Top 5 Greatest NBA Players of the 2000s

The

NBA

had large shoes to fill coming off the 1990s, arguably the most iconic decade in the league’s history. But the players of the 2000s certainly fulfilled expectations, and the decade spawned some of the greatest talents in the history of the league.

The era also saw players emerge with increased longevity. Some of the biggest names still playing to this day, two decades later in the 2020s, entered the league in the 2000s, including

LeBron James

,

Chris Paul

, and

Stephen Curry

, to name a few.

However, the greatest players of the 2000s were players who were in their prime and hit their peaks in that decade. From stars leading teams to dynasties, to one-offs, and everything in between, the following are the five greatest NBA players of the 2000s.

5

Allen Iverson

Iverson put the Philadelphia 76ers on his back during the 2000s

Allen Iverson took the league by storm in the mid-1990s, but it would be the 2000s that he would hit his prime. Due to his smaller size, Iverson had to rely on other methods to score, including his speed and impressive ball handling.

Iverson’s ability to finish was second to none. He also was insanely fast, and possessed a legendary crossover which became his signature move.

Iverson led the

Philadelphia 76ers

to the NBA Finals in 2001, where he put up an elite effort. In Game 1, he finished with 48 points, the third-most of any Game 1 in NBA Finals history.

Despite his dominance, the Lakers would eventually mark the comeback, and send the game into overtime. Iverson scored seven straight points in overtime to give Philadelphia the 107-101 win, and a 1-0 series lead. He came through in the clutch when it mattered most, making him a perennial icon.

Though he would not win an NBA Finals, Iverson would take home four scoring titles thanks to his offense. He averaged 28.1 points per game through the 2000s, while shooting 42.4 percent from the field, and was an All-Star in every single season of the 2000s.

4

Kevin Garnett

Garnett led the Celtics to a title in 2008

The story of

Kevin Garnett

is often narrowed down to a single point, despite his greatness lasting much longer. He is often remembered for his peak, when he was traded to the

Boston Celtics

in 2007 and led them to a title a year later.

But Garnett was much more than that. He was one of the first players in the NBA to be drafted out of high school, and he transformed a

Minnesota Timberwolves

team from a perennial loser to a perennial contender.

While the Timberwolves could not win a title with Garnett at the helm (they still have not), he gave the team new life and an edge that they sorely lacked. He did so via his intensity and consistency, and dominance on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, Garnett averaged 21.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game for the 2000s, while shooting 49.9 percent from the field. Defensively, he made eight NBA All-Defensive First Team in ten years, cementing his place as one of the greatest players of the 2000s.

3

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaq was one of the biggest icons during the 2000s

One of the greatest centers in the history of the NBA,

Shaquille O’Neal

quickly rose to the ranks as one of the league’s most iconic players. Though he rose to prominence in the 1990s, it would be the 2000s that would see him endure the most fame and success on the court.

The

L.A. Lakers

, a franchise that has been no stranger to dynasties in its history, was about to enter another one just over a decade removed from its last. O’Neal meshed perfectly with

Kobe Bryant

on the court, with O’Neal being essentially unguardable in the post, allowing Bryant to devastate opponents with his offense.

Shaq provided offense of his own, averaging nearly 30 points per game alongside Bryant during the dynasty years. The duo essentially turned the Lakers into an unstoppable machine, one which notched three straight titles between 2000 and 2002 and cemented O’Neal’s legacy as a champion.

Though his time with Bryant would come to an end, O’Neal would prove his worth again with the

Miami Heat

, winning a title with them in 2006. Through the 2000s, Shaq averaged 23.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 58.5 percent from the field and being a deadly court presence.

2

Tim Duncan

Duncan led the Spurs to three titles in the 2000s

Perhaps there has never been a more influential player in the history of a single franchise than Tim Duncan. Emerging in the late 1990s, Duncan would go on to win all five titles with the

San Antonio Spurs

in their history, with three of them (and his peak) coming in the 2000s.

Duncan averaged a double-double throughout the entire decade, averaging 21.4 points and 11.3 rebounds from 2000 to 2009. In that time, he also averaged 3.3 assists per game, while shooting an average of 50.4 percent from the field.

On the court, Duncan was a warrior, and he used his deadliness in the post to obliterate opponents. It was this skill, combined with the elite coaching of

Gregg Popovich

, that led the Spurs to three titles in the decade, and easily made him one of the best players of the 2000s.

1

Kobe Bryant

Bryant was the greatest player of the 2000s

Kobe Bryant was known as a legend both on and off the court. But on the court, he shone with dynamic offense that led the Lakers to three championships between 2000 and 2002. He would add another in 2009 to cap off the decade with four titles, becoming an icon of the Lakers themselves.

Few players graced the league with the elite level of talent and charisma that Kobe Bryant did. The late great spent his entire career with the Lakers, racking up resume miles in length. Through that decade, he averaged 28.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, while shooting 45.7 percent from the field.

Bryant was also the only player to ever sniff Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. On January 22, 2006, he scored 81 points in the game to secure the Lakers’ 122-104 comeback win over the

Toronto Raptors

, and that became the second biggest offensive performance in NBA history.

For numerous reasons, Kobe Bryant was one of the most legendary and influential players of all time. With most of that success coming during the 2000s, there is no doubt that he was the NBA’s greatest talent of that decade.