Victor Wembanyama is ranked No. 2 in ESPN’s NBA Rank 2026, trailing only Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, who claimed the top spot for the third straight year. The San Antonio Spurs star, now 22, sits just ahead of Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the two-time defending league MVP.
Jokic earned the top ranking after averaging a triple-double for the second consecutive season in 2025-26, joining Russell Westbrook as the only players to achieve that feat multiple times. He also led the NBA in rebounds and assists per game for the first time in history last season. ESPN’s panel, including Ben Golliver and Vincent Goodwill, assessed players based on predicted contributions for the 2026-27 regular season.
Wembanyama’s rise comes after a breakout season where he led the league in blocks for the third year running and became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in NBA history. The Spurs forward also boosted his scoring efficiency by reducing his three-point attempts in favour of more opportunities in the paint. During his first playoff run, he posted an impressive plus-12.9 net rating and earned first-team All-NBA honours.
“If not for a series of Spurs’ collapses in the NBA Finals, basketball fans everywhere would have crowned Wembanyama ‘Best Player in the World’ in June,” Golliver wrote. The Spurs lost the 2026 NBA Finals to the New York Knicks in five games, with Wembanyama showing signs of physical and mental fatigue in the second half of the series. He praised Knicks guard Jalen Brunson for controlling the late-game action.
The Spurs’ young core received recognition beyond Wembanyama. Stephon Castle ranked No. 38, De’Aaron Fox was No. 43, and Dylan Harper came in at No. 50 in ESPN’s top 100. These rankings follow San Antonio’s Finals loss and spotlight the team’s depth.
Jokic, Wembanyama, and Gilgeous-Alexander were the closest contenders for the No. 1 spot, ESPN noted. The Spurs star is entering his fourth season aiming for his first MVP award to add to his Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Golliver pointed to the need for Wembanyama to improve his stamina and reduce reliance on isolation jumpers during tight playoff moments to capture his first title.
The top 10 list also includes Giannis Antetokounmpo of Miami, Jalen Brunson of New York, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell. ESPN released the lower rankings earlier in the week, unveiling players from No. 100 through No. 11 before revealing the top 10.
Wembanyama’s physical attributes remain a talking point as much as his rapid improvement. Standing 7-foot-4 or taller, his size and skill have made him a dominant defensive force. Yet, his efforts this past season were tempered by the Spurs’ Finals collapse, leaving questions about how he will evolve under playoff pressure.
The panel’s rankings reflect what Wembanyama has already achieved and what lies ahead in his quest to become the league’s best player.
According to Yahoo Sports.