Just over one year ago, Joel Embiid scored a career-best 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs. He was shaping up to be the best player in the world and was well on his way to winning his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award. Fast-forward to now, and the national media no longer views him as a top-five player in the Eastern Conference.
Shaun Powell of NBA.com put together a top 10 list involving only Eastern Conference players heading into the 2025-26 season. The list includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Paolo Banchero, Cade Cunningham, Embiid, Evan Mobley, Jaylen Brown, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Trae Young.