Top 10 Eastern Conference stars in 2025-26: Antetokounmpo is proud of the world, the emperor falls out of the top five

As the NBA enters the summer offseason, this "silent period" is actually a key stage for players to improve themselves and move from excellence to greatness. Those players who stay away from the spotlight and practice silently in the empty training hall will show their new self at the opening of the new season and will also determine who can be among the elite.

This list aims to select the 10 strongest players in the Eastern Conference before the start of the 2025-26 season.

It should be noted that since Boston Celtics boss Tatum and Indiana Pacers Halliburton both missed the entire season due to a serious Achilles tendon injury, the two superstars who should have "secured their seats" were temporarily excluded from the list.

Here we also pay tribute to several players who were regretfully out of the election - Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors, Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat and Teresa Maxi of the Philadelphia 76ers are all on the edge of the list.

The following are the full ranking of the top ten stars in the East:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)

Antetokounmpo is still in his peak period, while in the East, the gap between him and others is still obvious. He has two MVP trophys, one championship and FMVP trophy, and is one of the most dominant players in the league's offense and defense. He uses impact on the basket as his main weapon, and his defensive end has elite frame protection capabilities. Although free throws and three-pointers are still short of their ability, this did not shake his position as king in the East. He has averaged 30 points and nearly 12 rebounds in four consecutive seasons, and is the only player to average "25+10+5+1+1" data per game for many seasons.

2. Jaylen Brunson (New York Knicks)

was selected into the NBA All-Squad for two consecutive years and won the title of "Key Player of the Year" in 2025. Brunson's rise is amazing. He quickly grew from a second-round pick and a substitute point guard in Dallas to a star of the Knicks. He dribbles with agile rhythm and a stable mid-range shot. He never retreats at critical moments. However, he is a little conservative in terms of organization, and averages only 5 assists in his career, and his slew of room to improve his ability as a point guard. Despite this, Brunson is undoubtedly the key to whether the Knicks can rise strongly.

3. Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)

was selected for the NBA All-Squad in the 2024-25 season, once again proving that he has enough strength to be selected for this list. Whether it was the Jazz era or the Cavaliers today, he could drive the offensive and defensive rhythm of the entire team. He has excellent rebounding ability, passing vision and defensive resilience, and is a true offensive and defensive player. Although scores have declined for three consecutive seasons (from 28.3 points in the 2022-23 season to 24 points last season), he is still extremely threatening at critical moments of the game, and the 2024-25 season "scoring at critical moments" ranked 15th in the league (88 points).

4. Paul Benkairo (Orlando Magic)

Although he only played 46 regular season games due to a torn abdominal oblique muscle, he averaged 25.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, showing his potential all-round offensive talent. Ban Kairo, who is 6-foot-10 inches tall, can play conversions, can play singles at low positions, and has the ability to shoot outside, adding a lot of possibilities to the Magic's flexibility in tactics and rotation. Defensively, he still needs to improve his ability to protect the frame (he has not had more than 50 blocks in a single season yet), but at the age of 22, he is obviously entering the ranks of superstars.

5.Cad Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)

The 2021 No. 1 pick ushered in a full-scale explosion in the 2024-25 season, averaging 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists, leading the Pistons, who had struggled for many years, to return to the playoffs. He plays with a very rhythmic sense of decisions and makes stable decisions. He can create misalignment, make the right pass choices, and score decisively. He will turn 24 next season, and there is no doubt that he will be the core of the Pistons' team building for many years to come.

6. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)

The ranking of the 2023 MVP is quite controversial - on the one hand, he is still the most dominant big man in the league when he is healthy; on the other hand, his injury history is also worrying. He has never played more than 69 games in his career, and has only played 58 games in total in the past two years. The double burden of physical fitness and weight may limit their attendance. But as long as Embiid can stay healthy, he is still a super center with both offense and defense, averaged 30+ points per game. He has good three-pointers and averages 11 rebounds per game in his career, and is still the top inside defense.

7. Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)

won the "Defensive Player of the Year" in the 2024-25 season and was selected into the NBA's All-Squad. Mobley's performance on the defensive end is impressive. He can switch to multiple positions, and his opponent's shooting percentage is only 44.5% under his defense; he can interfere with 10.4 shots per game, which is a barrier in the interior. His offensive methods are still under development, but he has performed 41 points in a single game, with a career shooting percentage of 54.8%, with considerable efficiency and very promising prospects.

8. Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)

Although he has declined compared to the 2023-24 season (average 23 points and 5.5 rebounds), as the MVP and champion of the Finals, he has won a super top salary. With Tatum missing, Brown will play a more important role in the new season. He is a stable and efficient scorer (career shooting percentage is 47.8%). Although he has not reached the top level in one aspect, as an all-round wing, his comprehensive ability is enough to support a playoff-level team.

9. Carl Anthony Towns (New York Knicks)

Five All-Stars and three-time Best Team selections, Towns is still considered one of the best space-type big men in league history. He shot 40% from three-pointers last season, and he could easily open up space. His inside offense was sometimes questioned (only 213 low shots last season), but the role of opening up space is hard to ignore. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, and won the "20+10" data in six seasons, which is the stable output point of the Knicks' inside line. Although there are occasional "disappearance", the overall performance is still reliable.

10.Trey Young (Atlanta Hawks)

He is still one of the most outstanding players in the NBA's offensive end. As a scorer and passer, he is unique. Trae Young became the "season assist king", ranking first in the league in 2024-25 season, with averaging 11.6 assists per game, and scored as high as 24.2 points. He has the ability to make a long three-pointer, which is a nightmare for the defender. But his efficiency has declined (41.1% shooting percentage, 34% of three-pointers), and his defensive end is still easy to be targeted by opponents. However, it is worthy of recognition that he is working hard to improve his defensive attitude and strive to no longer become a burden on the team. (NBA official website)