The power forward position is crucial for any team to be successful in the NBA. In the past, we’ve seen power forwards lead their teams to championships in various ways.
Related: The top 5 centers for the 2025-26 NBA season
From Dirk Nowitzki leading his team with his scoring off his one-legged fadeaway, to Dennis Rodman grabbing every rebound and loose ball, to Tim Duncan’s defense and bank shot. These power forwards defined greatness.
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In this article, we will take a look at which players make up the top five power forwards heading into the 2025-26 season.
5. Zion Williamson
This was a hard decision to make. If you look at pure ability, Zion Williamson should be in the top two. His lack of conditioning and the fact that he is injury-plagued could warrant leaving him off the list entirely.
Still, his talent is undeniable, and that’s why Williamson lands on our list at the fifth spot. When healthy and determined, Williamson is a force of nature.
He attacks the basket like few others and when he’s in the paint, he’s nearly unstoppable. In his career, Williamson has shot 60.4% from 0-3 feet.
The problem is, Williamson only averages 42.8 games played per season. This includes only playing in 30 games last season.
If healthy, Williamson could be a force to reckon with this season. So far, reports are that the Pelicans’ new head of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, is impressed with what he sees with Williamson.
4. Pascal Siakam
Pascal Siakam is an NBA champion, winning the title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors. Even though Kawhi Leonard gets most of the praise in the 2019 Finals, the Raptors would not have won without Siakam.
Siakam almost won another title in the past season as his Indiana Pacers surprisingly reached the NBA Finals. In those Finals, despite losing in seven games, Siakam led the Pacers in scoring (19.3) and rebounding (7.7).
With Tyrese Haliburton expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season, Siakam will have to up his game and prove he deserves to be at the fourth spot on our list.
3. Paolo Banchero
Paolo Banchero averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game last season. Yes, he only appeared in 46 games due to injury, but the scary part for the rest of the NBA is the fact that Banchero is nowhere near hitting his peak.
Banchero will be entering his fourth season in 2025-26 and he will certainly want to redeem himself. Despite missing 36 games, Banchero led his Orlando Magic to the postseason, where he put up averages of 29.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
The Magic lost in five games to the Boston Celtics, but Banchero is proving why he’s one of the best power forwards in the NBA.
2. Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis is in a similar boat to Zion Williamson. When healthy, he’s one of the best players in the game. Unfortunately, he’s constantly been hit with the injury bug.
Despite this narrative, Davis still lands second on our list. Why is there a difference between Davis and Williamson?
For starters, Davis is an NBA champion, who was arguably the best player on the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers all season long. Secondly, Davis, when healthy, is one of the best defenders in the entire NBA.
This is the reason why Davis’ injury history has not affected his spot on this list. As of now, Davis is listed as healthy and should be ready for training camp, despite recently having surgery to repair a detached retina.
Last season in 51 games with both the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, Davis put up averages of 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game. Davis constantly proves himself to be one of the best two-way players in the NBA.
In 2025-26, Davis will team up with rookie Cooper Flagg and eventually Kyrie Irving, when he returns from injury. This trio could make some real noise in the NBA, but it will ultimately depend on Davis’s ability to score, play defense, and stay healthy.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Was there any doubt who the best power forward in the NBA was? It’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and it’s going to stay Giannis Antetokounmpo for the foreseeable future.
The Greek Freak is simply a one-of-a-kind type of player. He’s 6’11”, 242 pounds, and moves like a guard, as he’s always being considered as one of the fastest players in the NBA.
Antetokounmpo was second in scoring last season at 30.4 points per game. In addition to his scoring, The Greek Freak was sixth in rebounding (11.9), 13th in assists (6.5), and sixth in field goal percentage (60.1%).
Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, a Defensive Player of the Year winner, and an NBA champion. His Milwaukee Bucks have had a disappointing last few seasons, so look for Antetokounmpo to have a dominant 2025-26 season.
All five of these power forwards have something to prove in the upcoming season. Let’s see which one rises to the top.
