The American media has released the new season's point guard rankings: Alexander tops the list, Doncic is second, Curry is fifth, and Harden is seventh.

On August 5th, Beijing time, the renowned American media HoopsHype released a ranking of point guards for the 2025-26 season (top 26). This ranking was determined through team voting, and it is worth mentioning that it incorporates forecasts for the upcoming season rather than merely reflecting the performance of the 2024-25 season. Here are the specific rankings and analyses of some star players—

Positions 1-13: 1. Alexander, 2. Doncic, 3. Brunson, 4. Cunningham, 5. Curry, 6. Trae Young, 7. Harden, 8. Morant, 9. Fox, 10. Maxey, 11. Derrick White, 12. Garland, 13. Jamal Murray;

Positions 14-26: 14. Ball, 15. Giddey, 16. Pritchard, 17. VanVleet, 18. Suggs, 19. Irving, 20. Nembhard, 21. Jrue Holiday, 22. Castle, 23. Quickley, 24. Schroder, 25. McConnell, 26. Tyus Jones

1. Alexander, Thunder

2024-25 season stats: 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals per game, shooting percentage 51.9%

2025-26 season salary: $38.33 million (34th in the league)

For years, Doncic has been regarded as the best point guard in the world, but during the 2024-25 season, Canadian superstar Alexander seems to have surpassed him—he won the regular season MVP for the first time in his career (unexpectedly achieving this milestone before Doncic) and fully realized the immense potential he showed since joining the Thunder.

Last season, Alexander not only secured his first MVP but also led the Thunder to a dominant season: a regular season record of 68 wins and 14 losses, ultimately winning the 2024-25 championship. He was the scoring champion for the season and subsequently swept the Western Conference Finals MVP and Finals MVP, quietly delivering one of the most prestigious and honor-laden single-season performances in NBA history.

Notably, all these achievements occurred during his 26th season—he has just turned 27.

So, as a top scorer (especially skilled at scoring off the dribble), playmaker, and near elite defender, can Alexander take his game to another level? We cannot rule out this possibility, especially since he has reached a pinnacle in offensive skills: he can hit difficult dribble shots, frequently draw fouls to get to the free-throw line, and maintain an elite free-throw percentage. Data analysis also favors him; last season, his win shares per 48 minutes were the highest in the league, and his Box Plus/Minus (BPM) and Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) were only behind Jokic.

Alexander is nearly unstoppable on offense, and with the Thunder's strong roster, it wouldn't be surprising if he leads the team to a successful title defense in the 2025-26 season. We also wouldn't be surprised if the top two names on this list become the top two in next season's MVP voting.

In summary, the point guard position may be the most talent-dense in today's NBA, with Brunson, Doncic, and Alexander as prime examples. Honestly, when a position is so crowded that Curry can only rank fifth, you know how "competitive" it is.

2. Doncic, Lakers

2024-25 season stats: 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.8 steals per game, shooting percentage 45.0%

2025-26 season salary: $46 million (21st in the league)

Will we regret this ranking by next summer? That possibility does exist, especially with ongoing reports suggesting that Doncic has noticeably improved his physique during the offseason.

Being unexpectedly traded by the Mavericks— the team he thought he would play for his entire career—this feeling of "disrespect" seems to have deeply hurt this Slovenian superstar and has become his motivation during the offseason. Considering Doncic's past struggles with physical conditioning during the offseason, this may be a good sign for the Lakers, while it could pose a frightening signal for opponents in the 2025-26 season.

As a top scorer, playmaker, and rebounder at his position, Doncic's only shortcoming is on defense, but with improved conditioning, this aspect may also see improvement. Regardless, we expect him to return to All-NBA First Team caliber in the 2025-26 season, which will also place the Lakers in contention for the championship.

5. Curry, Warriors

2024-25 season stats: 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.1 steals per game, shooting percentage 44.8%

2025-26 season salary: $59.6 million (1st in the league)

This is a rather controversial choice on our list: four-time NBA champion and two-time regular season MVP Stephen Curry ranks only fifth in the point guard rankings for the 2025-26 season.

Our reasoning is straightforward: Curry is now 37 years old, and after many years of play, he has experienced significant physical wear; simultaneously, several top point guards are expected to have breakout performances next season.

However, Curry is likely to make this ranking seem absurd—this former Davidson College star was just selected to the All-NBA Second Team and the All-Star Game last season. More importantly, his BPM and VORP were both ranked in the top six during the 2024-25 season, and his win shares per 48 minutes ranked 21st.

Clearly, he has shown almost no signs of decline. We just feel that some younger top point guards in the league will surpass him in impact and statistics during the 2025-26 season.

7. Harden, Clippers

2024-25 season stats: 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 1.5 steals per game, shooting percentage 41.0%

2025-26 season salary: $39.18 million (31st in the league)

The "ageless wonder" James Harden has successfully transformed his playing style: evolving from a high-volume scorer to one of the league's top playmaking point guards.

Last season, Harden's three-point shooting percentage declined, and his overall scoring efficiency was not as high as before, which is worth monitoring. However, he compensated for these shortcomings with the highest foul-drawing rate since the 2021-22 season (44.6% of his shots were free throws) and an exceptionally high free throw percentage (87.4%).

Coupled with his elite playmaking and finishing ability, even as he approaches 36 years old, he remains a candidate for the All-NBA teams. But how far his team can go in the playoffs remains to be seen.

Regardless, at least during the regular season, Harden remains firmly in the top tier of NBA point guards.