The 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs were the most-watched championship series since 1998, averaging 20 million viewers across the first five games on ABC and ESPN—a massive 116% increase over the previous year.

The historic series, which culminated in the Knicks securing their first championship since 1973, dominated both television and digital media. Game 4 drew an average of 20.9 million viewers (peaking at 23.2 million), making it the most-watched Game 4 since Michael Jordan’s last dance with the Chicago Bulls in 1998.

The 2026 NBA Finals smashed digital records, generating a whopping 15 billion views across social media platforms. Game 4 alone, which saw the Knicks overcome a 29-point lead, generated over 4 billion views.

The boost in fan interest was driven by three major factors: 1) a new partnership with NBC and Amazon Prime expanded the league’s audience reach; 2) a massive New York market that couldn’t get enough of its beloved Knicks; 3) global intrigue surrounding 22-year-old French superstar Victor Wembanyama.

Because of the 7-foot-5 Wembanyama, the Spurs consistently fueled global engagement, and it kept growing as they advanced in the playoffs. The Western Conference finals between San Antonio and Oklahoma City finished as the most-watched conference finals in 24 years with an average of 10.8 million viewers per game on NBC/Peacock. San Antonio’s victory over OKC in Game 7 averaged 15.9 million viewers, peaking with 17.7 million viewers.

The Wemby era in the NBA is clearly underway. Business is booming thanks to Wemby and four other franchise players.

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Each year, OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best players in the NBA. The OMFB Furious Five pays homage to the five styles of Chinese martial arts: snake, crane, monkey, praying mantis, and tiger.

The ranking system is based on one man’s opinion and does not follow or conform to any standard format, with more emphasis placed on how each player and their respective teams performed in the postseason. Stars are born during the regular season, but legends are made in the playoffs.

In 2025, OMFB Furious Five featured Jalen Brunson (5), Giannis Antetokounmpo (4), Tyrese Haliburton (3), Nikola Jokic (2), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (1).

Without further ado, here are the five best basketball players in the world.

5-CADE CUNNINGHAM
Detroit Pistons, guard

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the best part about Cade Cunningham is his team-first mentality. Bickerstaff said Cunningham’s stardom never came at the expense of anyone else on the Detroit roster.

“He’s a guy who can continue to get better and do more, and never have to invade your space as his teammate. He doesn’t have to take the food off of your plate in order for him to get full. As good as he is as a basketball player, he’s an even better person,” Bickerstaff said about his unselfish 24-year-old superstar.

Cunningham is the biggest reason why the Pistons are relevant again. He controls the pace with his remarkable dexterity at 6-6 and maturity. The man they call Motorcade established himself as one of the premier point guards in the league. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick made first-team All-NBA and earned All-Star honors.

Cunningham had a better season offensively in 2025 (26.1 points per game) than in 2026 (23.9 PPG) but he became a much better overall player in his fifth year. He also increased his assists per game from 9.1 to 9.9 (second in the league).

Behind their dynamic playmaker, the Pistons put together a conference-best 60-22 record — the franchise’s first 60-win season since the 2005-06 season. However, the season ended in disappointment as the Pistons were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals, losing in Game 7 at home.

4-NIKOLA JOKIC
Denver Nuggets, center

Nikola Jokic has been so consistently good the past five years that we’ve grown accustomed to his basketball brilliance. The Serbian big man is just one of nine players in NBA history to win at least three MVPs, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four), LeBron James (four), Larry Bird (three), Magic Johnson (three) and Moses Malone (three).

Jokic pieced together another triple-double season, averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists. He became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists. But the postseason was a completely different story for Jokic and the Nuggets. Denver, which entered the playoffs with championship aspirations, ran into a roadblock in the form of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The T-Wolves stunned the Nuggets and eliminated them in six games.

Jokic did all he could to push the Nuggets forward, but he simply ran out of gas and got worn down by Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, who played a brilliant series defensively and made the Joker work for every basket. Jokic shot an abysmal 19.4% from behind the 3-point line and made just 44% of his field goals.

It has been three years since the Joker won an NBA title, and he doesn’t seem to be getting closer on winning a second. Time will tell where Jokic will land on the all-time list of great centers. For Jokic to have a seat at the table with the likes of Kareem, Russell, Wilt, Moses, Hakeem, Shaq, and Duncan, he’ll need to win one more championship.

3-SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER
Oklahoma City Thunder, guard

SGA brags that he has all the answers to the test. He just needs the questions. SGA was partially correct. He did have the answers to almost every team in the league. There was one team that befuddled the reigning MVP — the Spurs. Shai and the Thunder played the San Antonio Spurs 12 times. Five times during the regular season and seven times in the playoffs. OKC went 1-4 against San Antonio in the season, and lost to the Spurs in an epic seven-game series in the Western Conference finals.

Despite authoring an amazing MVP campaign, averaging 31.1 points per game, SGA felt the season was a failure because he couldn’t lead his team back to the NBA Finals.

“It was a failure. I failed at my goal,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I didn’t achieve what I wanted to achieve. But through those experiences, I learned the most about myself and made the greatest amount of increases in my career when I fail.”

SGA embodies the qualities of a throwback player who understands the importance of consistency. Behind Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder finished with the best record in the NBA (64-18) and boasted the league’s best defense. If the Spurs didn’t exist the Thunder might be celebrating another championship.

SGA’s reputation took a hit during the 2026 playoffs. Opposing teams and their fans, as well as many basketball fans who follow the NBA on social media, were annoyed by Gilgeous-Alexander’s proclivity for foul baiting. In other words, SGA was flopping around like a fish to sell calls. Journalist Tom Haberstroh, best known for his data-driven analysis, analyzed SGA’s shot attempts and found that he fell to the ground 51% of the time when contacted by a defender, far and away the highest percentage among the top scorers in the league. In addition, SGA fell to the ground 10.7% of his field-goal attempts where no foul was called. He easily outpaced James Harden (8.7%) and Jalen Brunson (7.9%).

Being viewed as a flopper isn’t the moniker a two-time MVP would want to have, and the level of mockery reached a fever pitch on social media. One of the AI-generated videos posted on social media showed Gilgeous-Alexander rolling on the locker room floor practicing his flops.

During the conference finals, fans in San Antonio chanted “Flopper! Flopper!” whenever SGA had the ball.

Gilgeous-Alexander is too good of a player to be foul baiting. It sends a terrible impression that he’s seeking the help of referees to boost his scoring stats. If he doesn’t change his ways, the “flopper” tag might follow SGA for the rest of his career.

2-VICTOR WEMBANYAMA
San Antonio Spurs, Center

If there was one image that captured Victor Wembanyama’s dominance in the 2026 NBA playoffs, it was when he blocked Jalen Williams’ shot to cap off a historic game in his conference finals debut. He stood in front of the San Antonio Spurs bench for a few seconds to soak in the moment. He knew his moment had arrived. It was his world now, and his teammates reacted as if he was some mythical superhero who came to Earth to save us from an alien invasion.

Wemby certainly looked like a superhero in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against defending NBA champion Oklahoma City. On a night when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second consecutive regular-season MVP award, Wembanyama dropped 41 points, grabbed 24 rebounds, and had three blocks to lead the Spurs to a thrilling double-overtime road victory. His 40-20 effort at this stage of the postseason with so much on the line put him in elite company, joining Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Charles Barkley, Moses Malone, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Shaquille O’Neal.

“I still got a lot to learn, and I feel like I want to get that trophy many times in my career,” Wembanyama told reporters after the game.

Wemby is just barely starting his basketball odyssey, but he has already accomplished a lot in three short years. He won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2024. He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2026, making history as both the youngest recipient (at 22 years old) and the first-ever unanimous winner of the award. He made the All-NBA first team for the first time in 2026. He turned the San Antonio Spurs — a team that won 56 games in 2024 and 2025 — into a 60-win juggernaut.

Head coach Mitch Johnson, meanwhile, sang Wembanyama’s praises. “He has a rare desire to step into every moment that’s in front of him,” Johnson told reporters. “I think he’s showed in his three years in a lot of different situations and a lot of different circumstances that he is going to attack those moments.”

Wemby’s historic Game 1 set the tone for the series. For the rest of the series, he reminded the basketball world who the real MVP is, averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and scoring at least 20 points in every game. He did a little bit of everything — dunks, blocks, playing point guard even — to keep control on the way to leading the Spurs to a Game 7 win in OKC to knock out the defending champs and reach his first NBA Finals.

He was the unanimous pick as conference finals MVP. He carried that trophy into the locker room after the game, screaming in joy at supporters and teammates. “You work all these hours; it’s for these types of emotions,” Wembanyama said. “I want to win so bad. It’s like my life depends on it.”

Wembanyama was the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. In just three short years, he turned the Spurs from a lottery team into a championship contender.

Most pundits have already crowned Wembanyama as the best player in the game, and some suggested that he is now the face of the league. OMFB is not ready to crown him just yet.

Wemby and the Spurs learned a painful lesson when they reached the NBA Finals. They found out there is another level to be reached in order to raise a championship banner. The loss in the NBA Finals is the reason why Wemby is ranked No. 2 on the OMFB list. He can’t be the king of basketball if he doesn’t have a crown. He’ll have to wait his turn.

And now, the No. 1 player in the world. Drum roll please . . .

1-JALEN BRUNSON
New York Knicks, guard

If there was any doubt that Jalen Brunson is the best player, check out his trophy collection. He has the NBA Cup trophy. He has the Larry O’Brien trophy. He won NBA Cup MVP. He won the Larry Bird Eastern Conference finals MVP. He won the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP.

When you’re holding every major trophy in the NBA calendar year, you have a very strong case to be No. 1.

“I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can,” said the 29-year-old guard, who averaged 32.6 points per game in the Finals. He saved his best for last, dropping 45 points (including 15 in the fourth quarter) in the series-clinching Game 5 on the road. It was the most points scored in a Finals close-out game since Michael Jordan did it in 1998.

Brunson is a winner. He has won at every level of basketball. Along with this season’s trophies and MVP awards, his resume includes two NCAA tournament titles at Villanova, a National College Player of the Year award and a FIBA U19 World Cup gold medal. Now, he’s an NBA champion.

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle — considered one of the game’s elite defenders — guarded Brunson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the playoffs. Castle highlighted the differences between the two guards. He noted that while SGA is a threat when he is driving to the basket, Brunson gets to his spots and makes those angles count.

“I’d say they’re very similar in ways,” Castle said. “Obviously, Jalen’s left-handed, Shai’s right-handed. But I think Shai is more of a threat to get all the way downhill, all the way to the basket. I think Jalen likes to use angles a lot more, uses probably a little bit more pump fakes than Shai. But yeah, most of it is angles and trying to get to his spots and not really trying to draw fouls as much, but trying to get to his mid-range and get to spots the way he likes.”

Brunson’s ability to create near-impossible angles makes him an extremely difficult player to cover. He also left-handed, which adds another layer of challenge for defenders. Despite his lack of superior athleticism and ideal size — he’s listed at 6-2 — Brunson is one of the most gifted scorers in the NBA, averaging at least 26 points per game the past three seasons.

Brunson is the most impactful player to wear a Knicks jersey since Patrick Ewing. He has only been a New York Knick for four years, but winning a championship and ending a 53-year championship drought puts him in a pantheon reserved for names like Ruth, Mantle, Jeter, Namath, Taylor, Reed, and Frazier.

The former Villanova standout was named to the 2026 All-NBA second team and earned the moniker Captain Clutch for his ability to deliver big shots in the biggest moments.

“He’s a gamer, man,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said about his point guard.

“In the biggest moments, he shows up,” Brown continued. “That’s what MVPs are supposed to do. We put the ball in his hands, and we live and die with him.”

The Knicks rode the back of the Brunson bandwagon throughout their championship run in 2026. Brunson accounted for 31% of the Knicks’ offense, and his teammates didn’t seem to mind that he took nearly all the important shots. That belief in their captain is what gave Brunson all the confidence in the world, and he rewarded his team with masterful performances in the NBA Finals. The Spurs held double-digit leads in each of the five games, but lost four of them. Brunson simply refused to let his team lose. His unflappable demeanor down the stretch is what carried the Knicks across the finish line.

The Knicks had four winning seasons in a 21-year span before Brunson arrived. They’ve had four winning seasons since Brunson’s arrival. They’ve now won eight playoff series with Brunson in the lineup. They won seven total from 1998 through 2022.

It’s time to give the man his flowers. Jalen Brunson is the best player in the world.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham (2) could go No. 1 in the 2021 NBA draft. (Getty Images)

Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver and the rest of the Pistons’ basketball decision-makers hold the top card in the 2021 NBA draft. The Pistons have an opportunity to change the fortunes of a franchise that’s been to the playoffs twice in 12 years and haven’t had a playoff win in 14 years.

Detroit fans are starving for a winner and they could finally hang their Motor City Bad Boys hat on their first homegrown star since Isiah Thomas. The Pistons roster is starting to take shape after drafting two All-Rookie players in Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart, and forward Jerami Grant — the team’s big offseason signing in 2020 — appears to be a foundational piece after enjoying a breakout season. Grant averaged 22.3 points per game (he averaged 12 in his last season in Denver), easily the highest scoring average of his seven-year NBA career. Grant was rewarded with a spot on Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics.

Another young player the Pistons are high on is point guard Killian Hayes. The seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft had an injury riddled rookie season and appeared in just 26 games. With Grant, Bey, Stewart and Hayes in the fold, the Pistons could be one draft pick away from becoming relevant again.

The 2021 NBA draft is loaded with elite talent at the top, good depth in the middle, and some potentially solid late-rounders. There is no clear-cut No. 1 pick this year but there are plenty of worthy contenders to be selected at the top of the draft.

OneManFastBreak ranks the 10 best prospects in the 2021 NBA draft.

1-Cade Cunningham, guard-forward, Oklahoma State
NBA comparison: Grant Hill
Scouting report: Cade Cunningham has the total package (18.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists), and flashed all his wonderful physical tools in his lone season at Oklahoma State. He has great size and strength (6-8, 220), and capable of playing four positions. His game is still evolving and he has yet to hit his ceiling. Cunningham has a knack for coming through in the clutch. He scored 10 of his season-high 40 points in overtime to lead Oklahoma State over rival Oklahoma 94-90 on Feb. 27. Cunningham’s previous high was 29 points. In his first and only Bedlam rivalry game, Cade made 12 of 21 field goals and 13 of 14 free throws. He also finished with 11 rebounds three steals and two blocks. Cunningham would be a good fit on any lottery team. ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla compared Cunningham to Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic. “He’s not going to jump over tall buildings. He’s not super explosive, but his size and strength and basketball acumen — [that’s] where he’s very similar to Luka,” Fraschilla told the Dallas Morning News.

2-Evan Mobley, forward-center, USC
NBA comparison: Jermaine O’Neal
Scouting report: Armed with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Evan Mobley is the best shot blocker (averaging 3 blocks per game) in this draft class. He led all Pac-12 freshmen in scoring (16.3) and was among the leaders in rebounds (9.0). His defense is slightly ahead of his offense, but NBA scouts love his immense potential. He plays a bit like former Indiana Pacers big man Jermaine O’Neal, as both are natural pick-and-pop players. Mobley, who is a legit 7-footer, also compares well with last year’s lottery pick James Wiseman, except Mobley is much more polished on the defensive end. Mobley could easily go No. 1 in the draft, but there are a few knocks on him. First, he lacks aggression. He tends to float during games and doesn’t impose his will. Second, he must put on more weight because at 210 pounds he’ll get moved around in the paint.

3-Jalen Suggs, guard, Gonzaga
NBA comparison: Jason Kidd
Scouting report: Gonzaga coach Mark Few said Jalen Suggs has a magical aura about him. Suggs is a natural-born leader whose value goes beyond statistics. His football background is a huge plus. The former Minnesota high school football star plays point guard like a quarterback. He led the Gonzaga Bulldogs to a 31-1 season, coming within one game of completing a perfect season. His 3-point buzzer-bearing in the Final Four against UCLA will go down as one of the greatest shots in NCAA tournament history. He has great anticipation when he delivers passes. He doesn’t shy away from contact when he drives to the basket, as he uses his 6-4, 205-pound frame extremely well. His outside shot is still a work in progress (36% from 3-point), but his technique is sound. He is a terrific on-ball defender, often guarding the other team’s best perimeter player. His high-end NBA comparison is Jason Kidd. If he’s anything close to Kidd, he’ll have a long NBA career.

4-Jalen Green, shooting guard, G League Ignite
NBA comparison: Zach LaVine
Scouting report: Swingman Jalen Green has a boatload of talent who could turn out to be the best scorer in this year’s draft class. He was a prolific scorer in high school (31.5 points per game at San Joaquin HS in Fresno, Calif.) and he flashed that scoring ability (17.9 points) in 15 games for G League Ignite. When Yahoo Sports asked Green if he thought he was the best player in this draft class and he said, “Of course. You always have to put money on yourself. I do think I’m No. 1, but that’s just saying I know I have to keep working.” You have to love Jalen’s confidence.  Green has the ideal size (6-6, 186) to play shooting guard in the NBA. He is a three-level scorer with springs in his legs.  Shot selection is a little concern, but that can be easily fixed. Green got better the more games he played in the G League bubble, which shows he’s got a high ceiling.

Jonathan Kuminga played for Ignite in the G League. (Getty Images)

5-Jonathan Kuminga, forward, G League Ignite
NBA comparison: Pascal Siakam
Scouting report: Kuminga, 18, is one of the youngest players in the draft after reclassifying in high school. He got off to a hot start in the G League bubble, but tailed off a bit. He ended up averaging 15.8 points and shooting just 38 percent from the field in 13 games for Ignite. He did average 7.2 rebounds and showed some toughness in the paint. He can play either forward spot (small or power forward) but might be better suited as an undersized 4. The 6-7, 210-pounder is a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He moved to the U.S. in 2016, so he’s still adjusting to a new culture on and off the court. “He was our most physical guy. He was our best two-way player in terms of being able to guard on the defensive end one through four,” said former NBA player Brian Shaw, who coached Kuminga in the G League bubble.

6-Davion Mitchell, guard, Baylor
NBA comparison: Mookie Blaylock
Scouting report: Davion Mitchell is built like an NFL safety or running back (6-2, 205). He was the engine that powered the Baylor Bears to a national championship in 2021. “We call him Off-Night because people tend to have off nights against him,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said of his junior point guard, who was the Big 12 defensive player of the year. Mitchell plays suffocating defense, blessed with speed, strength, tenacity to shadow an opposing player 94 feet. Because of his last name and wears No. 45, there’s plenty of comparisons to Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell. But Davion’s game is much more comparable to former Atlanta Hawks defensive dynamo Mookie Blaylock, who was one of the best on-ball defenders in the ’90s.

7-Chris Duarte, guard, Oregon
NBA comparison: Dillon Brooks
Scouting report: Chris Duarte is another “veteran” player in the draft. The 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic may not have the highest of ceilings, but what he brings to the table is an NBA-ready skill set. He’s a plug-and-play wing player who should contribute right away. He can shoot the ball with range, he’s a capable wing defender, and has very good size for his position (6-6). He’s more of a smooth athlete than an explosive athlete. There’s a maturity about his game, with a blend of toughness and high basketball IQ. Duarte was the winner of the Jerry West Award as college basketball’s top shooting guard. He was a first-team All-Pac 12 selection and was named to the conference’s all-defensive team. He’s exactly what most winning teams covet: a two-way player. If you like Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks (also an Oregon product), then you’ll like Chris Duarte.

8-Scottie Barnes, guard-forward, Florida State
NBA comparison: Nicolas Batum
Scouting report: Scottie Barnes is an intriguing prospect who is moving up on many draft boards. The 6-8 versatile forward can play multiple positions and could potentially be an outstanding defender. Scouts love his 7-foot-2 wingspan, along with his footwork and speed to stay in front of perimeter players. Barnes can split time as a 3 or 4, depending on certain matchups. The downside of Barnes is on the offensive end. He averaged just 10.3 points per game and shot poorly from 3-point range (27% percent) in his lone season under Leonard Hamilton at Florida State. But according to Bleacher Report, there is a belief Barnes has “star potential, even if it’s the unconventional type.”

9-Josh Giddey, guard, Adelaide 36ers (Australia)
NBA comparison: Ricky Rubio
Scouting report: Josh Giddey is a highly touted Australian basketball prospect who possesses great vision and creativity, especially as a pick-and-roll ballhandler. He understands how to exploit angles, drop pocket passes and create easy looks for his big man. He is a bigger version of Spanish star Ricky Rubio, with a better outside shot. A large contingent of NBA executives traveled to Las Vegas to watch the 6-8 point guard with the Australian national team. Giddey is advanced for a teenager (doesn’t turn 19 until October), has good size and good feel for the game. He is also an improving shooter, and his form doesn’t appear to be the reason for his 29 percent shooting from 3-ball. If teams are willing to roll the dice on the Aussie, it could pay off in the long run.

10-Corey Kispert, guard-forward, Gonzaga
NBA comparison: Joe Harris
Scouting report: At age 22, Kispert is one of the older players in the draft but that shouldn’t prevent teams from taking a hard look at the Gonzaga sniper. The 6-foot-7 swingman averaged 19.9 points per game for the Zags and was the most consistent shooter in college basketball, making three or more 3-pointers in 11 games this season with a season-high 6 threes against Pepperdine. Kispert shot 44 percent from behind the 3-point line and nearly 88 percent from the free throw line. In the era of smallball and schemes influenced by analytics, Kispert brings an extremely valuable NBA skill set. And most NBA teams will look past at Kispert’s shortcomings and focus on his strengths. The obvious NBA comparisons are Joe Harris and Kyle Korver. Teams needing a shooter — and you can’t have enough shooters on a roster — will immediately fill a need by taking Kispert.