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Keith Allison from Kinston, USA, LeBron James 18112009 1, CC BY-SA 2.0
Who are the top NBA players of the 2000s? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Dwyane Wade: drafted in 2003, Wade earned five All-Star, four All-NBA, and two All-Defensive selections in the 2000s, averaging 25+ points (including a scoring title), 6+ rebounds, and 4+ assists for the decade while leading the Miami Heat to their first NBA title and taking home Finals MVP in the process.
9. Jason Kidd: a quintessential “big” point guard and nightly triple-double threat, Kidd was a 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, and 8x All-Defensive selection in the 2000s who averaged 14+ points, 7+ rebounds, and 9+ assists per game for the decade while leading the NBA in assists 4x.
8. Dirk Nowitzki: an 8x All-Star and 9x All-NBA pick in the 2000s, Nowitzki averaged 23+ points and 8+ rebounds per game during the decade, including a 50-40-90 shooting season during his 2006-2007 MVP campaign.
7. Steve Nash: a back-to-back MVP winner and the engine of the Phoenix Suns’ high-octane offense, Nash was a 6x All-Star and All-NBA pick who put up 16+ points (3x 50-40-90 shooting) and 9+ assists per game for the decade while pacing the league in assists 3x.
6. LeBron James: the #1 overall pick in 2003, LeBron started off his career as Rookie of the Year and went on to average 27+ points, 7+ rebounds, and 6+ assists per game during the 2010s to earn five All-Star and All-NBA selections, an All-Defensive team nod, a scoring title, and the 2008-2009 MVP award.
5. Allen Iverson: an All-Star every season of the decade, Iverson was a 3x scoring champion and 3x steals leader who averaged 28+ points and 6+ assists per game in the 2000s to garner six All-NBA selections and the 2000-2001 MVP award.
4. Shaquille O’Neal: with his physical dominance, O’Neal powered his way to nine All-Star, eight All-NBA, and three All-Defensive selections in the 2000s; with averages of 23+ points and 10+ rebounds per game, he also won a scoring title and the 1999-2000 MVP award and perhaps most importantly, led the Los Angeles Lakers and the Heat to four NBA titles, 3x winning Finals MVP.
3. Kevin Garnett: a force both offensively and defensively, Garnett was an All-Star and All-NBA player every year of the decade, also earning eight All-Defensive nods, four rebounding crowns, and a Defensive Player of the Year award while posting 21+ points, 12+ rebounds, and 4+ assists per game; moreover, the 2003-2004 MVP also helped the Boston Celtics win their first title in more than 20 years.
2. Tim Duncan: a consistently dominant force on both ends of the court, Duncan was not only an All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive selection every year of the 2000s, but also won two MVP awards, three NBA titles, and two Finals MVP awards with the San Antonio Spurs while averaging 21+ points and 11+ rebounds per game.
1. Kobe Bryant: known for his “Mamba Mentality”, the late Bryant averaged 28+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists per game, and was an All-Star and All-NBA pick every year of the 2000s, plus an 8x All-Defensive selection and 2x scoring champion; the 2007-2008 MVP won four titles in the 2000s with the Lakers, taking home Finals MVP in 2009.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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