By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net
After more than four months of waiting, the new NBA season begins at the end of October, where 30 teams will compete for the ring, which the New York Knicks won last season.
The situation in the NBA has changed over the last decade, and it seems that Europeans, at least the best among them, have settled at the top when it comes to the league’s best players.
USA has been waiting for an MVP of the regular season since the 2017-18 season when James Harden won this trophy, and in the next ten years, the award was won twice by Giannis Antetokounmpo, three times by Nikola Jokic, and twice by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and once by Joel Embiid – all non-Americans, although Embiid eventually took gold with the USA at the Olympic Games 2024.
The NBA season is starting soon, and it seems that Europeans will once again lead the way, and this is our selection of the top 10 European basketball players in the league.
1. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Last season stats: 27.5 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 10.6 apg
Nikola Jokic is entering the 2026-2027 season as the best player in the NBA. Although since winning the ring in 2023, Jokic hasn’t led Denver past the Western Semifinals, it seems more like a mistake of the management than of Jokic himself.
The Serbian basketball player is a three-time NBA MVP, coming off a season where he averaged a triple-double, with numbers and advanced statistics never before seen in basketball, and it’s only a matter of time before he surpasses Russell Westbrook, who currently has 11 more, at the top of the all-time triple-double list.
2. Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
Last season stats: 24.7 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 3.2 bpg, 3 apg
Wemby has caused chaos in the NBA, establishing himself as one of the best players at just 22 years old, and was close to winning his first NBA ring with the San Antonio Spurs. However, the New York Knicks stood in the way in the Finals.
The Frenchman is the league’s best defensive player, and it seems he could win that award without any problems for the next 10 years. Great things are expected from him, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle in Texas. He has significantly improved his game, ready to dominate, and we’ll see if this is the year he wins a title.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Miami Heat)
Last season stats: 27.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 5.4 apg
After years of dominance, we had a somewhat quieter season for Giannis, with many injuries and strained relations with the Milwaukee Bucks‘ management. The season ended with a trade, and the Greek Freak will now wear the Miami Heat jersey, alongside Bam Adebayo.
Despite the problems from the past season, Giannis is still one of the best players in the league. With Bam, he will form an amazing defensive tandem in the Heat‘s paint, and we’ll see if that’s enough to challenge for the title.
4. Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers)
Last season stats: 33.5 ppg, 8.3 apg, 7.8 rpg
We will see Luka in a role that suits him best next season – he will be the solo leader of the Lakers, who are entering an era without LeBron James, and the Slovenian national team player will be the superstar of this team.
He is coming off a season where he was the league’s top scorer, with over 33 points per game, but his injury in a game that had no impact on the standings at the end of the regular season dashed all hopes for the Lakers to win the title. Doncic is still missing a ring, and with a bit of consistency, we’ll see if he can compete with the new Lakers in the stacked Western Conference.
5. OG Anunoby (New York Knicks)
Last season stats: 17.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.0 apg
As LeBron James pointed out in one statement, OG is probably the uncrowned MVP of the NBA finals. The British player had an incredible playoff run, averaging over 20 points, and his defense and hustle need no further discussion.
His game-winning tip-in against the Spurs in Game 4 is one of the most significant baskets in the new era of the NBA. He may not be as prolific a scorer as the other players above him, but he is an outstanding defender, a fit for any team, and was a key member of the best team last season. Quite enough for at least fifth place on this list.
6. Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers)
Last season stats: 24.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 6.6 apg
Avdija is coming off his best NBA season yet, and for the first time, the Israeli national team player was part of the NBA All-Star game, well-deserved, after leading Portland to a playoff appearance, although they couldn’t get past the San Antonio Spurs.
Deni has made remarkable progress in a short time, becoming one of the best players in the West, but it’s time for him to make a breakthrough, as well as for Portland – fans hope for a more serious playoff run.
7. Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets)
Last season stats: 20.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 6.1 rpg
Sengun has already established himself as a Top 20 player in the league, evidenced by his participation in the All-Star game for the past two seasons. After the breakout season in 2023-24, Sengun’s statistics have remained consistent, although last year’s arrival of Kevin Durant, the main star of the Rockets, must be taken into account.
Houston has many young players, and with a few veterans, this is probably their last chance to make a run for the Western Finals with KD.
8. Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)
Last season stats: 26.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.1 apg
Lauri is also in the peak of his career, coming off a season where he averaged nearly 27 points per game, making him one of the best scorers in the NBA.
We all know what the power forward is capable of, but even after nine seasons, Markkanen hasn’t made it to the NBA playoffs. It doesn’t help that he plays for Utah, which tanked for most of the season, so we didn’t see much of Lauri after the All-Star break, as he played only 42 games for the Jazz last season.
9. Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic)
Last season stats: 19.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.3 apg
A player with potential who is probably in the top 5 for this list when in his prime, but Franz has struggled with injuries for the past two years, which has affected the Orlando Magic‘s results.
Instead of a breakthrough season, they were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs, with Franz playing only four games in the Playoffs before suffering an injury. We know what Franz is capable of; it’s a joy to watch him play when healthy, dominating EuroBasket whenever he has the chance, and we hope injuries will avoid him, allowing him to create a stir in the East with Paolo Banchero for the Magic.
10. Kristaps Porzingis (Golden State Warriors)
Last season stats: 16.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.4 apg
Many players vied for the last spot, either due to their longevity in the NBA or their progress in the last season, but the tenth spot eventually went to the Latvian. Porzingis was an NBA All-Star in his prime and has a championship ring from 2024, but last season was his weakest since entering the league – with limited minutes and constant injuries.
The new season won’t start better, as the Warriors announced that Porzingis will be out indefinitely due to health-related matters. There is hope that the situation isn’t too serious and that Porzingis will show why he averaged over 20 points per game in 6 NBA seasons.
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