The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2010s, ranked

70) Eric Bledsoe

Former NBA guard Eric Bledsoe got his start with the LA Clippers and immediately showed that he was better than expected. His combination of defensive prowess and athleticism made an impact in limited minutes, which was a result of the Clippers having Chris Paul at point guard.

That led to Bledsoe being moved in a three-team deal with the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks, with Bledsoe being moved to the Suns while the Clippers received JJ Redick. In four seasons with the Suns, Bledsoe put up strong numbers, averaging 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Although he failed to make the all-star team, mostly due to playing in a conference that featured the likes of Steph Curry, Chris Paul, and James Harden, Bledsoe was an above-average guard for much of the 2010s.

During the 2013–14 season, he, along with Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas, formed a three-headed point guard monster that led the Suns to 48 wins, which was the best record for a team to have missed the playoffs. Bledsoe later finished out the 2010s with the Milwaukee Bucks and averaged 14.1 points, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 570 games during that span.