The past decade produced some fireworks in the NBA. Some players tilted their games to newer heights while some others claimed their place at the top. Let’s look at the 10 best players of the past decade.
10 – Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers, G)
Damian Lillard only came into the league in 2012, but has already made his mark on the NBA. He is in the top 5 in points averaged per game since coming into the league, is 10th in assists per game and second in 3pm per game. He hasn’t had great playoff or individual success, but he has been dynamite.
He hit multiple series-ending buzzer beaters while there have only been 7, has multiple 60-point games (one of only six players with such games), scored 34 points in a half in the playoffs, averaged 49 and 10 during a 6-game stretch and went to the Western conference finals last year. He also made the playoffs in every year but one (rookie year), made All-NBA first team once and second team twice, while having been top 10 in MVP voting 3 times.
9 – Chris Paul (Hornets/Clippers/Rockets/Thunder, G)
Chris Paul has had a very unlucky, but yet great career. He hasn’t reached the playoff success that he had hoped for, mostly due to injuries, but in the regular season CP3 showed his leadership and basketball IQ every time he stepped on the floor. He amassed 6000 assists, and was also 1st in assists per game in the last decade. He also led the league in steals 4 times, and is once again first in steals per game over the decade, and the only player to average more than 2 per game.
In the twilight of his career, Chris Paul is still cashing big checks, but it looks like he might need to opt out of the final year if he still wants to compete at age 37.
8 – Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat (mostly), G)
Wade is in for his stretch from 2010-2016 mainly. After that, Wade’s career took a weird turn. But Wade won 2 championships and made 4 finals. If LeBron played better in the series against Dallas, Wade would’ve had another chip and another Finals MVP.
The following years he took a backseat to become the Robin to LeBron’s Batman as they went back-to-back, and in 2014 injuries really started holding Wade back. He was still productive in the latter stages of his career, but Flash wasn’t Flash anymore. But the first 5 years warranted a place at number 8.
7 – Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks, F)
Giannis won MVP in 2019 and in the first part of this weird season Giannis is the clear favorite. He’s clearly the most dominant force in the NBA at the moment and has been for quite some time, and will continue to be the most dominant force in the future. In his first year with Coach Buddenholzer, Giannis immediately won MVP, and convincingly so, while also being up 2-0 in the Eastern conference finals, just to lose in 6 games.
But Giannis came back with a vengeance and dominated this year as well, and his (almost) 2 MVP awards warrant him a place in the top 7. He definitely might be number 1 in the 2020’s.
6 – Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder, G)
If you don’t think Russ belongs in this list, you’re plain wrong. He averaged a triple double for 3 straight seasons, mon MVP in 2017, got to the finals in 2012 and was up 3-1 in the conference finals in 2016. He had playoff success; it just hasn’t translated to a championship yet.
In the decade, Westbrook had the 4th most points, most assists and second most steals, while being 13th in rebounds for a point guard. Westbrook is an All-time great and even though the NBA has kind of slipped away from him in terms of style of play, Russ has found a way to dominate and fill up the stat sheet like no one else.
5 – James Harden (Thunder/Rockets, G)
The Rockets getting James Harden for a broken iPhone cable was probably the best trade in the NBA history. Since joining the Rockets, Harden has been top 10 in MVP voting every year. He won in 2018 and was the runner up in 2015, 2017 and 2019. He finished first in points scored, 6th in assists and 3rd in steals.
Harden got to the Finals with OKC in 2012, and lost 2 Western conference finals series against the Warriors in 2015 and 2018. He is hoping to win a title with his buddy Westbrook in Houston, as the fans have been waiting for a title since the Hakeem Olajuwon days.
4 – Kawhi Leonard (Spurs/Raptors/Clippers)
Kawhi Leonard has 2 Finals MVP’s and 2 DPOY-trophies in his cabinet. He doesn’t really care about his own personal stats; he just wants to win. In San Antonio, he lost to LeBron in 2013, and Kawhi was to blame missing HUGE free throws, before coming back and beating the Heat in 5 games the next year and getting Finals MVP.
He also won Toronto their first finals and cemented his legacy as an All-time great. He’s on his quest to win his 3rd championship with his 3rd team, and the Clippers certainly look good enough to compete.
3 – Kevin Durant (Thunder/Warriors, F)
Kevin Durant might be the most unstoppable scorer in NBA history. Durant won 4 scoring titles in the decade, an MVP, went to 4 (basically 3) Finals and won 2 of them, getting Finals MVP in both of those.
KD averaged 28 points in the decade, leading all players in that timespan, and changed the entire NBA with his move to Golden State in 2016, which created a powerhouse never seen before. Durant is looking to come back from a nasty Achilles-injury, and we hope to see him drain buckets again.
2 – Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors, G)
Back-to-back MVP’s, one unanimously, 402 3’s in a season, 3 championships, 5 straight NBA Finals appearances, best 3-point shooter ever… There’s nothing left to be said about Stephen Wardell Curry. He’s on his way to be cemented as the greatest point guard ever and he literally changed the way people think about basketball.
The amount of attempted 3’s per game has bombarded as Steph emerged, and it is all thanks to him. Just to put into perspective: Jaren Jackson Jr. is throwing up more 3’s per game than Ray Allen’s per game attempted 3’s for his career. JJJ is a 6’11” power forward, Ray Allen has the most made 3’s of All-time. Yeah, you get the picture…
1 – LeBron James (Heat, Cavaliers, Lakers, F)
LeBron James ruled the East for 8 years, going to 8 straight finals and winning 3 of them. He led a historic comeback from 3-1 down against a team that had set the regular season win-record, he won 3 MVP’s in the 2010’s and was in the top 5 for 9 of those 10 years.
He of course won 3 Finals MVP’s and is one of the greatest basketball players to play the game. Whatever he does now is just padding his legacy to become the greatest.
Courtside 