There’s no shortage of star power at the small forward position.
Veterans such as Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard are still playing at an elite level. Two-way threats such as Jalen Williams and Jaylen Brown have helped their teams win recent championships. And players such as Franz Wagner and Jalen Johnson are on the cusp of stardom.
Here are the top 10 small forwards entering the 2025-26 NBA season:
2025-26 NBA position rankings: Point guard | Shooting guard
Top 10 small forwards entering 2025-26 NBA season
Stats consist of points (PTS), rebounds (REB), assists (AST), steals (STL), blocks (BLK), turnovers (TO), games played (GP), field-goal percentage (FG) and 3-point field-goal percentage (3FG).
Honorable mentions
Paul George and Brandon Ingram have enough talent to crack the top 10, but injury concerns prevented them from doing so. George played in 41 games last season and underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in July, while Ingram only played in 18 games due to a nagging ankle injury.
Cam Johnson and De’Andre Hunter also received consideration. Both players are two-way contributors who should thrive on their new teams, with Johnson playing in Denver and Hunter entering his first full season with Cleveland.
2024-25 stats: 12.2 PTS, 5.7 REB, 2 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.9 BLK, 1.2 TO, 82 GP, 47.7% FG, 33% 3FG
It was tough to cut this list down to 10 players, but the final spot goes to Jaden McDaniels.
The 6-foot-9 forward is an elite point-of-attack defender thanks to his size, length and agility. But he also made strides in other departments last season by averaging career highs of 12.2 points and 5.7 rebounds, and he played in all 97 of the Timberwolves’ games.
McDaniels even averaged 14.7 points on 38.2% shooting from deep during Minnesota’s run to the Western Conference finals. If he can continue to round out his game, it won’t be tough to put him on this list for years to come.
2024-25 stats: 22.2 PTS, 3.9 REB, 4.4 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.4 BLK, 1.4 TO, 77 GP, 47.7% FG, 32.8% 3FG
DeMar DeRozan is as consistent as it gets at the small forward position.
The 36-year-old veteran has averaged at least 20 points for 12 straight seasons, which is something only 17 other players throughout NBA history have done. He’s also a consistent big-shot maker who has ranked in the top five for clutch made shots in each of the last six seasons.
Of course, DeRozan has also consistently struggled to defend and space the floor. Those shortcomings prevented him from being higher on this list, but he has still earned the ninth spot.
2024-25 stats: 16.9 PTS, 7.3 REB, 3.9 AST, 1 STL, 0.5 BLK, 2.7 TO, 72 GP, 47.6% FG, 36.5% 3FG
Portland has committed to a youth movement as of late, and Deni Avdija is leading it on the trail.
At 24, Avdija is a floor-spacing forward who can score both off the catch and off the dribble. He also crashes the glass, passes well at his position and is versatile enough to defend a wide range of opponents.
Portland went 23-18 in the second half of last season, and Avdija averaged 20.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists on 37.4% shooting from deep during that stretch. The future looks promising for both the Trail Blazers and Avdija.
2024-25 stats: 18.9 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST, 1.6 STL, 1 BLK, 2.9 TO, 36 GP, 50% FG, 31.2% 3FG
Johnson only played in 36 games last season before he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum. But he showed flashes of star potential when he was on the floor.
Johnson is an aggressive driver who ranked sixth among non-centers in field goal attempts at the rim per game (6.1), and he shot a ridiculous 71.9% in that department. He also dominated on the boards and was active on defense, averaging 2.6 combined steals and blocks per game.
Johnson’s 3-point shooting still needs to improve, but he’s one of the most promising young forwards in the NBA at 23 years old. If he can stay on the floor this season, he could ascend to top-five consideration among small forwards.
2024-25 stats: 17.6 PTS, 3.2 REB, 3.7 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.5 BLK, 1.6 TO, 82 GP, 50% FG, 35.4% 3FG
Mikal Bridges isn’t the engine to New York’s offense, but he’s still a well-oiled machine.
The 29-year-old forward has played in 556 consecutive games, which is the 14th-longest streak in NBA history. He also ran 285.8 miles on the court last season, including the playoffs, which is the most of any player since the NBA began tracking that stat in 2013-14.
The only time Bridges breaks down is when he breaks down defenders. He’s a well-rounded scorer, a strong defender and a reliable source of overall production. That’s good enough to earn the sixth spot on this list.
2024-25 stats: 24.2 PTS, 5.7 REB, 4.7 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.4 BLK, 2.3 TO, 60 GP, 46.3% FG, 29.5% 3FG
Wagner has one of the more interesting career arcs in the NBA. Despite becoming worse as a 3-point shooter throughout the past few seasons, he continues to become a better overall player.
Wagner averaged a career-high 24.2 points on 29.5% shooting from deep last season. He made up for his lack of floor spacing by attacking the rim, where he scored efficiently and drew fouls at a high rate. And he shined on defense as a 6-10 forward who can switch onto guards.
The final piece to the puzzle for Wagner is his 3-point shooting. If he can return to being a league-average shooter like he was in 2022-23 (36.1%), there’s no telling what’s in store for his career arc.
2024-25 stats: 22.2 PTS, 5.8 REB, 4.5 AST, 1.2 STL, 0.3 BLK, 2.6 TO, 63 GP, 46.3% FG, 32.4% 3FG
Expectations were high for Brown and the Celtics last season. Boston was fresh off an NBA championship, and Brown was the reigning Finals MVP.
But the Celtics didn’t make it out of the second round last season, and Brown also struggled to repeat his success. He shot a career-low 32.4% from deep and didn’t look as sharp defensively.
Brown could move back into the top three of this list with a bounce-back season. He’ll have every opportunity to do that with Jayson Tatum expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming campaign due to a torn Achilles tendon.
2024-25 stats: 21.5 PTS, 5.9 REB, 3.1 AST 1.6 STL, 0.5 BLK, 1.9 TO, 37 GP, 49.8% FG, 41.1% 3FG
Leonard is an elite player when he’s at his best.
The two-time NBA champion is still a lockdown defender at 34 years old, and he continues to score the ball with impressive efficiency. He averaged 21.5 points last season on 49.8% shooting from the field and 41.1% shooting from deep.
Leonard should be second on this list, and the best version of himself has a case for the top spot. But with health concerns and a potential suspension looming due to Los Angeles’ alleged salary cap circumvention, he lands at the third spot.
2024-25 stats: 21.6 PTS, 5.3 REB, 5.1 AST, 1.6 STL, 0.7 BLK, 2.2 TO, 69 GP, 48.4% FG, 36.5% 3FG
Call it a reach. Call it a recency bias. But Williams ranks second on this list.
The 24-year-old forward landed on the All-NBA third team and the All-Defensive second team last season with career-high averages across the board. And while availability is a concern for Leonard, Williams played through a torn ligament in his shooting wrist during OKC’s title run and even scored 40 points in an NBA Finals game.
Williams still has a long way to go before he can compare résumés with Leonard. But when it comes to this upcoming season, Williams gets the slight edge for being the more reliable player.
2024-25 stats: 26.6 PTS, REB, 4.2 AST, 0.8 STL, 1.2 BLK, 3.1 TO, 62 GP, 52.7% FG, 43% 3FG
Durant is the definition of a hooper.
The 6-11 forward has been at least a 20-points-per-game scorer since he entered the NBA in 2007. He’s an unguardable bucket getter with a rare blend of size, shooting and handles. And while his scoring ability is unmatched, his willingness to guard positions one through five is underrated.
Even at age 36, Durant is redefining what it means to be great. He has perfected his craft, and he has earned the top spot on this list.
Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.