16) Joel Embiid
Few players in the last 25 years have been as hard to stop as Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid. From 2020–21 to 2023–24, Embiid made four all-star teams, three All-NBA first or second teams, and had three top-two finishes in MVP voting. He won the award in 2022–23 and was on his way to winning it in 23–24, along with his third straight scoring title, had it not been for an untimely injury.
Embiid's dominance is blunted by missing significant time, including the first two seasons of his career and more than half of his actual rookie year. Had he played even half of those missed games, he'd be a top-10 player on this list and entering the all-time great discussions.
As it stands, however, with career averages of 27.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks, his output is elite. The best ability is availability, however, and he'll have to play much more going forward for him to move up the list.
At 29, he probably won't suddenly become more durable, but his game might age fairly well, allowing him to still put up numbers well into his 30s. That bodes well for him, though he will be measured on whether he will win a championship between now and then.