list is vibes-based, using my own personal judgment from watching several hundred games last year. The rankings boil down to "is this guy better than the guy below him?" It's not perfect, but I have watched many full games of every guy on this list, which comprises a third of the league. 

Here's the first part of the list, ranking starters from No. 150 to no. 11. Part two will come out later in the week. 

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Ranking all 150 starters in the NBA: 150-11

Top 11-25 starters

There is a mix of old and young. Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker are still elite players despite constantly battling injury concerns. Davis is still a top-tier defender, able to block shots and guard the perimeter. Durant is an outstanding three-level scorer at age 37. Booker can also still score with the best of them and is able to play on or off the ball. 

Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Williams, Cade Cunningham represent the next generation. Maxey is one of the fastest guards in the league, a great shooter, and a perfect No. 2 on a championship-level team. Williams was invaluable as a two-way player, guarding all five positions for the Thunder. Cunningham took a leap to become a well-rounded All-Star for the Pistons. 

There are plenty of two-way stars in this group as well. Pascal Siakam and Jimmy Butler find ways to impose their will on games and elevate on the biggest stages. Siakam is a terror in transition and an improved shooter. Butler is unstoppable in the post and can get the Warriors in the bonus to make their offense even more potent. 

On the defensive end, Evan Mobley and Jaren Jackson Jr. are DPOY winners who can block a ton of shots and have developed their offensive games tremendously. Mobley has expanded his ballhandling and shooting, while Jackson has grown as a stretch big and isolation scorer. 

Karl-Anthony Towns is more of a one-way player, but he's the best offensive big of this group. Joel Embiid would have that title, but health has dragged him down. Even in his diminished form, he's still an All-Star when he's out there. 

Everyone knows that Kawhi Leonard is still great, until that inevitable moment where his body fails him. Franz Wagner is perhaps the highest above consensus on this list. He's a future top 10 player if he can ever fully rid himself of the nasty hitch that has infected his jumper. Jaylen Brown is capable of being an elite two-way player, but he took a small step back on both ends last season. He needs to step up with Tatum out for the year. 

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Top 26-50 starters

There are some great passers among this group. Nobody threw more assists than Trae Young last year. He's an elite floor general with a floater/lob combo that is impossible to stop. De'Aaron Fox is a great scorer and playmaker too, but a much tougher fit off the ball. James Harden is still an effective offensive engine, generating quality looks for himself or teammates at any time. 

Other players on this list rely on exceptional athleticism. Ja Morant and Zion Williamson are explosive scorers who have top 10 talent, but their leaping ability is a double-edged sword that leads to a lot of injuries. 

Then there are the bucket-getters. Tyler Herro became a primary offensive option for Miami, improving as a passer and shooter, but his defensive limitations were exposed in the playoffs. Darius Garland was a key playmaker and scorer for his team, hitting a high percentage of three-pointers. Jamal Murray is an excellent secondary scorer who runs the best two-man game in the league with Nikola Jokic. Lauri Markkanen is a legitimate seven-foot tall three-level scorer. Alperen Sengun has some of the best post footwork and passing that we've seen from a big man in the modern game. Desmond Bane is an elite movement shooter and creator who should thrive in a new environment

There are some very strong defenders here too. Derrick White is the best shot-blocking guard in the game and also a steadying hand on offense with his shooting, passing, and playmaking. OG Anunoby and Amen Thompson are elite defenders who can guard multiple positions. Anunoby is a good 3-point shooter and finisher, while Thompson has much more creation skills that make up for a shaky jumper. 

Draymond Green is still a top-five defender in the league. His IQ will always be there, even as his offense has sharply declined. Bam Adebayo is one of the most versatile bigs in the league, thriving in multiple schemes for the Heat. Ivica Zubac anchored a great Clippers defense and excelled in his role as a screener and roller on offense. 

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Top 51-75 starters

Top 76-100 starters

Top 101-150 starters