American media ranks the top 20 power forwards in NBA history: LeBron James tops the list, Durant is third, Kawhi is eighth, and George is eighteenth.

On July 29, Beijing time, the well-known American media HoopsHype continued to update its historical top 20 rankings for various positions. Following the top 20 point guards and shooting guards, today they updated the historical top 20 power forwards: LeBron James ranks first, Durant is third, with a total of six active small forwards making the list.

The specific rankings are as follows—

Positions 1-5: 1. LeBron, 2. Bird, 3. Durant, 4. Julius Erving, 5. Baylor;

Positions 6-10: 6. Pippen, 7. Havlicek, 8. Leonard, 9. Rick Barry, 10. Wilkins;

Positions 11-15: 11. Worthy, 12. Anthony, 13. Pierce, 14. Paul Arizin, 15. English;

Positions 16-20: 16. Bernard King, 17. Dantley, 18. Paul George, 19. Tatum, 20. Butler.

Here’s a brief analysis of the active stars who made the list—

1. LeBron James

Major honors: 4-time NBA champion, 4-time Finals MVP, 4-time regular season MVP, 13-time NBA All-First Team, 21-time All-Star, 5-time NBA All-Defensive First Team, 1-time NBA Cup champion, 1-time NBA Cup MVP, 3 Olympic gold medals, 1 Olympic MVP.

Regular season stats ranking: 1st in scoring, 4th in assists, 6th in steals, 25th in rebounds, 70th in blocks.

Playoff stats ranking: 1st in scoring and steals, 2nd in assists, 4th in rebounds, 9th in blocks.

Last year, LeBron James replaced Michael Jordan at the top of HoopsHype's historical rankings for the first time. That season, he won an Olympic gold medal, Olympic MVP, the inaugural NBA Cup (and Cup MVP), and was selected for the regular All-Star and All-First Team.

From a team performance perspective, the 2024-25 season was not outstanding, but his individual performance remained top-notch, during which he broke several incredible records (some of which surpassed Jordan). Overall, this 40-year-old player had another remarkable year, showing almost no signs of slowing down.

When LeBron entered the NBA, he carried unrealistic expectations, yet he miraculously exceeded all of them and even accomplished more. His ability to perform in clutch moments is exceptional, his scoring ability is astonishing, his rebounding is outstanding, and he is also an excellent playmaker—perhaps his most impressive trait. Few players can match LeBron's extraordinary basketball IQ, and even in the twilight of his career, he can continue to dominate in the coming seasons thanks to this intelligence.

3. Kevin Durant

Major honors: 2-time NBA champion, 2-time Finals MVP, 1-time regular season MVP, 6-time NBA All-First Team, 15-time All-Star, 4 Olympic gold medals, 1 Olympic MVP, 1 World Cup gold medal, 1 World Cup MVP.

Regular season stats ranking: 8th in scoring, 57th in blocks, 75th in assists, 83rd in rebounds, 106th in steals.

Playoff stats ranking: 7th in scoring, 24th in blocks, 28th in rebounds, 36th in assists, 43rd in steals.

Durant's scoring ability is almost unbelievable—at 7 feet tall, he combines ball-handling skills, speed, and precise shooting to score from almost anywhere on the court. When needed, he is also an impactful defender, agile in footwork, capable of making key blocks. Durant's ranking could rise further, but due to time missed from injuries, he has been unable to compete for the top spot.

However, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in Olympic basketball history—the only player with 4 gold medals and the only player to win MVPs in the NBA, Olympics, and World Cup.

8. Kawhi Leonard

Major honors: 2-time NBA champion, 2-time Finals MVP, 6-time NBA All-First Team, 6-time All-Star, 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, 7-time All-Defensive Team.

Regular season stats ranking: 84th in steals, 164th in scoring, 305th in blocks, 321st in rebounds, 397th in assists.

Playoff stats ranking: 7th in scoring, 24th in blocks, 28th in rebounds, 36th in assists, 43rd in steals.

Leonard once held the highest winning percentage in NBA regular season history, but that record has since been broken. He was a secondary player during his first championship run (at least before the 2014 Finals), but later led the Raptors to the top. He has always been stable in high-pressure situations and is a representative of "load management." Given the number of games he has missed due to injury, ranking Leonard can be somewhat tricky.

Nevertheless, with his honors, performance, and influence, he remains a historically great player—one of the best mid-range scorers and defensive wings ever, he also possesses the gene for clutch performances.

18. Paul George

Major honors: 1-time NBA All-First Team, 5-time NBA All-Third Team, 8-time All-Star, 2-time All-Defensive First Team, 2-time All-Defensive Second Team, 1-time Most Improved Player.

Regular season stats ranking: 46th in steals, 72nd in scoring, 191st in assists, 219th in rebounds, 370th in blocks.

Playoff stats ranking: 43rd in steals, 49th in scoring, 66th in assists, 73rd in rebounds, 143rd in blocks.

George's resume is nearing Hall of Fame level, and if he can recover from injuries, he will undoubtedly move up in this ranking. As a top two-way player, he can score efficiently from beyond the arc, mid-range, and at the rim.

19. Jayson Tatum

Major honors: 1-time NBA champion, 4-time NBA All-First Team, 1-time NBA All-Third Team, 6-time All-Star, 1-time All-Star MVP, 2 Olympic gold medals.

Regular season stats ranking: 208th in scoring, 369th in rebounds, 385th in blocks, 394th in assists, 442nd in steals.

Playoff stats ranking: 34th in scoring, 51st in assists, 54th in rebounds, 63rd in steals, 71st in blocks.

Given Tatum's age, his resume is already quite impressive, but a severe Achilles tear will hinder his ability to climb the rankings in the short term. Without this injury, it would not be surprising to see him in the top 15 next summer. Regardless, we hope he can fully recover and regain his pre-injury form—as a top scorer and an underrated playmaker and defender.

20. Jimmy Butler

Major honors: 1-time Eastern Conference Finals MVP, 5-time NBA All-First Team, 6-time All-Star, 5-time All-Defensive Second Team.

Regular season stats ranking: 65th in steals, 131st in scoring, 148th in assists, 325th in rebounds, 397th in blocks.

Playoff stats ranking: 28th in steals, 40th in scoring, 46th in assists, 79th in rebounds, 126th in blocks.

As one of the best two-way wings of this generation, Butler has led two undermanned Heat teams to the NBA Finals. Although his three-point shooting is average, Butler is a darling of data analytics, boasting high efficiency—not only due to his defensive impact but also because he excels at drawing fouls and hitting free throws at a high rate. Additionally, in this era dominated by three-pointers, he is also skilled at mid-range scoring, bringing a touch of vintage style.