Ranking LeBron James' best teammates ever, from Dwyane Wade to new 76ers co-stars Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown

When you're teammates with "The King" — arguably the greatest player to ever touch a basketball and certainly the most impactful all-around talent of the 21st century — contending for championships is expected. But over LeBron James' already-NBA-record 23-year career, he's also formed plenty of star duos and trios. 

Between his stints in Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami and now Philadelphia, James hasn't just played long enough to co-star alongside the biggest names of distinct NBA eras. He's dominated with those fellow Hall of Famers, All-Stars and MVPs.

Even with James' best days now behind him, he's set to join forces with a star-studded lineup featuring former MVP Joel Embiid, a former Finals MVP in Jaylen Brown and an All-NBA guard, Tyrese Maxey, as he eyes a fifth title in 2026-27, continuing to play at a high level into his 40s. And at this point in his career, the list of stars James has been teammates with is arguably just as impressive as his own accomplishments.

Below, The Sporting News ranked a collection of James' best teammates throughout his NBA career, now factoring in Embiid, Maxey and Brown for the next two years. Each player can only appear once on the list, and while his new 76ers co-stars are ranked based on their status right now, past teammates' stint alongside James is what's taken into consideration rather than their full career accomplishments. So, for example, Shaquille O'Neal is not listed — he was in dwindling NBA years when paired with James in Cleveland.

Here's a ranking of James' 13 best teammates based on their level of stardom and accomplishments at the time they were playing alongside the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

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Ranking LeBron James' best teammates ever

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13. J.R. Smith

• Seasons as James' teammate: 5
• Years/Teams Together: Cavaliers (2014-18), Lakers (2019-20)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2015-16

Unlike most of the names on this list, J.R. Smith was never an All-Star, never averaged more than 12.7 points per game as James' teammate and wasn't much of a co-star. But over their four seasons together in Cleveland, Smith was one of the NBA's most reliable shooters, lightening James' scoring burden with his athleticism.

While Smith's mistake in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals hurt his status as James' teammate — the four-time MVP had his best playoff performance ever, scoring 52 points, but Smith forgot the score in the final seconds of regulation — he was still arguably the most impactful role player in James' career.

The 2014-18 Cavaliers weren't only a force because of their star power; Smith gave them production as one of the more talented fourth-scoring options in the NBA. That was valuable for James, and it says something that the Lakers were willing to bring Smith in for the 2019-20 season, even if he didn't contribute much to their championship.

He's more polarizing than most of James' teammates, but Smith's talent shined with The King's elite playmaking skills. 

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12. Ray Allen

• Seasons as James' teammate: 2
• Years/Teams Together: Heat (2012-14)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2012-13 

Even without considering his previous career accomplishments, winning a title in Boston and being selected to 10 All-Star Games, Ray Allen became one of the most influential teammates in James' NBA career in just two Miami seasons.

When Allen joined the Heat in 2012 free agency, despite his level of stardom, James was coming off a long-awaited first championship over Oklahoma City. But over the next two seasons, as Miami's stars guided the team to two more NBA Finals appearances and another title, the Allen signing became consequential.

Helping space the floor for three paint-focused offensive talents in James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, an aging Allen remained an elite shooter, averaging 10.9 points per game in 2012-13. The real reason Allen deserves a spot on this list, though, comes down to one heroic shot.

With his 3-pointer in Game 6 of the 2012 NBA Finals vs. San Antonio, Allen kept James' quest for a second-straight championship alive — and as Miami went on to win the series, the knockout shooter likely altered the path of James' entire career.

MORE: Full list of most points in an NBA Finals game

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11. Austin Reaves

• Seasons as James' teammate: 5
• Years/Teams Together: Lakers (2021-26)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2025-26

Austin Reaves may have had the most unlikely path to stardom of any James teammate over 23 seasons. The Oklahoma guard went undrafted in 2021, earned a standard contract with the Lakers, then steadily emerged as a legitimate offensive threat over the next few years until averaging a career-best 23.3 points per game in 2025-26.

Reaves' entire career thus far has been alongside James, benefitting from the point-forward's passing skills and basketball IQ. By the time James decided to leave the Lakers in the 2026 offseason, Reaves was clearly ready to fill L.A.'s co-star shoes alongside Luka Doncic — and he was paid that way, landing a $185 million max extension.

Had Reaves' ascension happened quicker, perhaps he and James may have been able to get further than the Western Conference Finals together, where they lost to Denver in 2023. But even without any All-Star selections, Reaves proved to be one of the best offensive players James was ever paired with. 

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10. Zydrunas Ilgauskas

• Seasons as James' teammate:  8
• Years/Teams Together: Cavaliers (2003-10), Heat (2010-11)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2004-05

When fans discuss the first portion of James' career — a time when he cemented himself as a top-5 player in the league as a young star for the Cavaliers — it often brings lingering feelings of disappointment. James reached just one NBA Finals in those eight years with the Cavaliers, and that Finals was a sweep at the hands of the Spurs.

While there weren't many "co-stars" for James in those early Cleveland years, Zydrunas Ilgauskas qualifies as the closest possible thing. The 7-foot-3 center was a strong interior presence with underrated footwork and skill. James didn't get as much help as he should have in his first Cavaliers stint, but "Big Z," Cleveland's franchise leader in blocked shots, played his role well.

Ilgauskas, a two-time All-Star, also teamed up with James in Miami when the star left Cleveland for South Beach in 2010. It says a lot that of any James teammate ever, Ilgauskas' 641 appearances alongside "The King" rank No. 1 all-time. He wasn't quite elite. But "Big Z" did give James an effective center for years.

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9. Tyrese Maxey

• Seasons as James' teammate: 0
• Years/Teams Together: 76ers (active)
• Best Season as James' teammate: N/A

Maxey is the first of three new star-level 76ers teammates James will be joining, not yet factoring in a budding talent in guard V.J. Edgecombe. Already a two-time All-Star at 25, Maxey has steadily emerged as one of the NBA's fastest, most relentless scoring talents. Next to James, he should get plenty of open looks while still running Philadelphia's offense.

Also represented by Rich Paul's Klutch Sports, Maxey has developed a relationship with James off the court — which reportedly played a role in James' free agency decision-making process. After averaging another career-high with 28.3 points per game in 2025-26, Maxey has reached the upper-echelon of guard talents across the league.

Among James' all-time teammates, Maxey figures to become one of the best scoring guards he's ever played alongside. And as James continues aging, Maxey is the kind of player who can alleviate a ton of offensive burden off his shoulders.

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8. Kevin Love

• Seasons as James' teammate: 4
• Years/Teams Together: Cavaliers (2014-18)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2016-17

Kevin Love's career pre-and-post becoming James' teammate in Cleveland is a lesson for many NBA stars: to win, you often have to sacrifice individual stats and accolades.

When Cleveland pulled off a deal involving No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins to acquire Love in 2014 following James' decision to come home, the Cavs were getting a three-time All-Star who had already led the league in rebounding and become a double-double machine. With the Cavaliers, Love became a much different star, though just as impactful.

Over their four seasons as teammates, Love rapidly developed into the most reliable stretch-big in the NBA, becoming a knockdown 3-point shooter while remaining a force on the glass, in the paint and as a long-range passer.

Considering that Love's individual sacrifices led to four NBA Finals appearances and one victory, he's another of James' most impactful teammates. 

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7. Jaylen Brown

• Seasons as James' teammate: 0
• Years/Teams Together: 76ers (active)
• Best Season as James' teammate: N/A

James will be putting some past differences aside as he becomes a teammate of Brown, the former Celtics star who was stunningly traded to the rival 76ers earlier this offseason. A few years ago, Brown was caught on camera saying he didn't believe James' son, Bronny, belonged in the NBA — but that didn't seem to impact James' free-agent decision.

Now, James and Brown will form a dynamic frontcourt in Philadelphia, a possibility that didn't seem feasible as recently as a few months ago. But together, they can be formidable on both ends of the floor. As the younger wing, Brown will likely have the ball in his hands more often, able to shoot from all over the floor and finish at the rim, while James will likely be picking his spots and functioning as a playmaker. But both bring the threat of an All-NBA-level talent, even with James' age.

James may not have ever teamed up with a true small forward/wing as talented as Brown in his career — typically, his star teammates have been guards or centers. Because of that, the dynamic between James and Brown will be fascinating to watch. Both own Finals MVP awards and will heighten Philadelphia's expectations to compete for a title in 2026-27.

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6. Chris Bosh

• Seasons as James' teammate: 4
• Years Together: Heat (2010-14)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2011-12

Group Chris Bosh in with Love as "big men who sacrificed individual numbers on championship squads" among James' teammates. Similarly, when Bosh decided to join the Heat in 2010 after seven years in Toronto, he took a backseat to James and Wade after five-straight years of averaging over 20 points per game.

In Miami, Bosh played one of the best "connector" roles from the frontcourt of any center in NBA history. An elite shot-blocker and scorer, Bosh's shooting abilities also became more key as James and Wade dominated the paint.

Without Bosh, there's no telling whether the 2010-14 Heat would have become as much of a force as they were. He was an All-Star-level center who willingly became more of an elite stabilizing, do-it-all weapon for Erik Spoelstra and the Heat.

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5. Joel Embiid

• Seasons as James' teammate: 0
• Years Together: 76ers (active)
• Best Season as James' teammate: N/A

There's a few disclaimers that come with Embiid's No. 5 ranking on this list. He could easily be placed lower or higher. But like Maxey and Brown, this list is valuing the current version of the co-star and how he's expected to play alongside James — without any accomplishments as James' teammate yet, Embiid can't be judged off anything concrete. There's also the factor of health; in this exercise, the healthiest version of Embiid possible at age 32 is what's being considered. And that is still an MVP-level talent, when on the floor.

Embiid will have a lot to prove alongside James. For one, he hasn't stayed on the floor for a full season in years. Thanks to the 76ers' star power elsewhere, he won't be asked to carry the load as often. But if Philadelphia is going to bring James a fifth championship, it will need Embiid healthy when it matters most; he changes the calculus on both ends of the floor to the highest degree even without much athleticism left.

Offensively, the only big man James has ever played with as talented as Embiid is Anthony Davis, who he won a championship alongside. James' Hall of Fame vision should help Embiid thrive, especially considering the offensive firepower the full 76ers' starting lineup now has. Embiid should be able to ride through the regular season while prioritizing his health, putting more emphasis on getting easy buckets, grabbing rebounds and defending the rim rather than taking shots each time comes down the court.

Of course, the injury risk means Embiid may not wind up being an elite co-star for James, either. There's a ton of pressure on Philadelphia to contend now. Embiid's health will be pivotal to reach the pinnacle of the Finals, but talent-wise, he can compete with any James teammate ever.

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4. Luka Doncic

• Seasons as James' teammate: 2
• Years/Teams Together: Lakers (2024-26)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2025-26

Years from now, it may seem like an odd crossover that James and Luka Doncic were still playing high-level basketball together on the Lakers. After all, once L.A. swung its shocking trade with Dallas to acquire Doncic in February 2024, it was clear the team had found its No. 1 star for a post-James era.

James and Doncic did share the court for around a season-and-a-half though, and while it didn't result in much playoff success in Laker Land, they did manage to build chemistry together. Doncic, famously a ball-dominant big guard, took the reigns of L.A.'s offense while an aging James took a backseat but still stepped up when the Lakers needed him to.

In terms of raw talent, there's a case to be made that Doncic is the best teammate James has ever shared an NBA floor with. But the timing of this duo never worked out in the grand scheme of things. James' presence created some team-building issues for the Lakers, and while it was entertaining to watch Doncic average 33.5 points per game in 2025-26 alongside the league's all-time leading scorer, this star duo didn't lead to any deep postseason runs before James decided to skip town.

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3. Kyrie Irving

• Seasons as James' teammate: 3
• Years Together: 2014-17
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2016-17

Had James played more than just three seasons with Kyrie Irving, perhaps the former Duke star could have entered Wade territory as arguably the best guard "The King" ever played with. But the longevity of the Irving-James pairing slightly hurts it in these rankings despite being one of the more flawless offensive duos in NBA history.

Irving's ability to play on-and-off the ball merged perfectly with James as he blossomed into his own stardom, already a rising star for the Cavaliers when James decided to return in 2014. Over the next three years, there were countless highlights between the two, from Irving crossovers and James posters to alley-oops and impressive kick-out passes. 

The lasting memory of the Irving-James pairing is the collective performance they put on in the 2016 NBA Finals, leading the Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit. When they were on the court together, not many teams handle them, including Stephen Curry's Warriors.

Between Irving missing all but one game of the 2015 NBA Finals, then deciding to request a trade in 2017 despite years of success in Cleveland, there's an element of "what if" to his time with James. Together, though, they were a highlight machine.

MORE: 7 gutsiest NBA playoff performances of all time

2. Anthony Davis

• Seasons as James' teammate: 6
• Years/Teams Together: Lakers (2019-25)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2019-20

Based on everything known about Anthony Davis when the Lakers traded for him in 2019, with L.A. going all-in on a co-star for James for the first time, the team has to be satisfied with how this duo turned out over six seasons.

Davis was exactly as advertised in purple and gold: one of the most talented big men of all-time, a defensive game-wrecker and a do-it-all player from the frontcourt who could average 25 points in his sleep. With the Pelicans, Davis didn't get a chance to contribute to winning. That quickly changed with James. 

The fact that their 2020 championship came in "The Bubble" due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have thrown things off from a legacy perspective, but the Lakers were undoubtedly the NBA's best team from start-to-finish in 2019-20. James and Davis were also an unstoppable force.

Injuries to Davis likely prevented him from building a real case as James' "best teammate ever" — he managed just 36 appearances in 2020-21, 40 in 2021-22 and 56 in 2022-23. There were plenty more highlights from the James-Davis pairing after their championship, but there was also a lingering feeling of disappointment that their most successful campaign came in Year 1 as teammates.

This star duo also met an abrupt ending when Davis was sent to the Mavericks in exchange for Doncic, ending an era for the Lakers. Still, there were times where Davis could make fans question whether James was even the best player on his own team — he was easily the most unstoppable frontcourt presence James was ever paired up with.

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1. Dwyane Wade

• Seasons as James' teammate: 5
• Years/Teams Together: Heat (2010-14), Cavaliers (2017-18)
• Best Season as James' teammate: 2010-11

When you think about James' star teammates, one sticks out among the rest. Not just for their accomplishments together, including two championships. Not just for their pure dominance on a nightly basis. It was also the clear chemistry and friendship off the court that helped James and Wade pack a punch in their four years as Heat teammates — and they even had a brief reunion in Cleveland.

With all due respect to Bosh, it was the James-Wade pairing that made the Heat a dynasty-level threat in the NBA. Both were clear future Hall of Famers, unstoppable downhill threats and smart, two-way talents who were willing to sacrifice to win. Outside of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, they may be the most iconic teammate duo of the 21st century.

With Wade and James, at times, Miami's regular season simply felt like an opportunity to build out their highlight reels before the actual challenge of the playoffs arrived. Wade may have been more of a side-kick alongside James, but he was also a proven 1A on a title team thanks to his 2006 run with the Heat.

It helps that they likely played their peak "prime years" together in Miami, but in terms of influence on the NBA as a star duo, most teams didn't stand a chance when Wade and James were on the floor together.

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