LeBron James spent a great deal of his career being recognized as the most well-rounded player in the NBA. It's a reputation he cultivated not only because of his offensive gifts, but his defensive capabilities. Now in his 40s, however, the throne has been abdicated—and Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes has taken his seat upon it.
In a symbolic gesture that may or may not have been deliberate, ESPN ranked Barnes one spot ahead of James in the 2026 entry into the NBA Rank series—thus confirming the usurper has risen.
Barnes, 25, made a 13-spot leap from No. 30 in 2025 to No. 17 in 2026. The 2022 Rookie of the Year earned that distinction by putting together a season that enabled him to secure his second career All-Star nod and his first All-Defense selection.
André Snellings of ESPN offered the perfect explanation for why Barnes made such a significant rise up the rankings, citing his ability to do "everything for the Raptors on both offense and defense."
"He has been the do-everything engine for the Raptors on both offense and defense, finishing fifth in the Defensive Player of the Year vote while leading the team in assists and scoring nearly 20 points per game."
There are no shortage of well-rounded players in the NBA, but while the likes of Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic may be fighting for the crown on offense, Barnes is the true complete two-way package.
Scottie Barnes usurps LeBron in NBA Rank, further cements status as NBA's most well-rounded player
Offensively, Barnes does a bit of everything for the Raptors. He ranked third on the team in scoring at 18.1 points per game on 50.7 percent shooting from the field, all the while tying for the team lead in assists at 5.9 per contest and pulling down 1.9 offensive rebounds per outing.
Factor in Barnes' defensive statistics and he was the only player in the NBA in 2025-26 to average at least 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 offensive rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steal per game.
That alone is a feather in his cap, but what takes Barnes over the top is that he isn't just a defensive playmaker—he's a genuinely elite defender. According to Basketball Index, Barnes ranked in the 97th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 87th percentile in rim protection, and the 95th percentile in overall screener defense.
Barnes did all of that while ranking in the 90th percentile in defensive positional versatility and the 95th percentile in matchup difficulty as a defender.
Scottie Barnes: An elite defender who does a bit of everything on offense
As if that weren't enough, Barnes graded well in multiple offensive areas, as well. For instance, he ranked in the 87th percentile in rim shot making efficiency, the 86th percentile in one on one shot making, the 93rd percentile in passing creation volume, the 99th percentile in passing creation quality, and the 81st percentile in on-ball gravity.
Whether he was creating his own offense or looking to create for others, defenses adjusted accordingly—and he even ranked in the 77th percentile in off-ball gravity despite his lackluster jump shot.
Barnes' jumper is admittedly the last line of defense for those who would dispute his claim to the "most well-rounded player in the NBA" throne. Defense is a skill, however, and no player combines their skill set in a more complete manner than Toronto's franchise player.
As Barnes' rise in the NBA Rank series proves, he's even surpassed the previous King to secure his place as the new standard for all-around players.
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