NBA Top 100 player rankings for 2024-25 season: 10-1
10/14/2024 11:16 AM
The time has come to reveal the final section of the Top 100 players in the NBA. Over the last few weeks leading up to the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, we have been revealing the ClutchPoints Top 100 players rankings in chunks. After naming those who rank #100 through #25, it is finally time for the section that always causes the most discussion: the top 10.
Last week’s section of the NBA Top 100 rankings included those who were ranked #25 through #11 on the list. Key stars like Jalen Brunson, Anthony Davis, and Victor Wembanyama found themselves included in this group of players. Whereas that section of the rankings included All-Stars, the top 10 includes those that are constantly on the All-NBA list and in the MVP conversation.
In case you missed any of the previous rankings, you can view them below:
ClutchPoints’ 2024-25 NBA Top 100 players:
Nos. 100-76 | Nos. 75-51 | Nos. 50-26
All 10 of the players in this final part of the Top 100 rankings are always called the best players in the NBA. Combined, these players have 14 MVPs, 82 All-NBA appearances, and 79 All-Star appearances. These are the best of the best, and regardless of where you would personally rank them, these are the 10 best players in the NBA right now.
Without further ado, here is who finds themselves ranked #10 through #1 in the Top 100 player rankings ahead of the new 2024-25 NBA.
10. Anthony Edwards – SG – Minnesota Timberwolves
No player in the league has more swag and confidence in themselves than Anthony Edwards. In his fourth season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Edwards took his team to the Western Conference Finals, and he elevated his play to new heights. Now, after winning a gold medal in the Olympics and getting on the doorstep of reaching the NBA Finals, Edwards appears ready to become one of the next faces of the NBA.
It is not hard to make the argument that Edwards is the best shooting guard in the league right now. Last season, he averaged 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 46.1 percent from the floor. These numbers are great, but the way Edwards plays and gives it his all every single possession is why he is a superstar. The Timberwolves’ leader comes out of nowhere to block shots, and he does everything it takes to win. That is all that matters to Edwards.
With the ability to score from anywhere on the court, as well as be an elite perimeter defender, Edwards has become a top-10 player in the NBA. Whether or not he can get the Timberwolves back on the doorstep of the NBA Finals after last season is the big question surrounding Edwards.
9. Jayson Tatum – SF/PF – Boston Celtics
One of the most disrespected players in the NBA Top 100 is Jayson Tatum, which is surprising given that he has been nothing but stellar over his seven years with the Boston Celtics. Tatum has made the All-NBA First Team each of the last three seasons, and he finally broke through to lead the Celtics to their 18th championship in team history, an accomplishment that finally solidifies his status as one of the best in the league.
The elephant in the room of not finding postseason success has finally been conquered by Tatum, and the Celtics are now the undisputed best team in the league heading into the 2024-25 season. When it comes to scoring off the dribble and getting to his spots, Tatum is the best offensive small forward in the league. He is a lot deadlier in space than people give him credit for, and Tatum is a very underrated three-point shooter.
Regardless of all the talk of him not being the best in the world and other stars being ranked higher than him, Tatum has done enough to this point in his career to earn this ranking. There shouldn’t be any more discussion about his ability to lead the Celtics.
8. Joel Embiid – C – Philadelphia 76ers
When Joel Embiid is healthy, he may be the most unstoppable offensive talent in the league because of his skill in the mid-range area and his size in the paint. That is the problem, though, as Embiid just can’t stay healthy. The Philadelphia 76ers big man played in only 39 games last season, and once again, his absence ended up being the Sixers’ downfall. Now that Paul George has joined Tyrese Maxey and Embiid on the court, the 2022-23 NBA MVP could be ready to have his best season yet.
One of the biggest reasons for Embiid’s failure to remain on the court has been because of the burden has taken on. Defensively and on offense, the 76ers ask a lot of Embiid. Maxey is evolving into a superstar at the point guard position, and now George is in Philly and able to help take a lot of the scoring stress off Embiid. The fact of the matter is that the 76ers’ superstar can finally take a deep breath and not have to do everything himself.
As far as his numbers go, they speak for themselves. Embiid averaged 34.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the floor and 38.8 percent from three-point range last season. While this was a small sample size, those numbers would’ve won Embiid another MVP award if he had sustained them over the course of the whole season.
7. LeBron James – SF – Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James is turning 40 years old in December. Even so, the 20-time All-Star is still one of the most efficient and productive players in the entire NBA. What James has been able to achieve over the course of his career speaks for itself, but the fact that he maintains a high motor and continues to be available for his team speaks volumes to the time he dedicates to his body. Just last season, LeBron played in 71 games for the Los Angeles Lakers, his most in a single season since joining the team.
While James’ scoring production has dipped, his minutes remain constant, and he had a sensational shooting season, averaging 54.0 percent from the floor and 41.0 percent from three-point range last year. The most important factor with James is remaining healthy and durable for the long 82-game season. His entire coaching staff is going to monitor his minutes early on during the 2024-25 season in order to make sure LeBron is fresh for the games that matter most.
If we need any proof that James is still one of the best players in the NBA Top 100, we should look no further than what he did at the Olympics. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant played a huge part in the Americans winning the gold medal in France, but James was the leader of the team. Although time is running out for one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen, LeBron still has more left in the tank heading into Year 22, especially since this one will be spent playing alongside his son, Bronny James.
6. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – PG/SG – Oklahoma City Thunder
Everyone knew Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a chance to be a special player for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but nobody expected him to break out and become a real MVP candidate over the last two seasons. It is not hard to say that Gilgeous-Alexander has been the best two-way guard in the NBA, and that is why he finds himself as the 6th-best player in the NBA Top 100 heading into the 2024-25 season.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to 57 wins and the 1-seed in the Western Conference last season, something this organization had not achieved since the 2013-14 season with Kevin Durant. At 26 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged at least 30 points per game for the second consecutive season, and he did so while also being a pest defensively with his 2.0 steals per game. Due to all of his accomplishments and the fact that he led the Thunder, a team many thought would contend for a playoff spot via the play-in tournament, Gilgeous-Alexander finished second in the MVP voting behind Nikola Jokic.
The bottom line is that Gilgeous-Alexander is a very special player. The leader of the Thunder is just now scratching the surface of what he can be in this league, which is a scary thought for the other 29 teams that have to try and defend him. Oklahoma City is going to be a problem in the Western Conference for many years to come because of Gilgeous-Alexander.
5. Kevin Durant – SF/PF – Phoenix Suns
Anyone who tries to argue that Kevin Durant isn’t still one of the best players inside the NBA Top 100 is simply hating on his greatness. Much like LeBron, age continues to take a backseat in Kevin Durant’s career, and he has not let his Achilles injury from 2019 define him. In fact, it is not hard to say that Durant is a better overall scorer since his Achilles injury, which is something we have never seen before in the NBA.
The 36-year-old played in 75 games this past season, averaging 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent from three-point range. Durant is still one of the deadliest scorers in the mid-range area, and everything just looks so effortless to him on the offensive end of the floor. From hitting clutch shots late in the game to leading the Suns in scoring alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, Durant is still arguably the best all-around scorer in the NBA.
Whether or not Durant can lead the Suns back to the NBA Finals is the big question, as everything can’t fall on his shoulders.
4. Stephen Curry – PG – Golden State Warriors
Say what you want about the Golden State Warriors and their dynasty possibly being over, but don’t loop Stephen Curry into this collapse. Curry will never find himself outside of the top 10 in the NBA Top 100 simply because he is the deadliest shooter of all time. No matter the opponent, score of the game, or his age, Curry will always be able to hunt his shots and do so at a high rate from the perimeter. In the summer Olympics, Curry struggled at times, but he stepped up when it mattered most and scored 60 points over Team USA’s final two games en route to a gold medal.
The 2023-24 NBA Clutch Player of the Year simply puts the Warriors in spots to win. If it weren’t for Curry’s heroics, the Warriors likely would’ve finished with less than 30 wins in a season that they went 46-36. To average 26.4 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 40.8 percent from three-point range on roughly 12 attempts from the perimeter every contest is simply remarkable.
Once again, Curry enters a new season as a player who will be in the MVP conversation simply because of what he can do on the court. It would be surprising if Curry took home this award given the Warriors’ status in the Western Conference, but we have learned time and time again to never doubt the NBA’s all-time leader in threes. Despite turning 37 in March, Curry still has plenty of years left to potentially capture his fifth ring.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – PF – Milwaukee Bucks
How does one stop Giannis Antetokounmpo? Well, you really can’t. Giannis is not a strong three-point shooter, so forcing him to take jump shots is advantageous. Then again, if you give him too much space, Antetokounmpo will go downhill like a train before putting his opponents on a poster. The Greek Freak is the best power forward in basketball, and he is the reason the Milwaukee Bucks always have a chance to win a championship.
Perhaps the scariest thing about Giannis is that he is still only 29 years old and reaching the peak of his career. Time is on Antetokounmpo’s side, and his best years of being in the NBA are directly ahead of him. In 73 total games last year, Giannis averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 61.1 percent from the floor and 27.4 percent from three-point range. If that outside shot can come around, Antetokounmpo will be unstoppable.
Halfway through his career, there isn’t really anything else for Antetokounmpo to accomplish at this point. He has been named MVP twice, he is an eight-time All-Star and All-NBA performer, and Giannis led the Bucks to a championship in 2021 as the Finals MVP. On top of the fact that he’s been the league’s Most Improved Player and the Defensive Player of the Year, Giannis’ status as one of the faces of the league for the next decade is solidified.
2. Luka Doncic – PG – Dallas Mavericks
It wasn’t going to be long until Luka Doncic found himself in the NBA Finals, and he took the Dallas Mavericks there a season ago. Unfortunately for Doncic and the Mavs, they ran out of gas against the Celtics. Now, the challenge for the Slovenian guard is defending his team’s status and getting back to the championship series. While this is no easy task, Doncic will have the opportunity to carry the Mavs to this position because he possesses traits no other player in the league has.
What makes Doncic such a special player is his mindset of never backing down from any play on offense. No matter the circumstances regarding him shooting or passing, Doncic always sees plays develop two, three, sometimes even four seconds before his opponents recognize what’s happening. His natural instincts and understanding of the game are so much higher than virtually every other player in the NBA right now. Finishing third in the MVP voting was the highest of Doncic’s career last season, which is why the award should be his to lose this year.
In 70 games a season ago, Luka averaged a league high of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor and 38.2 percent from three-point range. Nobody thought it was possible, but Doncic continues to improve and get better. That is the reason why he took the Mavs to the NBA Finals last season, and this is the reason why he finds himself as the second-best player in the NBA Top 100 rankings.
1. Nikola Jokic – C – Denver Nuggets
Hate him or love him, there is no denying that Nikola Jokic is the best player in the NBA and the world right now. Jokic cemented his status and legacy in the NBA last season with his third MVP award in the last four seasons. This was achieved by averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game while shooting 58.3 percent from the floor. Overall, the most impressive thing about Jokic is that he simply doesn’t care.
When he is on the court, Jokic wants to win. He is a competitor no matter what, and winning is all that matters. But while other players will only be focusing on the game of basketball, Jokic embraces his off days and simply cares about things outside of basketball like his family and his horses. Jokic knows he is the best, yet he doesn’t let it get to him because none of the media attention or bright lights really matter to him. Deep down, the Serbian is a simple guy doing what he loves, and there is nobody who is able to stop him right now.
Even after all of the awards and accolades he has added to his trophy case through the years, Jokic is still only 29 years old. The Denver Nuggets have the league’s best player in his prime for many years to come, and as long as he remains healthy, Jokic will be the best player in the NBA.
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