The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2010s, ranked

8) Chris Paul

NBA legend Chris Paul is still playing, even after his 2005 debut. He is currently in his third decade in the league and has been among the best players in each era, especially in the 2010s, when his career really took off. His decade started off on a high note, making seven straight all-star teams as a member of the New Orleans Hornets and then the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Still, Paul's decade could have been very different had former commissioner David Stern not vetoed his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011. Ironically, that deal probably would have worked out better for the Hornets, Houston Rockets, and, of course, the Lakers. Fortunately for the Clippers, they were given a chance to acquire Paul, which helped turn them from a laughing stock to "Lob City," along with Blake Griffin and De'Andre Jordan.

Lob City would last six seasons, with the Clippers making the playoffs each of those years after only doing so seven times in their first 40. Paul was largely responsible, with him averaging 18.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 2.2 steals for L.A. 

Of course, Paul was later dealt to the Houston Rockets, where he teamed up with then-superstar James Harden and the pairing made it to the West semi-finals to close out the decade, with Paul posting 18.1 points and 9.6 assists in 650 total games. That makes him one of the three best point guards of the 2010s.