N.B.: Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, DeJounte Murray, and Fred VanVleet are not included in this edition of the Top 100 due to serious injuries that cast a shadow over their seasons.
80 - Aaron Gordon (Denver Nuggets) - Down 19 places
A former crazy dunker turned ultimate soldier, everything has been said about the Slam Dunk Contest curse. But he's getting on in years, and physically, keeping up the intensity that made him indispensable is starting to become complicated, as we saw in the last playoffs.
Nevertheless, he remains the perfect complement to Nikola Jokic, and it remains to be seen whether he will maintain his level.
Stats 2024/2025: 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 43.6% three-point percentage
Projection for 2025/2026: Exactly the same
79 - Herb Jones (New Orleans Pelicans) - Down 8 places
Last year, he was praised for being the only outside player named in the All-Defensive First Team. But an injury called everything into question and cut his season short.
He will always be a nightmare for opposing forwards, but his defensive intelligence makes you want to see what he can do on the other side of the court.
2024/2025 stats: 10.3 points, 1.9 steals (20 games)
Projection for 2025/2026: 15.0 points per game, 2.0 steals per game, Defensive Player of the Year candidate
78 - Nikola Vucevic (Chicago Bulls) - Down 10 places
The Montenegrin is still here and full-time since he retired from international football after the Euros. He's still an impact player offensively in a downright depressing team.
How can this state of affairs be changed? It probably won't be through him. But he does his job without batting an eyelid, and he could go and strengthen a contender at the deadline anyway without any effect on his production.
2024/2025 stats: 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 40.2% three-point percentage
Projection for 2025/2026: 20.0 points per game, 10.0 rebounds per game, 40% three-point percentage
77 - Josh Giddey (Chicago Bulls) - ENTRY
He, too, was one of the biggest stories of the summer. But Giddey opted to re-signing with the Bulls. And unlike his Montenegrin counterpart, he has a real responsibility for the progress of his team, which has been stuck in the bottom half of the table for several years.
A versatile player, Giddey needs to turn his encouraging stats into real impact if he is to turn Chicago back into a force to be reckoned with. Easier said than done...
2024/2025 stats: 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists
Projection for 2025/2026: Averages a triple-double
76 - Bradley Beal (Los Angeles Clippers) - Down 25 places
What a fiasco. It's hard to find another word to describe the Big Panda's time with the Suns. Here he is at the Clippers, with a contender, in a role that will clearly be different: at best, if everyone is back on their feet, he will be the third option, and even then, we hardly believe it.
The advantage is that he'll have plenty of scope to prove us wrong. But at 32, we're not expecting much.
2024/2025 stats: 17.0 points, 38.6% three-point percentage
Projection for 2025/2026: 20.0 points per game, 40% three-point percentage
75 - R.J. Barrett (Toronto Raptors) - Down 30 places
The Raptors are an enigma. A team packed with quality players, capable of putting up 20 points a game... and nothing, absolutely nothing happens.
The Canadian remains a reliable player, but has absolutely no impact, which was already the case in New York despite his production. He's already been in the NBA for six years, and he's going to have to start making an impact or risk slipping further down the pecking order.
2024/2025 stats: 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 35% three-point percentage
Projection for 2025/2026: 25.0 points per game
74 - Immanuel Quickley (Toronto Raptors) - Down 17 places
The aforementioned Raptors enigma has also struck IQ. Two years ago, he finished second in the Sixth Man of the Year, and seemed close to exploding as a top-level player.
However, his arrival in Toronto seems to have done him a disservice, along with a few injuries. Last season was truncated, but as the starting point guard, he has the means to turn a corner.
2024/2025 stats: 17.1 points, 5.8 assists (33 games)
Projection for 2025/2026: 20.0 points per game, 8.0 assists per game
73 - Tyler Herro (Miami Heat) - Up 12 places
First problem: we won't see him again until December due to an ankle operation. Second problem: his influence within the Heat has declined since the campaign towards the finals in 2023, without him.
The third problem is that he keeps being mentioned in trade rumours, and eventually he will be. And all this after he's just made the All-Star team, which is beyond comprehension...
2024/2025 stats: 23.9 points, 37.5% three-point percentage
Projection for 2025/2026: 25.0 points per game
72 - Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks) - ENTRY
Here he is, the long-awaited No. 1 draft pick. And he won't be starting for a team undergoing a complete rebuild.
No, he'll be with the Mavs (coincidence...) to help this team with its sights set on the title. No doubt set to play in the small forward position, his coach has nevertheless planned to use him everywhere, all the time.
Will he live up to his flattering reputation? Initial feedback has been flattering, but only his play on the court will tell.
Projection for 2025/2026: 20.0 points per game, 10 rebounds per game
71 - Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves) - Down 12 places
At 33, the best of the four-time Defensive Player of the Year seems to be slowly slipping behind him. But with his team having just won back-to-back conference finals, it's impossible to downplay his impact.
The Stiffle Tower will continue his defensive undermining, as that's the only place he's expected to be. As a bonus, he will also be playing a mentoring role with another Frenchman, Joan Beringer.
But above all, to prove that he still belongs among the league's defensive elite.
2024/2025 stats: 12.0 points per game, 10.9 rebounds per game, 1.4 blocks per game
Projection for 2025/2026: 15.0 points per game, 13.0 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game, All-Defensive First Team candidate