LeBron James lands at 'jarring' spot on ESPN's 2026 NBA Player list image
LeBron James is the GOAT, and at 41 years old, he's still considered one of the strongest players in the NBA. But James isn't quite the player that he used to be, so it should be expected that he falls a bit in player rankings going into the 2026 season.
Still, it doesn't take away from his talent. At 41, he's the oldest player in the NBA, and teams were still scrambling to get him after he parted ways with the Los Angeles Lakers, so that says it all.
ESPN has released its tally of the best players in the NBA going into the fresh season. James falls from last year on this list, and that's a first for him.
LeBron James falls outside the Top 10 for the first time
This year marks James' "first time outside the top 10 in NBA Rank's 15-year history," per ESPN. That doesn't mean he isn't good. He's just not quite as top-notch as he was a year ago. Last season, James was ranked No. 8. This season, he's No. 18.
"Seeing James outside the top 10 is jarring," Dave McMenamin of ESPN states. "Then again, seeing a guy who turns 42 in a few months still inside the top 25 is probably the better framing to appreciate what the 22-time All-Star continues to accomplish."
That really says it all. James is outside the top 10, but there are plenty of guys who would love to be at No. 18 on this list.
"James already had success as L.A.'s No. 3 option last season and will likely reprise that role behind Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown for the 76ers," he adds. "The difference is that while James' scoring took a back seat to Doncic and Reaves for the Lakers, his touches might not suffer too much in Philly."
He adds, "Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey has indicated the team will have James play point forward and orchestrate the offense, similar to his role with the Lakers when they won the 2020 title."
His fantasy projection is 21 points, seven assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. With numbers like that, you could do worse than getting him on your fantasy team.
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