15) Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo took a while to get going, taking until his fourth season in the NBA to average 20 points per game but over the final three seasons of the 2010s, he was as good as any player on this list. From 2016–17 to 2018–19, Giannis posted 25.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.
That run resulted in him making three all-star teams, three All-NBA teams, winning Most Improved Player of the Year, and, of course, winning a league Most Valuable Player award, his first of back-to-back MVPs, though only the first counts in these rankings. Neither does the Bucks' run to the NBA Finals, where he led them to their first championship in more than 50 years.
Nevertheless, his dominance on both sides of the ball made him a top-3 NBA player towards the end of the 2010s, after he seemingly came out of nowhere after being selected 15 overall in 2013. This despite him not playing the first three seasons of the decade. All told, Giannis' averages of 18.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 465 games over six seasons understate how good he was during the 2000s. Still, his accolades show that he was and is a top-tier player.