One premature first-round exit and the NBA forgets how great you are. That was the case for Luka Doncic and LeBron James in a recent abomination of a list released on the league's official site.
Shaun Powell of NBA.com compiled a ranking of the 10 best players in the West heading into 2025-26. The Los Angeles Lakers superstars were both on the list. However, the placement was a bit questionable for both elite talents.
The list went in the following order: Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Doncic, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, James, and Victor Wembanyama.