The 50 greatest NBA players of the 2020s (so far), ranked

29) Bam Adebayo

Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo might not have the biggest number of players on the list but his two-way impact makes him just as valuable. With Adebayo as their second-best player, the Heat have put together a strong run, making the NBA Finals in 2020, the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2023.

Three deep playoff runs in a five-year span is impressive and he was the backbone of those teams, with his defensive versatility helping them slow down even the best teams and his flourishing offensive game helping star Jimmy Butler shoulder the offensive load. With Butler nearing his mid-30s, the Heat will probably rely on him more going forward.

At the half-way point of the decade, he's averaged 18.7 points. 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1 block—surprisingly well-rounded production for a big man. That should only continue with him only being 32 by decade's end and having a chance to make several more all-star teams and all-defensive teams after having made three and five of them, respectively, in the 2020s up to this point.

He is also likely to win a gold medal in the 2024 Olympics and be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year for the foreseeable future, all of which would give him the opportunity to rise in the rankings.