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

2) Nikola Jokić

Big man Nikola Jokic might not be number one on this list but it's hard to debate the fact that he has had the best decade. Jokic came in at 45 on the list of the greatest players of the 2010s but ranks among the three best players of the current decade after winning three league MVP's in four seasons with a second-place finish mixed in.

That was a result of Jokic putting up outrageous numbers, averaging 24.9 points while shooting 57.8% from the field, as well as 11.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game. He also came within 0.2 assists of averaging a triple double during the 2022–23 season, though he failed to beat out Joel Embiid for league MVP.

Fortunately, for him and the Denver Nuggets, he led them to their first-ever championship while also winning the NBA Finals MVP. Four MVP's, five all-star appearances, and five All-NBA appearances, including four first teams, put him in rare air and gave him one of the best five-year stretches in league history.

At just 29 years old and with a game that should age well, he should continue to play at a high level over the final five years of the decade. That would give him a chance to improve his placement on this list but he doesn't have much left to climb.