Who Is the Best NBA Player Right Now?

About this poll

SGA has the championship, Luka has the scoring title, Jokic has the basketball IQ. Who's actually the best player in the NBA? Sports rankings are arguments about greatness across eras that never actually played each other. Every GOAT debate is partly about what you weight: peak production, longevity, championships, or that intangible pull of having watched someone in their prime. The lineup includes Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, and 11 more.

Why the question is worth voting on

Ordered rankings work when the order itself is the question. If you're sure #2 belongs above #3 — and you can defend that distinction — this format suits the question. After voting you'll see the crowd's order and where your taste diverges. The interesting positions are usually the ones where you and the consensus disagree.

How voting works

This is an ordered ranking. You'll arrange the options from best to worst, top to bottom. Unlike a tier list, position matters — #2 and #3 are not interchangeable. Use this format when you have strong opinions about exact order, not just rough quality groups.

Where the consensus stands

This poll is fresh — your vote is among the first. Be early. The first 100 voters disproportionately shape the consensus, because each new vote becomes a smaller fraction of the total. Lock in your tier list and check back later to see how the aggregate shifts as more people weigh in.

A note on methodology

Hot Ranking uses an anonymous browser fingerprint to ensure each browser votes once per poll. We don't store accounts or personal information; the aggregate you see is the unweighted result of every legitimate vote, with rate limiting in place to filter automated submissions. Results update in real time once you submit. You can read more about how voting works in our About page, and how we handle data in our Privacy Policy.

The lineup

This poll has 15 options to rank. Each one was selected for relevance to the question and verified to have a working image. We don't pad rankings with filler items — every entry is here because it has a real case for inclusion.

• Nikola Jokic
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Luka Doncic
• Jayson Tatum
• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Victor Wembanyama
• Anthony Edwards
• LeBron James
• Stephen Curry
• Kevin Durant
• Devin Booker
• Damian Lillard
• …and 3 more

Share your result

After voting, you'll see how your tier list or pick compares to the consensus. The result page is shareable — most of our voters end up arguing with at least one friend after sharing theirs. If you want to see more polls in this category, browse sports or check out the Hot Ranking blog for essays on tier lists, ranking culture, and the great GOAT debates.