NBA THE RUN launched on PC, Xbox, and PS5 with a roster of nearly 40 players, most of them real NBA All-Stars. Every player comes with unique stats and a Zone Ability, and the gap between the best and worst options is wide enough to seriously affect your tournament results. Knowing who to pick before you queue up is the difference between steamrolling opponents and wondering why your squad keeps getting blown out.
The roster mixes current stars with rookie versions of certain players and a handful of fictional characters built around specific court roles. Stats are loosely tied to real-life strengths, but the game applies its own weighting system that pushes some players far ahead of the pack. After testing the full roster across tournament runs, five players stand out as the clear top tier right now.
NBA The Run roster screen
Who are the best players in NBA The Run?
The short answer: Victor Wembanyama, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Maxey. Each of them brings a combination of maxed-out stats and Zone Abilities that outperform the rest of the lineup. Here is a full breakdown of why each one earns a spot and who pairs best with them.
Victor Wembanyama: the undisputed top pick
Victor Wembanyama sits at the top of the entire roster without much debate. He has the best block stat in the game and maxed-out values in 2s, dunks, guard, rebound, and aura. Six maxed categories at once is rare, and Wemby benefits from all of them simultaneously on both ends of the floor.
His primary role is in the paint. Park him under the basket on defense and use his height to swat shots away consistently. On offense, he works best finishing around the rim, but his stats are strong enough that you can pull him out to the perimeter when you need to create spacing.
Best combo for Wembanyama: Ja Morant
Ja Morant is the natural partner for Wemby because he fills every gap Wemby leaves open. Morant's speed lets him push pace, handle perimeter defense, and feed Wemby easy passes in transition. The two cover completely different areas of the court, which makes the combination hard to stop.
Stephen Curry: the offensive floor-spacer
Stephen Curry has two versions in the roster. The default version is the one to use, with maxed-out 2s, 3s, handles, passes, stamina, and aura. His defense is below average, but that barely matters when he can drain threes from anywhere on the court and has the stamina to stay in constant motion to get open.
Use Curry's high stamina to run defenders ragged. Once you draw a double-team, his passing stat means he can kick the ball out to create open looks for teammates.
Curry maxed shooting stats
Best combo for Curry: Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is an all-around player without a real weakness in NBA The Run. His passing stat is excellent, which keeps the ball moving to Curry for open threes. Tatum's Zone Ability boosts his passing further, and it stacks well with Curry's ability that enhances shooting. The two abilities work together in a way that very few other pairings can replicate.
Anthony Davis: the versatile big who surprises everyone
Anthony Davis might not be the first name that comes to mind, but his stat sheet makes the case quickly. AD has six maxed-out stats and sits right next to Wemby as one of the best defensive bigs in the game. On offense, he can operate both in the post and on the perimeter, giving you genuine flexibility depending on how the defense sets up.
He is not going to drain threes at a high rate, but he is serviceable enough to punish a defense that sags off him. His passing stat is also surprisingly strong, making him useful as a secondary playmaker from anywhere on the court.
Best combo for Davis: Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson is one of the best shooters in the entire game, and he also brings elite handling and passing. While Davis works the post and mid-range areas, Brunson drifts around the perimeter waiting for the right moment to strike. The two players complement each other's positioning naturally, and Brunson can handle the ball when Davis needs a release valve.
Anthony Edwards: eight maxed stats and pure offense
Anthony Edwards has the most maxed-out stats of anyone on this list, with eight total, four of them in the offensive section. Power, speed, and stamina are all high, which means he can beat defenders in multiple ways. You can run him as a dunking machine, a perimeter scorer, or a combination of both depending on what the defense gives you.
Ant's versatility is what makes him dangerous. Defenses cannot commit to stopping one thing because he can punish them from anywhere.
Edwards' 8 maxed stat categories
Best combo for Edwards: Nikola Jokic
Pairing speed with more speed is an option, but Nikola Jokic is the smarter choice. Jokic brings strong offensive stats of his own, plus excellent rebounding that cleans up any misses from Edwards. He can also function as a sharpshooter when Edwards has the ball and needs a target, making the duo difficult to defend on both ends.
Tyrese Maxey: the defensive disruptor who finishes fast breaks
Tyrese Maxey is the most underrated player on this list. Stealing and blocking are easy to execute in NBA The Run's current state, and Maxey is one of the best players in the game at both. He has the speed to take a turnover coast-to-coast and the shooting stats to finish on the perimeter when transition opportunities dry up.
Turning defense into offense is a legitimate strategy in this game, and Maxey is built for exactly that.
Best combo for Maxey: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo pairs well with Maxey because he covers the one thing Maxey cannot do alone: dominate the post. Giannis brings defensive and offensive power, a taller presence in the paint, and the ability to convert Maxey's passes into easy scores. He also grabs rebounds that Maxey's speed cannot track down, keeping possessions alive.
Quick comparison: top 5 players at a glance
Top 5 player stat comparison
What makes a great duo in NBA The Run?
The best pairings share one pattern: each player covers the other's weakness. Wemby and Morant split paint and perimeter duties. Curry and Tatum combine complementary Zone Abilities. Davis and Brunson split post and perimeter scoring. Edwards and Jokic balance speed with rebounding. Maxey and Giannis split defensive pressure and post presence.
Avoid stacking two players with identical roles. Two perimeter shooters or two paint players leave obvious gaps that opponents can exploit. Build your duo around balance, and the stat advantages of these top picks will do the rest.
For more strategies on building winning lineups and mastering tournament play, the NBA THE RUN strategy guides cover mechanics and advanced tactics in detail. NBA The Run sits in a growing category of sports games that blend arcade action with real-player rosters, and it is worth exploring the full depth the game offers beyond just picking the right roster.