The short answer. On the Balladex Impact index, the best NBA player right now is Giannis Antetokounmpo (Miami Heat) — a superstar grading 95 out of 99, led by athleticism, scoring, rebounding. The rest of the top five: Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard.
Top 25 by Impact index live
Active players only. Impact is a Balladex model estimate on a 0–99 scale; tap any player for their full page.
| # | Player | Team | Pos | Impact | Tier | Top skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Giannis Antetokounmpo |  MIA | Forward | 95 | Superstar | Athleticism, Scoring, Rebounding |
| 2 |  Nikola Jokić |  DEN | Center | 94 | Superstar | Playmaking, Scoring, Rebounding |
| 3 |  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |  OKC | Guard | 91 | Superstar | Scoring, Clutch, Athleticism |
| 4 |  Kyrie Irving |  DAL | Guard | 89 | All-Star level | Clutch, Scoring, Spacing |
| 5 |  Kawhi Leonard |  TOR | Forward | 86 | All-Star level | Scoring, Clutch, Perimeter D |
| 6 |  Bam Adebayo | MIA | Center | 86 | All-Star level | Rebounding, Rim protection, Scoring |
| 7 |  Joel Embiid |  PHI | Center | 85 | All-Star level | Scoring, Rebounding, Rim protection |
| 8 |  Kevin Durant |  HOU | Forward | 84 | All-Star level | Scoring, Clutch, Athleticism |
| 9 |  Jayson Tatum |  BOS | Forward | 83 | All-Star level | Scoring, Clutch, Athleticism |
| 10 |  Jaylen Brown | PHI | Guard | 82 | All-Star level | Scoring, Perimeter D, Clutch |
| 11 |  Pascal Siakam |  IND | Forward | 82 | All-Star level | Scoring, Clutch, Athleticism |
| 12 |  Stephen Curry |  GSW | Guard | 81 | All-Star level | Scoring, Clutch, Athleticism |
| 13 |  Damian Lillard |  POR | Guard | 81 | All-Star level | Clutch, Spacing, Scoring |
| 14 |  Karl-Anthony Towns |  NYK | Center | 81 | All-Star level | Rebounding, Rim protection, Scoring |
| 15 |  Luka Doncic |  LAL | Guard | 81 | All-Star level | Scoring, Clutch, Playmaking |
| 16 |  LeBron James | PHI | Forward | 80 | All-Star level | Scoring, Playmaking, Perimeter D |
| 17 |  Jimmy Butler | GSW | Forward | 80 | All-Star level | Perimeter D, Scoring, Athleticism |
| 18 |  Khris Middleton |  WAS | Forward | 80 | All-Star level | Clutch, Scoring, Spacing |
| 19 |  Victor Wembanyama |  SAS | Forward | 80 | All-Star level | Rebounding, Scoring, Rim protection |
| 20 |  Donovan Mitchell |  CLE | Guard | 79 | Star starter | Scoring, Clutch, Athleticism |
| 21 |  Fred VanVleet | HOU | Guard | 79 | Star starter | Perimeter D, Playmaking, Clutch |
| 22 |  Deni Avdija | POR | Forward | 79 | Star starter | Scoring, Clutch, Athleticism |
| 23 |  James Harden | CLE | Guard | 78 | Star starter | Playmaking, Spacing, Scoring |
| 24 |  Anthony Davis | WAS | Forward | 78 | Star starter | Perimeter D, Rebounding, Scoring |
| 25 |  Domantas Sabonis |  SAC | Forward | 78 | Star starter | Rebounding, Rim protection, Athleticism |
Method. The Impact index is a Balladex model estimate, not an official stat: a 0–99 blend of a player's two-way skill ratings — weighted toward scoring, playmaking, clutch and perimeter defense — plus a capped bonus for MVP, All-NBA, All-Star and championship pedigree. See the live MVP race, power rankings, and head-to-head compare. How this is calculated →