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The NBA Finals are upon us, and on Wednesday, the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs will fight like it’s 1999 for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
Before the seven-game series tips off in San Antonio, though, here’s my ranking of the five best players entering this series, starting with my choice of a titan among men.
More news: New York Knicks Fans Are Literally Crying Over NBA Finals Merchandise
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates with fans following Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
More news: This Is What Victor Wembanyama Did Immediately After Eliminating OKC
What else does Wembanyama have to do for the rest of the league to anoint him the best player in the world? He is doing things at 22 that shouldn’t be possible, even for someone with the trajectory of becoming an all-time great. A championship and a Finals MVP would put him in conversations I don’t think anyone expected to have entering 2025.
Brunson is everything that Wembanyama is not: on the shorter side for a basketball player, taken in the second round of the NBA Draft, and given up by his original franchise, the Dallas Mavericks. Although there was always the potential to be something more, almost no one could have predicted his rise as the Knicks’ ace, and if he can lead his team to four more wins, Brunson will become one of the most beloved athletes in New York history.
It’s been a tumultuous road for Towns during his career, where, like Wembanyama, he was a big man taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. And although he had some individual success and was praised for pushing the boundaries of a long-range shooting 7-footer, his toughness and consistency were always put into question. Now, he might be the one big man who can counter Wembanyama by not challenging him at the rim but shooting daggers over him.
I love watching Anunoby play basketball. If you need him to do it, he’ll do it. From his defense to his overall adaptability on the court, he was already one of the most important players for the Knicks. But in the postseason, he’s raised his level when it comes to scoring, creating the onslaught of points trio that is himself, Brunson, and Towns. He’s shooting 48.3 from 3 this playoffs, and if he can keep that level against the Spurs, New York might be impossible to stop.
At the fifth spot, you really could choose any of the three-headed guard monster that the Spurs have in Castle, De’Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper. In the end, I went with Castle, who is the Spurs’ second-leading scorer in the playoffs thus far. One thing I’m looking for Castle to improve in for the NBA Finals: 3-point shooting. He was only 7-30 from long range against the Thunder, and that’ll need to be better if they want to keep up with New York’s current shooting pace.
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Before the seven-game series tips off in San Antonio, though, here’s my ranking of the five best players entering this series, starting with my choice of a titan among men.
More news: New York Knicks Fans Are Literally Crying Over NBA Finals Merchandise
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates with fans following Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
More news: This Is What Victor Wembanyama Did Immediately After Eliminating OKC
1. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
What else does Wembanyama have to do for the rest of the league to anoint him the best player in the world? He is doing things at 22 that shouldn’t be possible, even for someone with the trajectory of becoming an all-time great. A championship and a Finals MVP would put him in conversations I don’t think anyone expected to have entering 2025.
2. Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Brunson is everything that Wembanyama is not: on the shorter side for a basketball player, taken in the second round of the NBA Draft, and given up by his original franchise, the Dallas Mavericks. Although there was always the potential to be something more, almost no one could have predicted his rise as the Knicks’ ace, and if he can lead his team to four more wins, Brunson will become one of the most beloved athletes in New York history.
3. Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)
It’s been a tumultuous road for Towns during his career, where, like Wembanyama, he was a big man taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. And although he had some individual success and was praised for pushing the boundaries of a long-range shooting 7-footer, his toughness and consistency were always put into question. Now, he might be the one big man who can counter Wembanyama by not challenging him at the rim but shooting daggers over him.
4. OG Anunoby (Knicks)
I love watching Anunoby play basketball. If you need him to do it, he’ll do it. From his defense to his overall adaptability on the court, he was already one of the most important players for the Knicks. But in the postseason, he’s raised his level when it comes to scoring, creating the onslaught of points trio that is himself, Brunson, and Towns. He’s shooting 48.3 from 3 this playoffs, and if he can keep that level against the Spurs, New York might be impossible to stop.
5. Stephon Castle (Spurs)
At the fifth spot, you really could choose any of the three-headed guard monster that the Spurs have in Castle, De’Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper. In the end, I went with Castle, who is the Spurs’ second-leading scorer in the playoffs thus far. One thing I’m looking for Castle to improve in for the NBA Finals: 3-point shooting. He was only 7-30 from long range against the Thunder, and that’ll need to be better if they want to keep up with New York’s current shooting pace.
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- Isaiah Hartenstein Addresses His Future With Thunder After Game 7 Loss
- Aces HC Becky Hammon Sends Message to Spurs After Reaching NBA Finals
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