The 50 greatest NBA players of the 2020s (so far), ranked
By Cal Durrett
14) Jimmy Butler
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler may not have the stats of some of his contemporaries on this list, but he has had a well-above-average decade. He has made just two all-star appearances thus far in the 2020s, proving that he is underrated, especially since Butler has been one of the most impactful players of this era, averaging 21.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game in 291 games.
Not just that, but he led the Miami Heat to three Eastern Conference Finals in a four-season span, including making the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023 as an eight-seed. Those deep playoff runs cemented his reputation as "Playoff Jimmy," in which he'd take over games and, through sheer force, carry the Heat across the finish line.
His 56-point performance in Game 4 of the Heat's first-round series against the top-seed Milwaukee Bucks is the fourth-highest playoff scoring performance ever. In 64 playoff games in the 2020s, Butler has posted an impressive 24.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists, showing that he has another gear that other top players don't. At age 34, he may soon enter a new phase of his career, but at this point in the decade, he ranks among the 15 best players.