Best NBA Players Since 2020

Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the best NBA players since 2020 in the SOG Sports tier list. They stand alone in Tier 1 because no other players in this window match their complete blend of MVP-level production, championship performance, sustained dominance and control over both ends of a game.

This is a tier ranking of 38 players, not a strict 1-through-38 list. The tier is the ranking. Names within the same tier follow the supplied graphics and are not ordered from best to worst. The evaluation covers the 2019-20 through 2025-26 seasons, so this is about performance inside the window rather than full-career reputation.

The result puts Jokić and Antetokounmpo at the top, gives Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the strongest challenge from Tier 2 after his back-to-back MVPs and 2025 championship, and rewards Jalen Brunson’s 2026 title and Finals MVP without erasing the longer bodies of work above him. For a broader historical comparison, see the SOG Sports ranking of the best NBA players of all time.

How We Ranked the Best NBA Players Since 2020

This ranking weighs sustained regular-season value, postseason performance, peak ability, awards, efficiency, defense and availability. Regular-season production establishes the baseline, but the playoffs carry substantial weight because championship opponents expose weaknesses that ordinary games do not. Rings matter without becoming a shortcut: a player receives credit for how much he drove a run, not merely for appearing on the winning roster.

Peak value can outweigh a small longevity gap, especially when the peak includes an MVP, a championship or dominant two-way play. Availability still matters. Joel Embiid and Kawhi Leonard have reached levels that belong much higher on pure ability, while missed time limits the total value they delivered across seven seasons. Younger players such as Victor Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham are judged only on completed work, not projected careers.

The window also prevents all-time reputation from taking over. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Chris Paul and Damian Lillard receive credit only for what they produced from 2019-20 through 2025-26. Their earlier achievements help explain the players they became, but they do not add points to this ranking. Historical volume can be explored separately in the NBA’s all-time scoring leaders and all-time rebounding leaders.

Eligibility and Scope

The statistical window begins with the 2019-20 regular season, commonly called the 2020 season, and ends with the completed 2025-26 season. Regular-season averages cited below use that span. Players who entered the league later are evaluated from their NBA debut through 2025-26. Postseason statistics and accomplishments are evaluated separately so playoff games are not mixed into regular-season averages.

There is no minimum number of seasons. That allows short but extraordinary runs from Wembanyama and other younger stars to be recognized without pretending they have matched seven full seasons of accumulation. The list is a curated 38-player field, and its tier memberships and in-tier display order match the supplied graphics.

Tier 7: All-Star Peaks and Active Climbers

Tier 7 features De’Aaron Fox, Julius Randle, Ja Morant, Cade Cunningham, Paul George, DeMar DeRozan and Evan Mobley.

Tier 7 is not a collection of ordinary starters. It includes award winners, All-NBA players and genuine franchise engines. Each player owns a defining peak, but the full window contains less elite production, postseason weight or availability than the tiers above.

De’Aaron Fox

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 25.0 points and 6.1 assists per game in 2022-23; 2023 Clutch Player of the Year; 2023 All-NBA Third Team.

Fox’s first step changes the geometry of a defense. He can beat the initial defender without a screen, pressure the rim before help is set and still get to a short pull-up when the paint closes. The 2022-23 season turned those tools into a complete lead-guard case, and his late-game scoring earned the first Clutch Player of the Year award.

Tier 7 reflects the seasons around that peak. Fox has not paired his regular-season production with enough deep postseason work to move into the veteran guard group above him. The best version is good enough to climb; the completed seven-season résumé is not there yet.

Julius Randle

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2021 Most Improved Player; 2021 All-NBA Second Team; 2023 All-NBA Third Team; 2025 conference finalist.

Randle rebuilt his game during this window. He became a high-volume creator from the forward spot, used his strength to reach preferred areas and turned defensive attention into kick-out passes. His 2020-21 season remains the foundation: 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game while carrying an enormous offensive burden.

The uneven playoff efficiency is the separator. Randle has produced more regular-season value than several flashier names, but his handle and shot selection have been easier to pressure in a series. Tier 7 balances two All-NBA seasons against that postseason gap.

Ja Morant

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 22.4 points, 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game across his first 327 games; 2020 Rookie of the Year; 2022 Most Improved Player and All-NBA Second Team.

Morant’s best stretch was a genuine superstar burst. His acceleration turns small driving lanes into paint touches, his vertical finishing punishes rotating bigs and his passing makes aggressive help dangerous. In 2021-22, he averaged 27.4 points and pushed his offense to a different level.

Availability and interrupted momentum hold the case down. The talent belongs several tiers higher, but this ranking cannot fill missing seasons with projection. Morant needs a longer run of dependable star production and more playoff work to close that gap.

Cade Cunningham

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 22.5 points, 8.0 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game through 272 games; 2025 All-NBA Third Team; 2026 All-NBA First Team.

Cunningham made one of the largest late-window jumps on the board. At 6-foot-6, he can see over the first line of defense, manipulate help with pace and create a clean attempt without relying on elite burst. His 2025-26 season established him as a first-team All-NBA engine rather than a prospect with appealing tools.

Only time keeps him in Tier 7. The early seasons included injuries, poor spacing and heavy developmental possessions, while the players above him have longer records of elite play. A repeat of his 2025-26 level would force a major move.

Paul George

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 21.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in 341 games; 2021 All-NBA Third Team; 2021 conference finalist; three All-Star selections in the window.

George still supplied one of the cleanest two-way wing packages in the first half of the window. He could create threes off the dribble, attack a tilted floor, defend across perimeter positions and play with or without the ball. His 2021 postseason run was the clearest example of his ability to lead after a co-star went down.

The placement is about accumulated value, not a dismissal of his peak. Injuries repeatedly broke up his seasons, and his later years did not match the steadier stars above. At full strength, he was far better than a typical Tier 7 player; he simply was not at full strength often enough.

DeMar DeRozan

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 27.9 points per game and 2,118 total points in 2021-22; 2022 All-NBA Second Team; 2022 and 2023 All-Star.

DeRozan extended his prime by leaning even harder into footwork, strength and mid-range precision. He can turn a switch into a controlled post possession, punish smaller defenders and create a credible shot late in the clock without needing elite three-point volume.

The regular-season scoring is stronger than the postseason résumé in this window. DeRozan remained a dependable offensive star, but he did not drive a deep playoff run or add enough defense and off-ball value to match the more complete cases in Tier 6.

Evan Mobley

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2025 Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA Second Team; 2023 and 2025 All-Defensive First Team; 2022 All-Rookie First Team.

Mobley already owns the most important defensive award available. His range allows him to protect the rim, survive on the perimeter and erase mistakes without being locked into one coverage. The offensive growth matters too: improved strength, decision-making and face-up skill made him more than a defensive specialist.

His résumé starts in 2021-22, leaving less time to accumulate value than nearly everyone above him. That explains Tier 7 more than any weakness in his peak. A DPOY-level big with expanding offense is one of the most obvious future climbers.

Tier 6: Era-Defining Specialists and Offensive Engines

Tier 6 features Rudy Gobert, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Trae Young, Kyrie Irving, Domantas Sabonis and Jrue Holiday.

Tier 6 rewards players who repeatedly shaped winning through a defining skill. Some drove elite offense. Others anchored elite defense or supplied the two-way connective play that completed championship lineups. Their cases are more sustained than Tier 7, but less complete than the stars in Tier 5.

Rudy Gobert

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2021 and 2024 Defensive Player of the Year; multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive selections; consecutive conference-finals appearances in 2024 and 2025.

Gobert’s value has always been larger than his block total. He discourages attempts before they happen, cleans the defensive glass and turns the regular season into a nightly test of whether opponents can score without living at the rim. His fourth career DPOY in 2024 confirmed that the impact survived a change in surroundings.

The playoff debate is real but often overstated. Small lineups can pull him away from the basket, yet perimeter breakdowns are not automatically his fault. He stays in Tier 6 because his offensive limitations narrow lineup flexibility, while his durable defensive value clears the tier below. His place among the era’s rebounders is also reflected in the most rebounds in the NBA since 2000 leaderboard.

Damian Lillard

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 30.0 points and 8.0 assists per game in 2019-20; 2020 bubble MVP; three All-NBA selections in the window; 2024 All-Star Game MVP.

Lillard began the window at the height of his powers. His shooting range stretched pick-and-roll coverage far above the arc, and his ability to reject a screen or split a trap made conventional guard defense feel inadequate. The 71-point game in 2023 was the loudest reminder that the scoring ceiling remained enormous.

Team results and late-window availability keep him below the championship guards in Tier 5. Lillard remained a devastating offensive player, but the full span does not contain enough deep playoff impact to overcome the defensive limitations and missed time.

Chris Paul

Since-2020 stats and accolades: Three All-NBA selections from 2020 through 2022; 2021 Finals appearance; league-leading 10.8 assists per game in 2021-22.

Paul entered the window well past his physical peak and still controlled games at an All-NBA level. He manipulated the weak-side defender, lived in the elbow area and turned late-game possessions into a sequence of favourable matchups. His impact on younger lineups was immediate because the ball almost always reached the correct player at the correct time.

The 2021 Finals run is the centrepiece, while age and declining scoring volume shape the rest of the evaluation. Paul delivered an elite opening half of the window and useful organization afterward, but not seven seasons of star-level force.

Trae Young

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 29.6 points and 9.3 assists per game in 2019-20; 2021 conference finalist; 2022 All-NBA Third Team; 2025 assists leader at 11.6 per game.

Young can create a top-level offense through passing volume and shooting gravity. His high pick-and-roll forces a defender to choose between the lob, the floater and a pull-up from several feet behind the line. Few players in the window generated more points directly through scoring and assists.

The defence and inconsistent team results define the tier boundary. Young’s size creates matchup targets in the playoffs, and his high-risk playmaking can become volatile when a series removes the first read. The 2021 run proves his offense can travel; the seasons since have not supplied enough supporting evidence to climb.

Kyrie Irving

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 26.9 points per game on 50.6% shooting, 40.2% from three and 92.2% at the line in 2020-21; 2021 All-NBA Third Team; 2024 Finals appearance.

Irving’s 2020-21 season belongs among the most skilled scoring performances of the period. He could finish with either hand, separate without elite size and punish every coverage from all three levels. His shot creation later became a major part of a 2024 Finals run.

The gaps matter. Irving missed large portions of multiple seasons, and the window never produced the sustained individual award résumé of the higher tiers. His peak skill is undeniable; his total availability and two-way impact are not strong enough for Tier 5.

Domantas Sabonis

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2023 and 2024 All-NBA Third Team; three consecutive rebounding titles from 2023 through 2025; 13.7 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game in 2023-24.

Sabonis became one of the league’s most productive offensive hubs. He creates advantages through screening, handoffs, short-roll passing and relentless work on the glass. His 2023-24 season combined centre-level rebounding with point-forward playmaking, a rare regular-season floor raiser.

Postseason translation is the concern. Opponents can sag away from him, crowd the handoff game and challenge his rim protection. The production makes Tier 6 comfortable, but the playoff limitations prevent the jump into a group built around stronger championship evidence.

Jrue Holiday

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2021 and 2024 NBA champion; four All-Defensive selections from 2021 through 2024; 2021 All-Star.

Holiday’s value is clearest when the games become specific. He can take the hardest perimeter assignment, defend larger players in the post and still make the extra pass or attack a closeout. The steal and alley-oop sequence late in the 2021 Finals captured how one defensive play can swing a championship.

He was not the primary engine of either title team, which keeps him below the stars in Tier 5. Two championships in major two-way roles, however, give him one of the strongest winning cases in this tier.

Tier 5: Championship Stars and Two-Way Anchors

Tier 5 features Kawhi Leonard, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jamal Murray, Bam Adebayo, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.

Tier 5 is where star production meets meaningful championship evidence. Every player here either drove a deep postseason run, anchored a contender on one end or reached an elite peak that would rank higher with better availability.

Kawhi Leonard

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 25.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in 331 games; four All-NBA selections; 30.4 points per game in the 2021 playoffs.

Leonard at full strength remained a top-tier postseason scorer. He could hunt a preferred matchup, reach the elbows without wasting movement and defend a star wing when the possession demanded it. His 2021 playoff efficiency was overwhelming before injury ended the run.

The words “at full strength” explain Tier 5. Leonard missed the entire 2021-22 season and repeatedly entered later postseasons with limited availability. A peak-only list would place him much higher; a seven-season value ranking cannot ignore how often that peak was unavailable.

Karl-Anthony Towns

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2022 and 2025 All-NBA Third Team; 2024 conference finalist; 2026 NBA champion.

Towns remains one of the most difficult shooting matchups ever created by a big. He can punish a slow centre above the arc, attack a hard closeout and score efficiently without monopolizing every possession. That adaptability helped him succeed in different frontcourt structures and eventually in a championship run.

He lands in Tier 5 because the offensive talent now has real postseason evidence behind it. Defensive consistency and foul trouble have prevented a higher individual peak, but two All-NBA seasons, a conference-finals run and a 2026 title form a substantial body of work.

Jamal Murray

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 26.1 points, 7.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game in the 2023 playoffs; 2023 NBA champion; 2026 All-NBA Third Team.

Murray’s ranking requires the playoffs to matter. He has repeatedly become a more forceful scorer in a series, using two-man actions, difficult pull-ups and patient footwork to punish switching defences. His 2023 run was not a secondary footnote; it was championship-level guard play.

The delayed first All-NBA selection shows why he does not rise further. Injuries erased the 2021-22 season, and his regular-season résumé lagged behind the league’s established lead guards. The title run and 2026 breakthrough give him a clear Tier 5 edge over Tier 6.

Bam Adebayo

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2020 and 2023 Finals appearances; five consecutive All-Defensive selections from 2020 through 2024; three All-Star selections in the window.

Adebayo has been one of the era’s most scheme-proof defenders. He can switch onto guards, recover to the rim, defend in space and organize the back line without forcing one rigid coverage. On offense, his screening, short-roll passing and mid-range development allow him to connect lineups without demanding star usage.

He does not have the scoring ceiling of the players above, and that has surfaced when postseason offense stalls. Two Finals runs and years of elite defensive work still give him a stronger complete case than the specialists in Tier 6.

Tyrese Haliburton

Since-2020 stats and accolades: League-leading 10.9 assists per game in 2023-24; 2024 and 2025 All-NBA Third Team; 2025 Finals appearance; two All-Star selections.

Haliburton’s best skill is turning early offense into efficient decisions. He advances the ball quickly, sees corner shooters before the defence has loaded and can pull up from deep when opponents duck under. His late-game shot-making during the 2025 run added a postseason signature to the passing numbers.

A torn Achilles cost him the entire 2025-26 season, limiting the amount of completed work. The 2025 Finals run puts his peak above most Tier 6 guards, while the shorter résumé and injury keep him from joining Tier 4.

Pascal Siakam

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2020 All-NBA Second Team; 2022 All-NBA Third Team; 2025 conference-finals MVP and Finals appearance.

Siakam has supplied star production without requiring a narrow roster design. He can initiate in transition, attack mismatches, score from the mid-post and defend several frontcourt roles. His game became more controlled as the window progressed, especially when he could attack a rotating defence instead of creating every possession from a standstill.

The 2025 postseason strengthened a résumé that already included two All-NBA seasons. He is not as dominant in one area as the Tier 4 scorers, but his versatility and deep-playoff value make Tier 5 secure.

Tier 4: Elite Modern Superstars

Tier 4 features Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell, Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama and James Harden.

Tier 4 contains players with unmistakable superstar peaks but one major gap compared with Tier 3. For some, it is championship success. For others, it is longevity inside the window, availability or a postseason record that has not fully matched the regular-season dominance.

Devin Booker

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 26.5 points, 5.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game; 2021 Finals appearance; 2022 All-NBA First Team; 33.7 points per game in the 2023 playoffs.

Booker evolved from a pure scorer into a complete offensive organizer. He can punish drop coverage with the pull-up, attack either direction from the nail and create for teammates when traps remove his own shot. His 2023 postseason was the peak, combining volume with absurd mid-range efficiency.

The 2021 Finals and first-team All-NBA season make the case substantial. He remains below Tier 3 because the window does not include a championship, MVP or enough years as one of the league’s very best two-way players.

Kevin Durant

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 27.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in 352 games; three All-NBA Second Team selections; 34.3 points per game in the 2021 playoffs.

Durant’s scoring translated across age, injury and changing contexts. The release point remains almost impossible to contest, and his length lets him see clean passing windows even when defenders crowd the dribble. His 2021 postseason was a reminder that his best offensive level still belonged near the top of the league.

The problem is not production. It is the combination of missed games and limited team success after 2021. Durant stayed elite when available, but the Tier 3 players paired comparable peaks with a championship, MVP or more sustained postseason leadership.

Donovan Mitchell

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 36.3 points per game in the 2020 first round; 71 points in a 2023 game; 2023 and 2026 All-NBA Second Team; 2025 All-NBA First Team.

Mitchell has been one of the window’s most explosive playoff-capable scorers. He creates separation with power and change of direction, finishes above length and can generate a three without needing the offence to manufacture space first. The 2020 duel and 71-point night capture the ceiling, but his year-to-year scoring is the stronger argument.

Three All-NBA selections, including a first team, put him close to Tier 3. The missing conference-finals or Finals run is the decisive gap in a group where postseason leadership carries meaningful weight.

Anthony Edwards

Since-2020 stats and accolades: Two All-NBA Second Team selections; consecutive conference-finals appearances in 2024 and 2025; 27.6 points per game across those two postseasons.

Edwards became a star by pairing overwhelming downhill force with steady skill growth. He can rise over a defender from three, absorb contact at the rim and take a difficult perimeter assignment when engaged. His postseason confidence is not empty theatre; he has already led multiple deep runs.

Tier 4 reflects both the rise and the shorter runway. Edwards entered the league in 2020-21 and spent the early part of the window developing. His completed peak is strong enough to clear Tier 5, while the MVP and championship standards above remain unfinished.

Victor Wembanyama

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 23.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 blocks per game through 181 games; 2024 Rookie of the Year; 2026 Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA First Team; 2026 Finals appearance.

Wembanyama produced an all-time defensive peak before completing his third season. He protects the rim without surrendering the perimeter, turns shots that look open into emergency passes and creates transition opportunities through reach alone. On offense, the handle and shooting force centres into uncomfortable areas of the floor.

No player in Tier 4 has less accumulated work. He is this high because a unanimous DPOY, first-team All-NBA season and Finals run are already extraordinary. He stays below Tier 3 because three seasons cannot yet equal the sustained excellence above, no matter how high the ceiling looks. His defensive hardware can be compared with every winner on the NBA Defensive Player of the Year history list.

James Harden

Since-2020 stats and accolades: League-leading 34.3 points per game in 2019-20; league-leading 10.7 assists per game in 2022-23; three All-NBA selections in the window.

Harden opened the window as the league’s highest-volume scorer and later reinvented himself as a table-setting guard. His ability to force switches, draw two defenders and read the back line remained elite even after the first-step burst declined.

The versatility of that evolution earns Tier 4, but the window lacks the championship run or defining playoff series needed for Tier 3. Injuries and uneven postseason finishes also interrupt what the regular-season playmaking numbers suggest.

Tier 3: MVP Peaks and Playoff Headliners

Tier 3 features Jalen Brunson, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Jaylen Brown and Jimmy Butler.

Tier 3 is built around players who supplied either an MVP-level regular-season peak or the driving force behind a major Finals run. Each owns a stronger signature achievement than Tier 4, but none matches Tier 2’s full combination of sustained dominance, repeated All-NBA standing and top-level postseason value.

Jalen Brunson

Since-2020 stats and accolades: Three consecutive All-NBA selections from 2024 through 2026; 2026 NBA champion and Finals MVP; 32.6 points per game in the 2026 Finals.

Brunson completed the biggest résumé-changing season on the list. His balance, pivot work and pace let him create clean looks without elite size, while his strength makes it difficult to knock him off a spot. He closed the 2026 Finals with 45 points in Game 5 and became the unanimous Finals MVP.

The title makes him the strongest current challenge to the Tier 2 boundary. He remains in Tier 3 because his superstar portion of the window began later than the cases above, and he has not yet accumulated an MVP or the same number of elite seasons. That is a longevity distinction, not a dismissal of his championship peak.

Joel Embiid

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 332 games; 2023 MVP; scoring champion in 2022 and 2023.

Embiid reached one of the highest regular-season peaks of the era. He combined centre size with face-up footwork, foul pressure, mid-range touch and real rim protection. At his best, opponents had no single coverage that could solve both the scoring and the passing reads created by extra help.

Injuries and the lack of a conference-finals appearance are impossible to remove from the evaluation. His MVP peak is better than many Tier 2 seasons, but the window is about total impact. Too many postseasons ended with Embiid limited or unavailable for Tier 2 to be justified.

Anthony Davis

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2020 NBA champion; 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in the 2020 playoffs; All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team in 2020.

Davis authored one of the best two-way championship runs of the window. His mobility allowed him to defend at the level of the screen, switch late in games and still protect the rim, while his touch and vertical finishing made him a devastating offensive partner. He returned to a similar defensive level during the 2023 conference-finals run.

The peak is Tier 2 quality. The issue is that injuries prevented a full season in most of the window and interrupted several playoff pushes. Tier 3 gives the title run its proper weight without treating availability as optional.

Jaylen Brown

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 24.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in 452 games; 2024 NBA champion, Finals MVP and conference-finals MVP; 2023 and 2026 All-NBA Second Team.

Brown’s 2024 run settled the question of whether he could be the decisive scorer in championship rounds. His strength and straight-line burst create paint pressure, and his on-ball defence gives him value when the shot is not falling. He later expanded his playmaking and reached another All-NBA level in 2025-26.

He sits below Tier 2 because he shared primary responsibility rather than carrying the full creation burden across the entire window. A Finals MVP, two All-NBA teams and consistent two-way production still make Tier 3 a strong placement.

Jimmy Butler

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 2020 and 2023 Finals appearances; 2023 conference-finals MVP; three All-NBA selections; 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game in the 2023 playoffs.

Butler repeatedly turned ordinary regular-season expectations into long playoff runs. He hunts contact, creates shots from the mid-post, makes the correct pass against a double-team and raises his defensive attention when a series demands it. His 40-point triple-double in the 2020 Finals and 56-point game in 2023 are signature performances of the era.

The regular-season volume and availability never matched Tier 2. Butler was also less efficient late in some runs after carrying an enormous workload. Two Finals appearances as the central competitive force are enough to place him comfortably above Tier 4.

Tier 2: The Inner Circle

Tier 2 features Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum and LeBron James.

Tier 2 contains the players who defined the window without matching the complete seven-season case of Tier 1. Every name here owns MVP-calibre production, a championship-level peak or sustained All-NBA dominance. The differences are narrow enough that another season could change the boundary.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 28.0 points, 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in 448 games; 2025 and 2026 MVP; 2025 NBA champion, Finals MVP and scoring champion; four All-NBA selections.

Gilgeous-Alexander now owns the strongest challenge to Tier 1. He controls defenders with cadence rather than wasted dribbles, reaches the paint without a screen and scores efficiently despite defenses knowing where he wants to operate. His length and anticipation also make him a meaningful defensive playmaker.

The 2024-25 season supplied the championship proof: MVP, scoring title, Finals MVP and a title in the same year. A second straight MVP in 2025-26 removed any one-season concern. He remains in Tier 2 only because Jokić and Antetokounmpo controlled more of the full seven-season window; the gap is now extremely small.

Luka Dončić

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 30.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game in 442 games; six All-NBA First Team selections; 2024 scoring champion and Finals appearance.

Dončić has been the window’s most prolific all-around perimeter producer. He manipulates switches, punishes smaller defenders in the post and delivers cross-court passes after forcing the low defender to commit. His playoff scoring has generally risen rather than fallen against targeted game plans.

Six first-team selections make the sustained dominance undeniable. The missing MVP and championship separate him from Tier 1, while the extraordinary production and 2024 Finals run make Tier 3 too low.

Stephen Curry

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 27.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game in 375 games; 2021 scoring champion; 2022 NBA champion and Finals MVP; five All-NBA selections.

Curry’s 2022 title is one of the defining accomplishments of the period. He remained the league’s most disruptive off-ball star, forcing defenders to abandon normal help positions and opening lanes before he touched the ball. In the Finals, he paired that gravity with direct shot creation and averaged 31.2 points.

He missed most of 2019-20 and did not control the full window like Tier 1. Still, the championship, scoring title, efficiency and structural effect on every defence make him an easy Tier 2 selection.

Jayson Tatum

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 26.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in 442 games; four consecutive All-NBA First Team selections from 2022 through 2025; 2024 NBA champion.

Tatum built his case through elite repetition. He scores at all three levels, defends across several positions and logged more deep playoff games than almost any star in the window. The 2024 title rewarded a run in which his passing and rebounding remained valuable even when teammates carried individual scoring stretches.

His peak has not been as overwhelming as the MVP winners around him, and his 2025 injury removed most of the following season. Four straight first teams, two Finals appearances and a championship provide the sustained two-way value that keeps him above Tier 3.

LeBron James

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 25.7 points, 7.9 assists and 7.6 rebounds per game in 424 games; 2020 NBA champion, Finals MVP and assists leader; six All-NBA selections from 2020 through 2025.

James entered the window in his seventeenth season and still produced a championship as the primary organizer. His ability to identify a mismatch, control tempo and deliver passes through the smallest opening remained elite even as his defensive workload and nightly rim pressure declined.

The age-defying production is part of the achievement, but it does not earn bonus credit beyond the games themselves. James sits in Tier 2 because the 2020 title and six All-NBA seasons are extraordinary; he stays below Tier 1 because injuries and uneven team results limited the rest of the window.

Tier 1: The Standards of the Era

Tier 1 features Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Tier 1 requires dominance across almost the entire window. Jokić and Antetokounmpo each combined MVP seasons, a championship peak, overwhelming production and a style of play that opponents had to build entire postseason plans around. No one else has the same complete seven-season case.

Nikola Jokić

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 25.9 points, 12.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game in 502 games; 2021, 2022 and 2024 MVP; 2023 NBA champion and Finals MVP.

Jokić is the defining offensive player of the window. He creates efficient possessions from the post, the elbow, transition and the top of the floor, while his passing punishes every form of help. Single coverage becomes a high-percentage scoring possession; a double-team becomes an open shot for someone else.

The 2023 championship confirmed that the regular-season model could survive four playoff rounds. Jokić averaged 30.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists across that postseason, controlled pace without dominating the ball and solved each opponent’s coverage in a different way. Three MVPs, a title, a Finals MVP and elite availability make him the strongest overall case on the board.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Since-2020 stats and accolades: 29.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game in 430 games; 2020 MVP and Defensive Player of the Year; 2021 NBA champion and Finals MVP.

Antetokounmpo began the window with the rare MVP-DPOY double and followed it with an all-time championship run. His transition force, rim pressure and defensive range change the physical terms of a game. Opponents must build a wall on one end and account for his help defence on the other.

The 50-point closeout in the 2021 Finals remains the signature performance, but the case is much larger than one night. Antetokounmpo sustained near-30-point production, elite rebounding and major defensive responsibility across the window. Jokić has the slight total-value edge, yet this tier does not impose an in-tier order. Both cleared the standard that separates them from Tier 2.

Honorable Mentions and Toughest Cuts

Jalen Williams was the hardest omission after an All-NBA season and a major role on the 2025 championship team. Tyrese Maxey strengthened his case with a 2026 All-NBA selection, but his star-level body of work began later than the guards in Tier 7.

Chet Holmgren combined a 2025 championship with a 2026 All-NBA selection, while Jalen Johnson and Jalen Duren also broke through to All-NBA in 2026. All three were hurt by the short length of their completed peaks relative to a seven-season window.

Jaren Jackson Jr. won Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and belongs near the final tier, but rebounding, availability and uneven offensive efficiency kept him just outside. Draymond Green remained a championship-level defender and playmaker in 2022, although declining availability and scoring limited his total case. Paolo Banchero, LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson supplied star-level stretches without enough dependable seasons to displace the final seven.

Biggest Debates and Tier Boundaries

Does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander belong in Tier 1?

He has the best argument. Back-to-back MVPs, a 2025 scoring title, a championship and Finals MVP give Gilgeous-Alexander a peak that clears the line. Jokić and Antetokounmpo retain the Tier 1 advantage because they supplied elite value across more of the 2019-20 through 2025-26 window. If the question were only who was best over the final two seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander would not be below anyone.

How did the 2026 championship change Jalen Brunson’s ranking?

It turned Brunson from a strong Tier 3 choice into the player closest to Tier 2. He averaged 32.6 points in the Finals, scored 45 in the clincher and won Finals MVP unanimously. The remaining distinction is sustained superstar volume: the Tier 2 players were already producing at that level for more of the window.

Why are Joel Embiid and Kawhi Leonard not higher?

Their best basketball is high enough for the inner circle. The ranking covers seven completed seasons, however, and availability is part of value. Embiid’s injuries repeatedly affected the postseason, while Leonard missed an entire season and several playoff runs. Peak ability cannot fully replace games that were never played.

Is Victor Wembanyama too high after only three seasons?

Tier 4 is aggressive, but the résumé is already historic: Rookie of the Year, unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-NBA, first-team All-Defense and a Finals appearance. He does not receive credit for future potential. Those completed accomplishments are enough to clear Tier 5, while the short timeline keeps him below players with longer superstar runs.

Why do championships not determine every tier?

Basketball is too dependent on lineup quality, health and matchups for rings to function as an individual statistic. A championship matters most when the player drives it, as Jokić, Antetokounmpo, Curry, Gilgeous-Alexander and Brunson did. It carries less weight for a complementary player, and a star can still provide elite postseason value without winning the final series.

Full Best NBA Players Since 2020 Tier List

Table note: Players are ranked by tier only. The order inside each tier matches the supplied graphics and does not create a separate in-tier ranking.

FAQ: Best NBA Players Since 2020

Who are the best NBA players since 2020?

Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the two Tier 1 players. Jokić owns three MVPs and a 2023 championship in the window, while Antetokounmpo won the 2020 MVP and Defensive Player of the Year before leading a 2021 championship run.

Is this a strict ranking from first through 38th?

No. The tier is the ranking. Players inside the same tier share the same general placement, and their name order follows the supplied graphics rather than creating a separate ranking within each tier.

What seasons count in the ranking?

The evaluation covers the 2019-20 through 2025-26 NBA seasons, including the playoffs. Players who debuted after 2019-20 are judged from their first NBA season through 2025-26.

Why is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still in Tier 2?

Gilgeous-Alexander has a legitimate Tier 1 peak after winning the 2025 and 2026 MVP awards and leading a 2025 championship run. Jokić and Antetokounmpo remain ahead because they delivered elite value across more of the complete seven-season window.

How much do playoff results matter?

They matter heavily, but a championship is not treated as an individual statistic. The ranking weighs how a player performed against postseason game plans, how much responsibility he carried and whether his skills translated through multiple rounds.

Does full-career legacy count?

No. Achievements before the 2019-20 season do not improve a player’s placement. That rule is especially important for older legends whose full careers are much greater than their since-2020 résumés.

Which young player is most likely to climb?

Victor Wembanyama has the clearest path because he already owns a Defensive Player of the Year award, first-team All-NBA selection and Finals appearance. Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards also have strong upward paths if they sustain their current peaks.

Last reviewed: August 9, 2026.

Conclusion: The Best NBA Players Since 2020

Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo define the top of the era because their cases do not require a choice between individual dominance and championship performance. Each supplied both. Jokić’s three MVPs and unmatched offensive control give him the strongest overall body of work, while Antetokounmpo’s two-way force and 2021 Finals peak keep him beside Jokić in Tier 1.

The line below them has tightened. Gilgeous-Alexander’s back-to-back MVPs and 2025 title turned Tier 2 into a real debate, while Brunson’s 2026 championship and Finals MVP transformed the Tier 3 boundary. Wembanyama’s rapid rise shows how quickly the board can change when a young player converts potential into completed awards and postseason results.

This ranking will continue to move because the most important careers are still active. The standard will remain the same: elite production, a dominant peak, postseason translation, availability and the ability to shape winning over more than one brilliant stretch.

More NBA Rankings and Stat Leaders

Continue with these SOG Sports NBA rankings and historical leaderboards:

• Best NBA Players of All Time
• Most Points Scored in NBA History
• Most Points Scored in the NBA Since 2000
• Most Rebounds in NBA History
• Most Rebounds in the NBA Since 2000
• NBA Defensive Player of the Year Winners by Season

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