LeBron James is 41 years old, and somehow still putting up real star production in his record 23rd NBA season. This isn’t a farewell tour vibe. It’s still “you better guard him” basketball.
Through 19 games in 2025-26, he’s averaging 21.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.9 assists on 51.0% from the field and 59.5% true shooting. That’s not “cute for his age.” That’s straight-up winning basketball from the Lakers’ engine.
And that’s what made Rich Paul’s recent quote hit so hard. On the Joe and Jada podcast with Fat Joe and Jadakiss, Paul pushed back on the “LeBron needs to take a back seat and fit in” talk. Then he dropped the line that basically dared everyone to argue.
Paul said, “When you hear all these people say, ‘Oh, you have to take a back seat and fit in.’ If you want to break it down, you can take all four positions and name your top five. He’s in one of your top five in all four positions outside of center. So, where is the fitting in at?”
So yeah, let’s actually do the exercise, as we’re ranking the top five players at every position in 2025-26, and it’s going to get messy fast.
Point Guard
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2. Luka Doncic
3. Jalen Brunson
4. Cade Cunningham
5. Stephen Curry
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is my No. 1 because nobody at the position is mixing volume and efficiency like this in 2025-26. He’s putting up 31.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, and the shooting is just silly for a lead guard, 54.8% from the field, 39.8% from three, 89.1% from the line, plus 66.8% true shooting. The Thunder being 32-7 is context only, but it tracks, he’s been the most consistent guard in the league on a night-to-night basis.
Luka Doncic comes in at No. 2 even if you don’t want to hear it, because his individual load is still outrageous. He’s at 33.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists, basically an entire offense by himself, and he’s doing it while taking the toughest shots and making the hardest reads every possession. The splits are 45.8% from the field, 32.3% from three, 78.4% from the line, 60.0% true shooting, and the Lakers are 23-13 while he’s carrying that kind of usage.
Jalen Brunson is No. 3 because the scoring is elite and it’s clean, not empty. He’s averaging 29.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists with 47.9% from the field, 39.1% from three, 85.0% from the line, and 59.9% true shooting. The Knicks are 24-14, and while this ranking isn’t about record, it matters that his shot-making translates into real offensive stability every single game.
Cade Cunningham at No. 4 is the “this is what 2025-26 actually looks like” pick. He’s at 26.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 9.7 assists, and that 9.7 number screams engine, not just scorer. The efficiency is solid, 46.5% from the field, 34.0% from three, 83.8% from the line, 57.7% true shooting, and the Pistons being 28-9 is the backdrop to how much control he’s playing with this year.
Stephen Curry rounds out the top five because the spacing cheat code is still real, and the production is still top-shelf. He’s posting 28.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 46.8% from the field, 39.4% from three, 92.6% from the line, and 63.8% true shooting, which is nuts for a guard taking that many difficult threes. The Warriors are 21-18, and teams still guard him like it’s a playoff Game 7 in January.
Honorable Mentions: Tyrese Maxey, De’Aaron Fox, Jamal Murray
Shooting Guard
1. Donovan Mitchell
2. Jaylen Brown
3. Anthony Edwards
4. Austin Reaves
5. Devin Booker
Donovan Mitchell is my No. 1 shooting guard right now because he’s putting up superstar guard numbers without needing perfect conditions. He’s at 29.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, and the efficiency is loud, 49.7% from the field, 38.5% from three, 84.0% from the line, plus 63.0% true shooting. The Cavaliers sitting at 21-18 is just the backdrop, the real point is that he’s been the most consistent “give me 30 on good shots” guy at this spot all season.
Jaylen Brown at No. 2 is the “wait, he’s doing what?” pick of the year. He’s averaging 29.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 49.9% from the field, 37.2% from three, 77.9% from the line, with a 59.1% true shooting mark. The Celtics‘ 24-13 record helps explain the vibe, but even if you strip the record away, this is the most aggressive, on-ball, creator version of Brown we’ve ever seen, and it’s been night after night.
Anthony Edwards is No. 3 because the scoring is absurd and the shot profile is actually getting cleaner. He’s at 29.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on 50.4% from the field, 41.2% from three, 79.8% from the line, plus 63.4% true shooting. The Timberwolves being 25-13 gives you a sense of how real the production is, and the scary part is it still feels like he can hit another gear when games get tight.
Austin Reaves at No. 4 is going to make people mad, which is exactly why it’s the right call if we’re ranking 2025-26 only. He’s putting up 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, and he’s doing it with real efficiency, 50.7% from the field, 36.5% from three, 87.3% from the line, plus a wild 66.6% true shooting. The Lakers’ 23-13 record provides context, but the bigger point is simple: he’s been a legitimate high-usage creator and hasn’t fallen apart when defenses load up on him.
Devin Booker is No. 5 because even in a season where his three-ball has been weird, he’s still a top-tier engine at the position. He’s at 25.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists on 46.0% from the field, 30.7% from three, 85.3% from the line, with 58.2% true shooting. The Suns’ emergence shows they’ve been fine with him steering the offense, and I’m betting the jumper normalizes because the shot quality and the decision-making are still there.
Honorable Mentions: Josh Giddey, Tyler Herro, Derrick White
Small Forward
1. Kawhi Leonard
2. Kevin Durant
3. Deni Avdija
4. LeBron James
5. Franz Wagner
Kawhi Leonard is my No. 1 because the two-way wing dominance is still there, and the box score backs it up every night. He’s at 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, with 49.5% from the field, 37.2% from three, and 95.7% from the line, plus 62.4% true shooting. The Clippers being 14-23 is an ugly context, but it doesn’t change the read; Kawhi has been playing like a top-tier small forward whenever he suits up.
Kevin Durant is No. 2 because the efficiency is still absurd for the difficulty of his shots, and he’s doing it as a lead option. He’s putting up 26.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists on 52.1% from the field, 40.3% from three, 89.4% from the line, with 64.1% true shooting. The Rockets are 22-13, and even when they wobble, Durant’s shot-making keeps their offense from ever fully collapsing.
Deni Avdija has to be top five, and honestly, he’s been too productive to argue against it. He’s at 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 7.0 assists, shooting 46.7% from the field, 35.8% from three, and 80.1% from the line, with 61.3% true shooting. The Trail Blazers are the perfect snapshot of how much he’s carrying. They’ve been scrappy, they’ve been inconsistent, but his individual output has been star-level.
LeBron James at No. 4 is pure “this is still real” basketball, and it’s insane we’re talking about it in Year 23. He’s averaging 21.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.9 assists on 51.0% from the field, 32.0% from three, and 70.9% from the line, with 59.5% true shooting. You can feel the control he brings; he’s still dictating possessions like a point forward whenever he wants.
Franz Wagner rounds out the five because he’s been the steady, modern wing every team wants, efficient scoring, real creation, and no wasted possessions. He’s at 22.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, shooting 49.0% from the field, 36.0% from three, and 82.3% from the line, with 60.0% true shooting. The Magic are 21-18, and his production has been a big reason they’ve stayed competitive even when the offense gets messy.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Butler, Michael Porter Jr., Brandon Ingram
Power Forward
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
2. Lauri Markkanen
3. Jalen Johnson
4. Pascal Siakam
5. Paolo Banchero
Giannis Antetokounmpo is still the No. 1 power forward because nobody else at the position is bending the game like this on both ends. He’s putting up 29.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, and the efficiency is wild for a guy who lives at the rim: 65.0% from the field, 40.6% from three (low volume), and 65.6% from the line with a 68.1% true shooting mark. The Bucks sitting at 17-21 is rough, but that’s exactly why Giannis stays No. 1 here, the individual load is massive and he’s still producing like an MVP-level forward.
Lauri Markkanen at No. 2 is basically the “seven-foot sniper who also scores inside” archetype at its cleanest. He’s averaging 27.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 48.3% from the field, 36.5% from three, and 89.2% from the line, with 61.5% true shooting. The Jazz being 13-24 is whatever for this ranking, because Lauri’s case is simple: elite scoring, real efficiency, and he’s doing it without needing perfect conditions.
Jalen Johnson at No. 3 feels like cheating because he plays like a point forward half the time. He’s at 23.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, with 52.5% from the field, 37.3% from three, and 79.3% from the line, plus a 61.5% true shooting mark. Johnson’s individual season screams breakout superstar; the scoring is there, the rebounding is there, and the playmaking is absolutely ridiculous for a forward.
Pascal Siakam at No. 4 is the “I’m going to get 24 in my sleep” pick, because his production has been super steady even with chaos around him. He’s averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on 48.4% from the field, 37.9% from three, and 68.6% from the line. The Pacers being 7-31 is brutal context, but again, this is an individual ranking, and Siakam’s scoring plus his nightly physicality has been way above “empty stats” level.
Paolo Banchero at No. 5 is here because the floor is high and the workload is real, even if the efficiency isn’t as pretty as the guys above him. He’s putting up 21.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 45.9% from the field, 26.5% from three, and 74.7% from the line. Paolo’s value is that he’s still a legit engine forward, he creates advantages, he forces rotations, and he rebounds like a big while handling like a wing.
Honorable Mentions: Julius Randle, Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis
Center
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Victor Wembanyama
3. Alperen Sengun
4. Karl-Anthony Towns
5. Bam Adebayo
Nikola Jokic is still the No. 1 center because he’s basically playing a different sport, he’s a walking triple-double that also happens to be the league’s efficiency king. He’s at 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists on 60.5% from the field, 43.5% from three, and 85.3% from the line, with a ridiculous 71.3% true shooting. The Nuggets are 25-13, and it makes sense, when your center is also your best scorer and best playmaker, the floor is automatically elite.
Victor Wembanyama is No. 2 because the two-way impact is just unfair even when the offense isn’t perfect. He’s putting up 24.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 52.1% from the field, 36.2% from three, and 83.4% from the line, and the defense is still the headline: 2.9 blocks per game. The Spurs being 24-9 is nice context, but the real takeaway is simple, he changes what shots teams are even willing to take.
Alperen Sengun at No. 3 is the “center as a hub” case, because he’s not just scoring, he’s creating. He’s at 21.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists with 51.2% from the field, 31.7% from three, and 73.4% from the line, plus 57.6% true shooting. Sengun’s playmaking is a massive reason the Rockets can run real offense without needing a guard to spoon-feed everything.
Karl-Anthony Towns is No. 4 because the spacing plus rebounding combo still bends defenses, even in a season where he’s had some weird nights. He’s averaging 21.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 46.6% from the field, 34.9% from three, and 86.8% from the line, with 60.4% true shooting. The Knicks are 24-14, and you can feel it, when Towns hits shots early, the whole floor opens up for everybody else.
Bam Adebayo at No. 5 is the “I don’t care about your matchup” pick, because he’s still the most versatile defensive center in this group, even if the scoring is down. He’s at 16.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 45.1% from the field, 32.5% from three, and 76.4% from the line, with 54.3% true shooting. The Heat are 20-17, and Bam’s value is that he lets you switch, trap, recover, and survive possessions that other bigs simply can’t handle.
Honorable Mentions: Joel Embiid, Evan Mobley, Jalen Duren
