The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2010s, ranked

48) Joel Embiid 

With only 158 games played over five seasons, Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid had just enough of a resume to make the cut. Embiid, of course, missed his first two seasons with a foot injury, with many questioning whether he would go on to have a good career. 

He quieted those concerns by averaging 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds during his rookie season, though he played in just 31 games, which cost him Rookie of the Year. He would make his first all-star team the following year, in 2017–18, and make an All-NBA team too, establishing himself as a star. 

During the final year of the decade, Embiid took his game to the next level, posting 27.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game, resulting in another all-star and all-NBA selection. With averages of 24.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in three seasons and having made two all-star and all-NBA teams, Embiid did just enough in a short period of time to make the list. That being said, he comes in far lower on this list than he would in the 2020s.