NBA's Greatest Power Forwards of the 21st Century

The tradition of players who were solid rebounds and often also solid scorers, yet were not bulky enough to be centers, has continued in the last 12 or 13 years with tall playmakers like Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki.

Here is my list of the 15 greatest power forwards since 2000.

Fourth in a series following “Greatest Point Guards,” “Greatest Shooting Guards” and “Greatest Small Forwards.”

Honorable Mentions

Zach Randolph: Randolph is a one-time All-NBA Third Teamer and a one-time All-Star. He finished second in rebounding and eighth in points back in 2010.

LaMarcus Aldridge: Aldridge made the All-NBA Third Team last year and the All-Star game this year. He finished in the top 10 in scoring last season and is in the top 25 among active players in player efficiency rating.

Kenyon Martin: Early in his career, K-Mart guided the Nets to two NBA Finals and appeared in one All-Star Game. He hasn’t averaged 15 or more points in six seasons and was M.I.A. last season with the Clippers  

Rashard Lewis: Lewis was a perennial No. 2 option, first in Seattle and then in Orlando. He made two All-Star games and led the league in threes made in 2009.  

Cornermen: Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Josh Smith to move up to the four hole. Those three players are all listed on my small forwards list.

15. Kevin Love, Timberwolves

After only four seasons, Kevin Love is making his presence known. Love has yet to crack the top 50 in points or rebounds, but was in the top two in rebounding each of the last two seasons and fourth in points per game last season.

Love has played in two All-Star Games and made this year’s All-NBA Second Team.   

14. Lamar Odom, Clippers/Heat/Lakers/Mavericks

Lamar Odom is in the top 40 active players in points per game and is 12th among active players in total rebounds with just over 7,500. Odom has finished in the top 10 in rebounds three times and in the top 10 in defensive rating twice. In terms of win shares, Odom is 32nd among active players.

Though he has never made an All-NBA or All-Star Team, Odom was Sixth Man of the Year last year and won two rings with the Lakers.

13. Carlos Boozer, Cavs/Jazz/Bulls

Carlos Boozer, now with the Bulls, is a two-time All-Star and made the All-NBA Third Team back in 2008.

He is 20th among active players in career rebounds and in the top 50 among active players in career points and win shares. He is sixth among active players in field-goal percentage.

12. Rasheed Wallace, Blazers/Hawks/Pistons/Celtics

The now-retired Wallace is in the top 100 all-time in career points, the top 80 all-time in career rebounds and the top 35 all-time in blocks. On the defensive side of things, he’s finished in the top 10 in defensive win shares four times and in defensive rating thrice.

Wallace was a four-time All-Star and an integral part of the mid-2000s Pistons that won it all in 2004 and went to numerous conference championships.

11. Elton Brand, Bulls/Clippers/76ers

Brand is eighth among active players in rebounds, seventh in blocks, 19th in points and 14th in win shares.

He is also a two-time All-Star with the Clippers and made the All-NBA Second Team in 2006.  He has finished in the top 10 in rebounds in four different seasons and in the top 10 in blocks in five different seasons.

10. Jermaine O'Neal, Blazers/Pacers/Raptors/Heat/Celtics

Jermaine O'Neal wasn't particularly good at the beginning of the millennium and isn't good right now. However, he was pretty good during the middle of the 2000s.

O'Neal made all six All-Star Games from 2002 (when he was named Most Improved Player) to 2007. In 2004, he made the All-NBA Second Team and was third in MVP voting.

O'Neal is also 17th among active players in rebounds and sixth among active players in blocks.

9. Antawn Jamison, Warriors/Mavericks/Wizards/Cavaliers

Jamison is one of four players to be in the top 10 active players in career points and career rebounds (Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki are the others). He was a two-time All-Star in 2005 and 2008 with the Wizards.

Unfortunately, there are some major downsides to Jamison.  Only twice has he played on a team that has exited the first round of the playoffs; he also has over 1,600 turnovers and is the all-time leader in career turnover percentage at 8.2 turnovers per 100 plays.

8. Karl Malone, Jazz/Lakers

Karl Malone was the best power forward of the '90s, but by the time the millennium rolled around, he was in the twilight of his career.

Since the millennium rolled around, Malone played in two All-Star Games (and was selected to a third one that he sat out), made one All-NBA Second Team and one All-NBA Third Team, and finished in the top 10 in points per game twice.  

Malone ended his career with a disastrous season on the Lakers.

7. Chris Bosh, Raptors/Heat

The third of Miami’s “Big Three," Chris Bosh has been named an All-Star each of the last seven seasons and was on the All-NBA Second Team in 2007.

Bosh has finished in the top 10 in points in two seasons and in the top 10 in rebounds once.  He doesn’t crack the Top 25 in active career points or rebounds, but is 15th in active Hall of Fame probability.   

6. Pau Gasol, Grizzlies/Lakers

Pau Gasol has won two championships in his time with the Lakers and been named to an All-NBA Second Team and two All-NBA Third Teams. He’s played in three All-Star Games with the Lakers and another one with the Grizzlies.

Gasol is 24th among active players in career points and 12th among active players in both blocks and win shares. He is 14th among active in career rebounds, finishing in the top seven three times.   

5. Chris Webber, Kings/76ers/Pistons/Warriors

Webber was the best player on the Kings teams that were really good in the early part of the decade. He was a four-time All-Star in the 2000s, finishing in the top 10 in MVP voting each of those years. He made an All-NBA First Team, two All-NBA Second Teams and an All-NBA Third Team.

Webber is 76th all-time in points and 42nd all-time in scoring average. He’s also in the top 60 all-time in rebounds (57th), blocks (51st) and player efficiency rating (44th).

4. Amare Stoudemire, Suns/Knicks

Amare Stoudemire is in the top 30 among active players in points, win shares, rebounds and blocks. In terms of true shooting percentage, he’s the fifth-most accurate active player and 20th-most accurate all-time. 

Sabremetrically, he’s ninth among active players (and 26th all-time) in player efficiency rating. He’s finished in the top 10 in points four times, in blocks twice and in rebounds once.

Amare is 19th in MVP Award Shares, finishing in the top 10 four times. He’s been named to one All-NBA First Team, four All-NBA Second Teams and six All-Star teams.

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3. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki is one of three power forwards to win an MVP since 2000 and won a ring and a Finals MVP last year. He’s been named to the last 11 All-Star teams, three All-NBA Third Teams, five All-NBA Second Teams and four All-NBA First Teams.

Nowitzki is third among active players and 19th all-time in points. He’s finished in the top 10 in points per game in 10 different seasons. He’s third among active players and 13th all-time in win shares (first and 10th, respectively, in offensive win shares). 

He’s fifth among active players and 15th all-time in player efficiency rating, finishing in the top 10 in that stat in nine different seasons. He’s also sixth among active players in rebounds.

2. Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves/Celtics

Like Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett has one ring (with the Celtics, in 2008) and one MVP. He’s finished second or third in MVP voting thrice and won the Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. Garnett was selected to a dozen straight All-Star Games between 2000 and 2011.  Since 2000, KG has been named to four All-NBA First Teams, three All-NBA Second Teams, an All-NBA Third Team and nine All-Defensive First Teams.

Garnett is the active rebounds leader, leading the league in rebounds twice and coming in second three more times. He’s second among active players in points scored and 18th all-time in that stat. He’s in the top 10 among active players in blocks (fifth), steals (third) and assists (eighth). He’s also the active leader (and is eighth all-time) in win shares, leading the league in that statistic twice.

1. Tim Duncan, Spurs

Since the 1999-2000 season, Tim Duncan has won two MVPs (and been a runner-up to two more), three rings and two Finals MVPs. He was named a starter to a dozen straight All-Star Games between 2000 and 2011. He’s been named to seven All-NBA First Teams, three All-NBA Second Teams and seven All-Defensive First Teams.

Duncan is second to Garnett in both active career rebounds and active career win shares, though Garnett’s numbers are slightly inflated by two additional pre-2000 seasons. Duncan finished in the top eight in rebounding for 11 straight seasons.  

He is the active leader in defensive rating and defensive win shares, leading the league in each of those stats in three seasons since 2000. He is fourth among active players (and ninth among everyone) in player efficiency rating. Duncan is also the active blocks leader.