Giannis Antetokounmpo names top 5 current NBA players, leaves out LeBron James

Two-time NBA MVP and Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has built a legacy as one of the greatest power forwards—and players—in NBA history, earning the nickname “Greek Freak” for his unmatched blend of size, speed, and strength.

In a recent interview with Sport24, Giannis sparked debate across the basketball world after revealing his list of the top five current NBA players—a list that surprisingly excluded LeBron James, the league’s all-time leading scorer and a widely regarded GOAT candidate.

Giannis’ Top 5 Current Players:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)  
• Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)  
• Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)  
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)  
• Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)  

The omission of LeBron James, now 40 years old and still playing at an elite level for the Los Angeles Lakers, didn’t sit well with some fans. Many consider him the greatest player of all time—surpassing even Michael Jordan—thanks to his longevity, accolades, and sheer dominance.

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Giannis names the top 5 players in the NBA:

Luka Doncic
Nikola Jokic
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Jayson Tatum
Giannis Antetokounmpo

“The top five players I think are Luka, Jokic, SGA, Tatum and me. And it depends on the year you’re having. So if I, let’s say, this year go back… pic.twitter.com/zBlD85VGuE

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 23, 2025

One player who made Giannis’ top five—Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum—came to his defense, calling the list fair and well thought-out.

“I would assume those are all the guys that were First Team All-NBA last year. I agree with that five, it’s a good five,” Tatum said. “People like to argue or debate just for the fun of it. Giannis was clearly talking about current day, and obviously, we all know LeBron is one of the greatest of all time.”

Tatum added that given the talent in today’s NBA, “there’s not many wrong answers.”

Giannis’ list also left out several other major superstars, including:

• Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) 
• Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) 
• Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) 
• Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) 

While their absence raised eyebrows, most of Giannis’ picks—especially Jokic, Doncic, SGA, and Tatum—are considered mainstays on top-five lists worldwide, thanks to their current form and All-NBA accolades.

Though leaving LeBron and other legends off the list may seem controversial, it’s clear Giannis focused on current performance, not career résumé. With the NBA evolving and new stars emerging every season, the debate over who belongs in the “top five” continues to spark conversation across generations of fans.

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