Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell Top NBA.com’s Ranking Of East’s Best

July 31, 2025

Cade Cunningham, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pistons, Bucks, NBA — Imagn

NBA.com dropped its list of the top 10 players in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2025-26 season, and as usual, it’s bound to stir up some debate. No surprise at the top — it’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, and then everybody else. But the rest of the list? There’s room for discussion.

Here’s how it shook out, along with a few quick thoughts:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
No-brainer. Two MVPs, a ring, and arguably the best two-way player in the league. He’s still in his prime, still averaging 30 and 12, and still giving teams nightmares. His jumper is shaky, sure, but let’s not overthink it. He’s the standard.

2. Jalen Brunson, Knicks
A Clutch Player of the Year and the heart of the Knicks’ revival. Brunson made believers out of skeptics, even if he’s not the most traditional point guard. Maybe doesn’t pass as much as you’d like, but makes up for it by delivering when it matters. Still feels a touch high here, but hard to ignore the last two seasons.

3. Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
First Team All-NBA, does it on both ends, and is a proven playoff performer. Has now transformed two franchises. If anything, his scoring dip has been overstated — as he took on more of a leadership role in Cleveland last season and still got buckets when it counted. Can he climb even higher next year? Wouldn’t rule it out.

4. Paolo Banchero, Magic
Didn’t play a full season, but was excellent when he did. Scoring, passing, versatility … it’s all there. He’s not quite there defensively yet, but at just 22, he’s already the face of a playoff team.

5. Cade Cunningham, Pistons
It finally clicked. After a couple of injury-plagued seasons, Cunningham looked like the No. 1 pick Detroit hoped for, a big, smooth playmaker who runs the show and makes everyone better. If he can stay healthy, this ranking might be too low.

6. Joel Embiid, 76ers
Tough call. On talent alone, he could be No. 1. On durability? Maybe outside the top 10. The truth is somewhere in the middle. He’s dominant when he’s out there, but the Sixers just can’t count on him for more than 55 games, and they know it.

7. Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
DPOY. All-NBA. Quietly elite. Mobley is still growing into his full offensive game, but defensively, he’s one of the most impactful players in the league. He guarded everybody last season and made it look easy. With Mitchell and Mobley both on this list, the Cavs have one of the best young duos in the East.

8. Jaylen Brown, Celtics
A little bit of a step back after the Celtics’ 2024 title run, but still a highly efficient scorer and strong defender. We’ll get a real sense of what he can do as a No. 1 option with Jayson Tatum expected to miss significant time, if not all of next season.

9. Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
Somehow still underrated after a full season with New York. One of the best-shooting bigs the league has ever seen. The question is: Can he be more than a stats guy? Can he help Brunson win when it matters most? We’re about to find out, again.

10. Trae Young, Hawks
Say what you want — yes, he’s a defensive liability, yes his shooting efficiency dipped — but he’s still one of the best passers and toughest covers in the league. He may have been better last season than at any other point in his career.