The world’s best player in 2029

Has the title already been claimed?

BY HENRY ABBOTT, TRAVIS MORAN, and DAVID THORPE

Just 20 years old, Victor Wembanyama is already figuring out how to dominate in the NBA. Just how good will he be five years from now? CHRISTIAN PETERSEN/GETTY IMAGES

The response from last week’s “Best Player in the World” poll had us bubbling when we reconvened for this week’s Monday morning content meeting. 

“What about five years from now?” asked David Thorpe. 

You could hear eyebrows scaling foreheads. The best players of today—Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Joel Embiid—would hardly be retired. But what would five years do for them compared to this lanky French parvenu taking the league by storm? Wouldn’t Luka Dončić have a case? Anthony Edwards? Zion-freaking-Williamson? 

Five years is also long enough where some of today’s brightest stars—Jayson Tatum, for instance—will likely have exhausted their best seasons. But just as Shai leapfrogged the league to become our (majority) pick for world’s best player today, someone like Scottie Barnes—or even Thunder teammates Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren—could rocket to the top. 

With an eye on 2029, we got together and hashed it out. Once again, our discussions ended in a split decision.

The new old heads: Shai and Luka

DAVID: Both Shai and Luka will be 30 years old at the start of the 2029 season.