5 Takeaways and surprises from ESPN's top 25 NBA players of the 21st century ranking

Takeaways and surprises #3: Joel Embiid misses the cut

One of the more intriguing snubs on this list is superstar Joel Embiid. Embiid has been one of the three or four best players in the NBA over the last several years, with three straight top-3 MVP finishes from 2020-21 to 2022-23, including winning in 22–23. He also led the league in scoring back-to-back seasons in 21-22 and 22-23, a rarity for a center, with Shaquille O'Neal being the last before him. In fact, had he played enough games, he would have led the league in scoring again in 23-24.

With averages of 27.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, some might see Embiid's absence on this list as a clear oversight. The numbers don't lie but there is more to Embiid, with him missing significant time over his career. Since being drafted in 2014, Embiid has missed at least half of four seasons, including his first two seasons in their entirety.

That means that he has missed about 40% of his career games thus far. He has also never made it past the second round, while his rival Nikola Jokic has already won a championship. With so many great players to choose from and Embiid having played fewer than 450 regular seasons, ESPN may have a point leaving him off this list and putting the likes of Luka Doncic above him. That can change, however, with another MVP season and, especially, a championship.