The Deep 3 Podcast - We Put The Best NBA Stars Of The 2020s In A Tier List | TD3 Clips

Episode Date: July 14, 2025

2020s NBA stars tier list! From Ep. 149 of the show. Check out the TD3 merch: https://the-deep-3-shop.fourthwall.com/ Listen on Spotify!: https://open.spotify.com/show/3elbbqVumwqz8wlIdknsLW Listen on Apple Podcasts!: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-deep-3-podcast/id1657940794 Follow us on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedeepthree Follow us on Instagram!: https://www.instagram.com/thedeep3podcast/ Isaac's twitter: https://twitter.com/byisaacg Mo's twitter: https://twitter.com/Mojo99_ Donnavan's twitter: https://twitter.com/Dsmoot3D Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're halfway through the 2020s, if y'all don't realize that, which is kind of crazy. Damn. We are going to put the best players of the 2020s into a tier list. We did this for the 2010s for the 1990s and the 2000s. So we're only halfway through, so the stories aren't written. But thus far through six seasons, counting 2020 to 2025, who were the best players, S through F, where we're ranking these guys. Okay. Let's start with an easy one, Luca Donchich.

Actually, no, it's not easy. We start with a hard one. Luca Donutschitz. I think he probably belongs in A tier. Yeah, I've made a finals. Yeah, made of finals hasn't reached the tippity-tippy top of the NBA when he comes to winning an MVP or like winning the finals. But he is just like a major achievement in NBA history away from making S-tier. I think to be S-tier, you have to have either one MVP or won a championship or maybe even both.

So I don't. A is the most you can be. To have all of the first team, all NBA's to walk in like the pace that he's on, even if he doesn't like, because he might. end up being, I don't know, whatever, like, all-time great doesn't have a rate. John Embeddy. No. Like, like, like, like, like, like, if he's like Charles Barkley or whatever, yeah. Charles Barkley in the 90s is still an S-tier type of player. Granted, he did win the MVP, but to, to make a Western Conference finals, a finals

and have all these, like, consecutive runs, he is a defining player of the 2020. He is, but I think, again, we always stack these tiers too hard to the top. And I think there is players that have all those same things, but they have the hardware. so I feel safe putting him the best player in A tier, which isn't exactly an insult, you know? Just because, you know why? Because Nicole Yokic, that's an S-tier player. Everything you said about Luka Donchish is the same exact thing,

but he has three MVPs in the decade and one championship. That deserves to be in a different tier when they're the two best offensive players of their generation, but one has finished the job. Yeah. It has to be some level of gap. Let's get this out of the way then. Where do we put it in B then?

Because I think that that's one of the... I think that's one of the... more interesting. Okay, so he has the individual accomplishment that Luca doesn't. He has the MVP, but he didn't make the finals, which Luca has,

which I suppose you could view on equal levels. Like a championship is better than MVP, but maybe a finals appearance and an MVP are like similar when you're the guy. I don't know. TLDR, I think he'll be this

obviously a tier. Okay. I think he should be a tier as well. Okay, I didn't know if you were going to put him in this tier. No, because I think STT we should be very, very precious.

Yeah, you are one of the ones. You damn are need a chip to be S tier to me in this tier list. Mostly because Everybody got one Or at least Most because you compare it to the 90s

With Charles Barkley There was just way less people With chips back then Because the bulls were kicking everybody's teeth in Here there's a handful of guys That actually got it done Because there wasn't that dynasty To block people

So I feel like Not a hard and fast Maybe we'll see an outlier But I almost feel like You have to have a chip to get us here Okay Let's move around a little bit These are all superstar players

And we have to put somebody in F I feel Trey Young is on this list Is Trey Young F tier? He has to be Okay, if we're getting easy Fs here, it's Trey. Another one is Zion Williamson. Zion Williams and he's even louder F tier.

Yeah, these are guys. Zon needs to be the face F tier. Let's just fill out F tier two, put Jamboree in there. Okay. Yeah. Three F tiers right away. Oh, now's good. Let's move towards the middle.

Kevin Durant. Let's get to one of the olds. There's a few of them on here that, you know, they're legends. They had multiple years at their peak, not at their peak, but at a level in which they're one of the best players in the world relative, similarly close to their peak, but in Kevin Durant's case, didn't make a finals in the 2020s. Yeah, didn't make the finals. Has he made the conference finals?

Yeah, in 2021 with the Brooklyn Nets. No, that was second round. Yeah. Oh, that was the second round. He hasn't been to the conference finals. He has not. And it has not won an MVP. He missed, he missed all of 2020 with the several first round flameouts.

He got swept before in 22, he got swept. Then, yeah, because 21st year, didn't he get swept? He doesn't have a single first team all in NBA. in this decade. He has two second team Olympias. He's been swept twice. He missed the season. So clearly he's not A tier, is what we're saying. But he is Kevin, fucking Durant. Yeah. B tier, right? I don't know.

It might be, it might be seen. I think it has to be seen. I don't think that there's anything you can look at in terms of, like obviously, the greatness is still there. But like you said, everybody on this list is great. Well, 2021 people were saying he's the best player in the world. He was of that caliber still. So that's not nothing. He was like, you get bounced

in the second round. Yeah, but that was because he fucking died. I'm not, I'm not saying, I'm not saying it's his fault. I'm just saying, like, you haven't been to a conference finals. That's the year where he would have made the finals if those two players didn't die, they're the best team of NBA and if his foot was on the fucking line. It's a lot of hypotheticals. Not really.

It's really not a lie. It's really just like if you're two star players and get hurt. It's exactly one hypothetical. It's pretty simple to say he deserves to be considered one of the two best players in the world. It's a hypothetical for Kyrie and for Harding. Multiple hypotheticals. I think he's firmly beat here. Yeah, firmly beats here.

A tier, you need to have. That will hate enough for me, man. Why would I feel the need to hate on Kevin Durant? I don't have it. There's a better C-tier player for sure. Yeah, there's more appropriate players to spread this out a little more. No, man. Quai Leonard.

He could be... I wasn't say C-tier. I feel like that's what we're... The way you were describing Kevin Durant of not being available and not being consistent in the decade and being underwhelming despite the talent. That's Coi-Lennard.

That to me is like the perfect C-tier where he's talented enough, especially early in the decade. 2020, 2021, those first two years, different. He was incredible. Maybe the best version you've seen of him counting 2019.

his passing took a step when he got to the clippers truly one of the most well-rounded players of all time I felt like I was watching a second version of Braun some nights but obviously past three years those nights are very few and far between yeah exactly that's why he's like at his peak was like damn

you're the same as Kevin Grant this decade but was not nearly available enough not especially the last few years where obviously he was damn near a non-factor a lot of the year yeah I almost want to put him in D tier because like the non-availability and the how he's been going out with these injuries, whether it be

injuries or what happened in the bubble, get embarrassed. We know, actually, you know, he winning that series against the Dallas Mavericks. In the bubble, yeah. Back in 2020. So they lost to the Nuggets. Yeah. Do you remember how they lost it in a Nuggets?

3-1 lead. Thank you. They blew a 3-1 lead in the bubble. He missed a full year. He played 37 games this year. In 2021, he had his best regular season and missed the playoffs. Yeah. And Paul George took the team to the conference finals.

Put that in detail. And then a bunch of nothing burgers. I just think there's going to be players on this list. that are significantly peak significantly lower and also didn't accomplish anything that will go to D tier. Another player in DT,

I see him right now, but Are you guys on DT? Am I outvoted? We can put him in DTier, but he can be movable. Not staying on it. We're not moving anybody. Where is he going? It's D tier.

Oh, man. If I can't move, I feel better about him being in C tier than D tier. C tier. See, I don't have I know a D tier. I know a D tier. player when I see it.

And he's looking at me right now. Oh, here's the thing. Paul George is on this list. D. Did that slide into D? Dammear could be up. They've been on the same team for like five years. Like I was a better player.

So they're a tier of break. Like who I wasn't there either. What is your point? Like you think Paul George's worse? You've always thought Paul George's worse. Their abilities matter here. It's not just resume. I think that in NBA terms, I think that they're thing one and thing two in terms of

underperforming. Who's number one and who's number two? Both of them. They're in tandem. Put them in D tier. No, no. They've been on the same. same team for five of the six years

both have done all this. Both the D tier? Yes. You're yelling really loud. You can have it. No. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We can't put him in DET. No, never mind. Kauai's, there's a gap, bro. There's a reason why the six. What do you mean there's a gap? He's missed like a year and a half. He's missed multiple years. And he comes

back that guy every single time. Paul George is Paul George. What, there's nothing historic or anything. He doesn't look like the best Mind you, the only time the Clippers have ever been to the conference finals is because Paul George is like, yeah, I'm actually going to do it this time. And I'm going to be the one that's doing it. Paul did something by himself that him and Kauai could not do together.

If you want to do anything, Paul's the one who gets in C. Not Kauai. Paul, you're in B. No. I see what you're saying. I see you're not wrong from the resume perspective, but we need to account for how good they are as players. Yeah. It's not just an accomplishment tier list.

We also are gauging how good we think they are. You also work there. Like, I've had to see you ramp up for like 30% of the time in the decade. That's why he's seat here. If that wasn't the case, he'd be eight years. He was ramping up for 30% of the decade. He was hurt for the other 30%. He's only played like 40%.

And we've dinged him several tiers for it. And that 40% is different, bro. That 40% is more than 40%. You were moved by that 21 points a game, huh? His resume is in terms of being great for the first two years. And then kind of going downwards is very similar to KD's. We're dinging him a tier. because he is not available in the backhouse.

They have been a disappointment to the league since they got together. And the entire era of both of them has been, you guys are like severely underprivile. Do you want to give this to him? He really wants it. No, go ahead.

You're fucking up the list. And you know what? Go ahead. I'm not. No, go ahead. No, it's on your hands. Stay with what you want. Hold on.

The only reason I'm thinking about giving to you is so I do kind of feel like Paul George might be Ftier and now I'm thinking about it. Why is he different from Trey Young? They both be one. conference finals and didn't really they weren't consistent superstars or anything that's not real

hey no no no no no because Paul George's different caliber obviously not once you never you never thought unplug a goddamn once you ever thought Paul George is bro you don't think he's a worse player than Trey you don't think like that

what happened to your ethics philosophy I think in 2020 and 2020 he was definitely better 22 Paul George as his cat been going downhill for a couple years now so it's closer than you think but whatever we'll keep it as it we'll keep it moving we're standing too much time on this

yannis you are s tier you are a champion you are an MVP oh yeah go ahead easy he got that easy he got that you're at s tier you are a champion you are one of the best players in the world you had a second place MVP you won your most impressive ring in this decade we don't got to talk about the last two years

but you were still s tier my light skin go go ahead put the bottom of s tier you're the bottom of s tier but you're sier lebron put the other light skin in this who's the other light skin Oh, yeah, Jason Tatum, a lot of first team all NBA is, a champion. It doesn't have the MVP, but that's fine because the team player.

But there's a level of talent in my mind where I'm just like, these are all-time greats we're talking about here. Tatum is, Tate was an all-time great. I know what you're getting at because the top two guys are MVP's and Curry is fucking Steph Curry. Tatum is an all-time great in his own regard. He is, he has all-time great resume, but when it comes to the actual talent, I'm looking at. No, I think he's still not.

It's two finals appearances. a chip and what four four or five first team all NBA you considering like the fifth best player in the world and it's always and it's always unanimous whenever he's first team like we never questioned at all and we do have to balance abilities and resume his resume is god damn perfect we had to give it to him i don't know man he can be the worst man he doesn't feel right putting him in his own putting me on every every single year when we do the exercise it's always oh yeah tatum he's not one or two but he's one of he's always one you know like this is interesting because lucca's a do we feel like lucas better

and Tatum is more accomplished, but only slightly because he won the series and Luca lost it. So that matters a lot, obviously, but that's the one difference is that one series and making the finals is still impressive, and Luca has, they might be even actually. Yeah, if they were both to retire today,

if they were both to retire today, you're not saying that Luca Donch is a worst player than Tatum. Those two finals runs are better than Luca's finals and conference finals by like one notch or whatever. Yeah. The gap in talent might be better. look it might be a bigger gap and better player than that you know

the guy has a ring like i i think it would be okay and also like yes the celtics they did underperform for a long time they were also in the conference finals basically every i think it's going to get too big though now i'm i'm forecasting it like right there's like one of the player that we're going to put in this tier okay so shay is s tier he definitely belongs to be s tier he's third three straight first team all NBA's MVP championship combination he's third on this list might be second if you want to change it up.

But we'll give the two all-time great bigs ahead of him. LeBron James. He's S-Teree also. One championship in 2020, the first year. And, yeah, like, if you win a chip, right? And, like, the only player that you would feel bad about doing is Tatum. But, like, again, Tatum has the first team all NBA is that LeBron. LeBron had two years at least where he's the best player in the world.

or in that conversation because obviously Janice and Yokich were elevating. LeBron was just as good in 2020 and just as good in 2021. So at least two years of being best player in the world caliber also has a ring,

also has first team all NBA's. I feel like Tatum is closer to Luca than he is LeBron. I agree. Now that I'm thinking about it. There's a gap. There's a gap. Estier's getting too big.

There's a gap. We're not being nearly nearly difficult enough with passing these around. Yeah, I think Tatum has to drop down. Tatum has to drop down. It does. Both feel wrong to me.

I feel like Tadam is his own... Let's get Tadam his own tier. Oh, wrong one. Oh, I'm pressing the wrong buttons. Oh, my God. What did I just do? Tatum his own tear. We just didn't even fucking...

There's nothing wrong with being A tier. You're right. It's not disrespectful. He's above Luca. He's more accomplished. That's fair. That's okay to me. The guys on the top are some of the greatest players of all time. They define this era.

You know what? They all either have an MVP or a finals MVP. Exactly. So they have team success and individual success. Does Tatum have either. of those? No, and then Joellen B is over there because he's just so... Keep in mind, I don't go a flak about finals. That's what I was about to say.

Anthony Davis. A tier. B tier? Probably B. Yeah, I mean, Joel and B's an MVP. Tatum can't be in the same tier. I mean, Anthony Davis can't be in the same tier as Joe B. Yeah. So he's B? Yeah. I think he's yeah. He also has a championship, but his second best player. Yeah. And oh, he was debatable

with the first best player. He does that championship. I forgot. He's not in the same tier. You're right. You're right. He's the best player in B2 for sure. He's the, he's the lowest ranked champion on here. So we'll give him the second best player tax because he did have LeB. But I could be argued to go A tier. Nah, I feel okay with him at B.

Yeah, it's fine. But it's close. It's close. Let's save A tier. It's close. Devin Booker made the finals. Past few years have been a goddamn disaster because James Jones built the most nonsensical team ever around him, made him a point guard, but did have a finals run as a best player.

D or C, what's all feeling? I'm not going D. C's okay with me too, but I mean, there's been like a whole lot of nothing going on for the rest of years. He had one singular, like, great year.

In 2020, like, that's when the Feeding Sons went on a run. That's when they weren't on shit. And 2021, obviously, went ahead and did their big one.

2022, humongous disappointment. As I'm watching Love Island. Back's blowing out. He did his big one. Love Island. This guy. I,

but yeah. Don't forget, though, the first year they got Kevin Durant, Jeff Booker had a ridiculous four games against the Tim Bulls. Is that your first time hearing that terminology of the outside of Love Island. No, from you, it's just funny.

That's funny. But they do spam it on Love Island, though. They love that phrase. There's a few phrases they spam. Damien Lillard. Listen, man. It's been a rough goal. It's all individual talent here.

All individual talent. Which like D. Thank you. Is it D? Yeah. These are all great players, so it's not exactly disrespectful. You're on the list at all. Gotta be D.

Didn't. There's no team accomplishments to be spoken of. Not really his fault. He was on a terrible team. I got the fuck. He did. He could have requested a trade a long time ago. Sure.

Whatever. I'm not going to ding him for that. He was a terrible team and then he got to a good team and it didn't work. You know, in the player movement era, it's really like running from the grind if you don't request the trade. Jimmy Butler made two finals, but obviously isn't the same caliber as the top eight guys here. But it's close behind it. You put him at the bottom of B tier. Yeah, I was going to say, I think him making two finals is similar to Anthony Davis winning one.

So B tier makes sense. Yeah, okay. We'll put him in between. Actually, he'll go bottom. Katie's Katie. Donovan Mitchell, first team all-N-B-A this year has been consistently a top-fifteen player in the league. Why are you laughing?

Because he's on in B-time, then. He hasn't got out of the second round. Yeah, so a C-tier. And he's a much worse talent, too. He's like just a, he and Devin-Booker are very similar talent-wise, but Devin-Booker made a final. I'm saying D-tier. D-tier.

Fair enough. Yeah, he's above the guys in F-tier because he's accomplished something and just has more individual success in them. But that makes sense. Anthony Edwards. Two conference finals. Two conference finals. Perfect C tier, if you ask me.

Constantly elevated his game. Two conference finals. We think he's elevated to be better than Devin Booker now. And he's in these conference finals too. Like no one, their entire playoff path, like they've always consistently been the underdog, no matter what. And so seeing him and making these improvements through his game, upsetting guys like KD, LeBron, Devin Booker, Lucas, shit like that. Nah, Quilnernernerner has to go down. You think so?

Yeah. Anthony Edwards is a C-Tierre. Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. Kauaius go down. Hold on. Why so? Anthony Edwards, let's look at Anthony Edwards next to him

and say, do you feel like they have been equally accomplished in this era? Kaui Leonard was just as good. Quilander was also a top-five player in the world for those two years. Anthony Edwards has a couple of years top-five player in the world.

Lame at Mike. Never mind. Never mind. He's back to C-Tere. You already said it on the camera. It's already there. Proofing to put in the screen shot. I'm vindicated through here

and we had an argument. Actually, I'll put it on the bottom of the C tier. That's what I feel good about. He needs to be I was stuck up on Anthony Edwards. He needs be below aunt. So I'll put in the bottom of C tier. That's actually how I feel. Hmm. Now, that's a lot of vindication coming my way. Maybe he should be the action. Hey, hey, shut the fuck up right now.

Yeah, exactly. Stop it right now. I got what I needed already. I just needed the reaction. Stop it right now. Exactly. Honestly, I think this is a perfect tier list. I don't have any notes. I love that we moved off from being obsessed with Tatum at S tier. That's a hater. I'm not a hater. I just know

where he belongs. I just think it would have been, it would have been weird to have some reason. It would have been weird to have six guys in S tier and two and A tier. Like surely there's a difference

between the peak guys and all five guys on the top at one point were the best player in the world. Tadon never was that. Bare minimum like top two player in the world. Without a doubt.

And Tatum's always been like four or five. Yeah. And there is value to that. That's why he's the top of A tier, but I think between S and A choosing the skill matters. Can be said about some

on the Luca don't just suit. No one's ever called him the best player in the world undisputedly. He's always like three, four, five. Oh, yeah. Also, Luca is behind Embede

because he doesn't have an MVP yet. Oh, nobody's the finals. We'll give up to him. Yeah, he went to the finals. Yeah, and he didn't have the last year. Actually, they both kind of had bad last year. Even though we think Embedes is more detrimental,

it's not like he had a great year.