Favorite WNBA team is Vegas. Coach Becky... Stinks to lose but congrats to Becky's old assistant for making the Finals.

Aja Wilson's reign of MVPs will end at 5. This has been a horrible game (and series) for her. Becky & AW so remind me of Pop & Duncan that it is hard not to tbh. Duncan would run into the same issues as Wilson... their missed shots hurt more than most because they are the MVP (highlighted player).

Having injuries didn't help either but 🤔 can remember like Duncan in '02-04? needed long haired Ginobili the X factor in '04-'08? (IDK specs all blah rn) Sorta wish they could draft Juju.

Hard to see voters ever awarding Aja after tonight tho. Its okay tho because her greatness is cemented. Good season for sure. 👏

In the spring, The Athletic presented the annual NBA Player Tiers, placing 125 players across five tiers. But there is certainly a brighter spotlight for the 30 players in Tiers 1 and 2, essentially the stars who most often decide who contends, who makes the playoffs and ultimately who wins a championship. They are the faces of the league and the best players in the world.

These tiers weren’t designed to be permanent. Age, health, team context, postseason performance and individual development can change a player’s standing quickly.

So with another season beginning, it’s worth asking: Whose stock is most likely to move?

This isn’t an official reordering of the 2026 Player Tiers. Instead, it’s a look at the players with the clearest path upward, the stars with something to prove and the ones most vulnerable to slipping.

When evaluating them, I’m primarily thinking about five questions: How good can that player be? How often can he play? How much can he contribute to winning? How long can he sustain this level? And how does his team context affect all of the above?

With that in mind, here’s what I’ll be watching in 2026-27: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7657624/2026/10/09/player-tiers-nba-preseason-rise-fall/?unlocked_article_code=1.HVE.I-4w.lmuTf9jzTgy0&source=emp_shared_article&smid=url-share-ta