The 2025-26 NBA season is just four days away, and fans around the world have renewed hope that this will be the year for their beloved franchises.

Everybody is chasing the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are coming off a 68-win campaign and their first-ever championship. But there are plenty of squads nipping at the defending champs’ heels.

In the West, the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets have revamped their rosters, while teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, L.A. Lakers, and Golden State Warriors remain in the hunt.

Out East, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers have undergone significant changes this offseason, giving the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Orlando Magic prime opportunities to reach the NBA Finals.

Many of these contending franchises are highly dependent on a position that is consistently undervalued, power forward. These players are capable of being elite wings or bigs, but the key to the four’s survival in the modern-day NBA has been its versatility.

For this list, we are primarily relying on the depth charts from espn.com to determine the starting four for each franchise heading into the basketball season, except in a for two teams: the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.

LeBron James and Rui Hachimura have a tendency to switch between the three and four in their starting roles, but Rui is generally slotted in the more traditional big man slot than his all-time great teammate.

As for the Warriors, Jimmy Butler III is listed as the team’s current power forward, but he has rarely played in that position and has primarily operated as a small forward throughout his career. So, he will not be in the top 10.

Lastly, even though Jayson Tatum, who has been a power forward with the Celtics for the past few years, might return at some point this basketball year, we are keeping him off this preseason list. Boston’s best player would have the top spot in this ranking if he were healthy.

We are also evaluating these players based on their recent form and projecting how they will perform in the upcoming season. With that in mind, GIVEMESPORT presents the top 10 best power forwards heading into the 2025-26 NBA season.

10

Scottie Barnes

Scottie Barnes surely has the talent to be a top 5 power forward this season, but the 24-year-old slides into the No. 10 slot after a trying 2024-25 campaign.

The 24-year-old is the best player on a Toronto Raptors team that is in a weird spot roster-wise. On paper, this squad should be able to contend for a Play-In spot in an Eastern Conference with less depth.

However, whether it’s been injuries or a lack of chemistry, this group has underachieved significantly to this point. Barnes has an opportunity to change that narrative, but he has to improve significantly this season, particularly as an outside shooter.

9

Julius Randle

Julius Randle gets a lot of criticism for being one of the best second options in the league. The three-time All-Star was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a blockbuster trade the previous offseason, and ultimately played a critical role in this franchise’s return to the Western Conference Finals.

Randle exorcised a lot of playoff demons over these three rounds, averaging postseason highs in points, assists, steals, and shooting efficiency.

Even though he’s past 30 now, the Timberwolves forward is a workhorse and still has at least a couple years of prime left.

8

Evan Mobley

Evan Mobley took a huge jump in year four with the Cleveland Cavaliers, making his first All-Star team amid a 64-win season. The former No. 3 overall pick also won his first Defensive Player of the Year award.

Now at 24 years old, Mobley will look to take another leap up the totem pole as the Cavaliers try to exorcise their recent playoff demons.

Cleveland’s success will heavily rely on its young power forward’s ability to improve this season, especially on the offensive end in the playoffs.

7

Chet Holmgren

Chet Holmgren is the only player in this top 10 who is the third-best player on his team, but his franchise just won the championship. The 23-year-old is a rising star in this league and still a few years away from reaching his prime.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are ultimately looking to establish themselves as the NBA’s next dynasty, and Holmgren’s continued development will be crucial to that cause.

6

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jaren Jackson Jr. will once again be a contender for Defensive Player of the Year as he tries to lead the Memphis Grizzlies back up the Western Conference hierarchy.

The versatile forward can guard all five positions and continued his offensive evolution last season, particularly from three-point range. Jackson Jr. has a huge opportunity to make his first All-NBA squad this year.

5

Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam is among the most underrated players in the NBA, who recently proved he can be a leading scorer on a legit championship contender.

Tyrese Haliburton is the engine of the Indiana Pacers‘ phenomenal offense, but this organization’s three-time All-Star is its most reliable player.

That is exactly why Siakam won Eastern Conference Finals MVP and was likely going to win Finals MVP if the Pacers had beaten the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7.

Now with Haliburton out for this season and Myles Turner signing with the Milwaukee Bucks, the 31-year-old will have even more responsibility on his shoulders.

4

Karl-Anthony Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns was a center last season, but so far it appears that New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown is slotting his star big man at the four alongside Mitchell Robinson.

And that’s probably for the best, given KAT’s defensive limitations. The five-time All-Star has been terrific in his tenure with the Knicks and played a crucial part in this franchise reaching its first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000.

It’ll be interesting to see how Towns evolves under Brown as this organization enters its title-or-bust era.

3

Paolo Banchero

With the moves they made this offseason, the Orlando Magic are hoping that their young duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner take another leap in their development.

The former No. 1 overall pick struggled with injuries last season, but still increased his scoring average by over three points. Banchero also elevated his play in the postseason, which is a very positive sign for someone trying to lead the Magic to their first-ever NBA championship.

There’s a realistic chance that the 22-year-old will crack the top 2 of this list very shortly.

2

Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis is back to playing power forward, where he has historically thrived the most. The Dallas Mavericks forward was stunningly traded from the Los Angeles Lakers for Luka Doncic in February and didn’t get much time with his new team due to injury.

Fortunately, there is new hope in Dallas after the franchise stunningly landed the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, selecting generational talent Cooper Flagg.

At 32 years old, there is a chance that Davis’s best years are behind him, but for now, the future Hall of Famer deserves the benefit of the doubt.

1

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Even though he’s only 30 years old, Giannis Antetokounmpo has already cemented himself as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

The Greek Freak has been one of the best players in the world for more than half a decade now, and he is coming off one of his best statistical seasons.

Giannis averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on a staggering 60% shooting from the field. As long as he stays healthy, Antetokounmpo having another terrific season is a given.

The question is whether the Milwaukee Bucks can stay relevant in the Eastern Conference. Because, even after adding Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner, this team on paper doesn’t look great. Nevertheless, Giannis is the obvious choice for No. 1 on our list.