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Best Players of The 2000s

Shaq and Kobe's Lakers three-peat opened the decade, Tim Duncan's Spurs were its model of consistency, and Allen Iverson carried the torch for smaller scorers. Team defense and the half-court game were king.

The 2000s opened with the most dominant interior force the modern game had seen — Shaquille O'Neal — and the Lakers three-peat he and Kobe Bryant built around him. But the decade's defining franchise was the San Antonio Spurs, whose beautiful, fundamentals-first team game around Tim Duncan turned consistency into a dynasty.

Rule changes early in the decade loosened hand-checking and nudged the league toward perimeter skill, but team defense and the half-court possession still decided games. Allen Iverson proved a small, ball-dominant scorer could carry a team to the Finals; Detroit's 2004 champions proved five connected two-way players could beat a roster of stars. Both lessons translate directly to drafting.

When the draw lands you in a 2000s pool, value defense and efficiency. The Spurs and Pistons pools reward balanced, two-way builds, while the Lakers and a handful of others give you a true alpha to construct around. This is the era where ignoring rim protection and rebounding will quietly cost you close games.

Top 15 overall

  1. 1Kevin GarnettPF22.5 ppg · 12.7 rpg · 5.0 apg90
  2. 2LeBron JamesSF27.5 ppg · 7.0 rpg · 6.7 apg85
  3. 3Tim DuncanC21.4 ppg · 11.7 rpg · 3.3 apg83
  4. 4Kevin GarnettPF17.5 ppg · 8.9 rpg · 3.0 apg82
  5. 5Manu GinobiliSG14.7 ppg · 4.1 rpg · 3.6 apg82
  6. 6Tracy McGradySG28.1 ppg · 7.0 rpg · 5.2 apg82
  7. 7Shaquille O'NealC27.0 ppg · 12.0 rpg · 3.3 apg82
  8. 8Dirk NowitzkiPF23.6 ppg · 8.9 rpg · 2.8 apg80
  9. 9Chris PaulPG19.4 ppg · 4.8 rpg · 9.9 apg80
  10. 10Dwyane WadeSG25.2 ppg · 4.9 rpg · 6.7 apg80
  11. 11Elton BrandPF20.3 ppg · 10.3 rpg · 2.7 apg79
  12. 12Karl MalonePF22.9 ppg · 8.6 rpg · 4.3 apg79
  13. 13Paul PierceSF23.3 ppg · 6.3 rpg · 4.0 apg79
  14. 14Kobe BryantSG28.2 ppg · 5.8 rpg · 5.3 apg78
  15. 15Shawn MarionSF18.4 ppg · 10.0 rpg · 2.0 apg78

Best by position

PG

  1. 1Chris PaulPG19.4 ppg · 4.8 rpg · 9.9 apg80
  2. 2Chauncey BillupsPG17.0 ppg · 3.3 rpg · 6.4 apg77
  3. 3Jason KiddPG14.6 ppg · 7.3 rpg · 9.1 apg76
  4. 4Gilbert ArenasPG25.8 ppg · 4.3 rpg · 5.6 apg75
  5. 5John StocktonPG11.9 ppg · 2.8 rpg · 8.3 apg74

SG

  1. 1Manu GinobiliSG14.7 ppg · 4.1 rpg · 3.6 apg82
  2. 2Tracy McGradySG28.1 ppg · 7.0 rpg · 5.2 apg82
  3. 3Dwyane WadeSG25.2 ppg · 4.9 rpg · 6.7 apg80
  4. 4Kobe BryantSG28.2 ppg · 5.8 rpg · 5.3 apg78
  5. 5Vince CarterSG23.6 ppg · 5.8 rpg · 4.7 apg77

SF

  1. 1LeBron JamesSF27.5 ppg · 7.0 rpg · 6.7 apg85
  2. 2Paul PierceSF23.3 ppg · 6.3 rpg · 4.0 apg79
  3. 3Shawn MarionSF18.4 ppg · 10.0 rpg · 2.0 apg78
  4. 4Andrei KirilenkoSF12.5 ppg · 5.8 rpg · 2.8 apg76
  5. 5Tracy McGradySF23.1 ppg · 5.6 rpg · 5.7 apg76

PF

  1. 1Kevin GarnettPF22.5 ppg · 12.7 rpg · 5.0 apg90
  2. 2Kevin GarnettPF17.5 ppg · 8.9 rpg · 3.0 apg82
  3. 3Dirk NowitzkiPF23.6 ppg · 8.9 rpg · 2.8 apg80
  4. 4Elton BrandPF20.3 ppg · 10.3 rpg · 2.7 apg79
  5. 5Karl MalonePF22.9 ppg · 8.6 rpg · 4.3 apg79

C

  1. 1Tim DuncanC21.4 ppg · 11.7 rpg · 3.3 apg83
  2. 2Shaquille O'NealC27.0 ppg · 12.0 rpg · 3.3 apg82
  3. 3Yao MingC19.1 ppg · 9.3 rpg · 1.6 apg77
  4. 4Pau GasolC18.9 ppg · 8.6 rpg · 3.1 apg75
  5. 5David RobinsonC13.5 ppg · 8.6 rpg · 1.4 apg75

Teams of The 2000s

Chicago BullsOrlando MagicBrooklyn NetsMiami HeatCleveland CavaliersPhoenix SunsLA ClippersMemphis GrizzliesDenver NuggetsMilwaukee BucksToronto RaptorsAtlanta HawksCharlotte HornetsGolden State WarriorsDallas MavericksBoston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ersHouston RocketsNew York KnicksMinnesota TimberwolvesUtah JazzPortland Trail BlazersIndiana PacersSacramento KingsDetroit PistonsWashington WizardsOklahoma City ThunderNew Orleans PelicansLos Angeles LakersSan Antonio Spurs

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