NBA Power Rankings: LeBron James, Paul Pierce, and the Best NBA Small Forwards
NBA small forwards are often the most gifted players. They are the all around talents who can score, rebound, and pass well.
Players such as LeBron James of the Miami Heat impact the game in every way. James is a great scorer, but his rebounding and passing is more important to the Heat.
Small forwards are also the most versatile players. They can guard shooting guards, stronger power forwards, and even quicker point guards.
The small forward position is home to the most elite players in the NBA, and you won't find a championship worthy team that doesn't have a good one.
Let's look at the 10 best small forwards in the NBA.
10. Danilo Gallinari
1 of 11
Danilo Gallinari is having a great sophomore season for the New York Knicks, who are legitimate playoff contenders for the first time in several years.
Gallinari is one of the NBA's best pure shooters, and he attempts more three pointers than anyone in the league.
Gallinari also is a very good foul shooter, and plays with a lot of energy. He needs to improve defensively, but his improvement and potential may make the Knicks think twice before including him in a possible trade for Carmelo Anthony.
9. Luol Deng
2 of 11
Luol Deng is finally fully healthy, and is having an excellent start to the season with the Chicago Bulls. Deng has tremendous length, and can drive to the basket with ease, or step back behind the arc for a three pointer.
Deng is also a solid defender, and his size allows him to guard many power forwards without being exposed. He is one of the better shot blockers among small forwards, and also accumulates a respectable amount of steals.
Rebounding is a strength for Deng, and with Joakim Noah expected to miss over a month with an injury, Deng will need to shoulder more responsibility for Chicago.
8. Andre Iguodala
3 of 11
Andre Iguodala is still a young player in his young twenties, but he's a leader on the Philadelphia 76ers, one of the NBA's youngest teams.
Iguodala can score in any way, and is extremely athletic. He also does a lot of the dirty work underneath the basket, and hustles after every loose ball.
He was also an integral part of the 2010 FIBA World Championship team in Turkey this summer.
Andre is a guy who cannot be the number one player for a team, but if teamed with the right people he can be very successful.
If Elton Brand continues to have a solid season, the 76ers could make the playoffs.
7. Gerald Wallace
4 of 11
Gerald Wallace is another underrated player, and he was the main reason the Charlotte Bobcats made the playoffs last season, the franchise's first ever postseason appearance.
Wallace is a fine offensive player, but is a terrific defensive player. He guards the best opposing offensive threats every night, and still puts up great numbers at the offensive end.
Wallace is improving each season, and will be a perennial all star for years.
6. Rudy Gay
5 of 11
A lot of NBA fans and experts were confused when Memphis decided to give Rudy Gay a max contract before the start of the 2010-11 season. Gay has been a solid player, but not the type of guy worth max money.
So far this season, Gay has proved he is an elite player, and is earning every penny of his new deal.
He is averaging 21ppg, and 6.1rpg for the upstart Memphis Grizzlies, who are one of the youngest teams in the league but are full of talent.
Gay had a brilliant 2010 FIBA World Championships with Team USA this summer, and hasn't slowed into the NBA season.
If he keeps improving at his current pace, Rudy Gay will be a superstar very soon.
5. Danny Granger
6 of 11
Danny Granger is an amazing talent, and one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He is a gifted scorer, and can shoot from anywhere on the floor.
Granger is averaging 20.7ppg, 5.1rpg, and 2.7apg so far this season, and is the primary offensive option on the Indiana Pacers.
Granger's improved play has helped the Pacers become a playoff contender, and if they make the playoffs, Granger will be able to show the nation how good he really is.
4. Carmelo Anthony
7 of 11
Not many players in the NBA can score the basketball better than Denver Nuggets superstar Carmelo Anthony. He is a fantastic offensive player, and can score against any defender.
Anthony is also a decent rebounder and passer, but his scoring gets the most attention, and with an average of 24ppg, it's easy to see why.
Melo is averaging 8.3rpg this season, one of the highest of his career. Even with rumors flying from everywhere concerning his future in Denver, Anthony hasn't slowed down at all, and is leading the Nuggets to another likely playoff appearance.
3. Kevin Durant
8 of 11
Kevin Durant is the future face of the NBA, and will win a number of championships by the time he's retired.
Durant is the total package. His scoring is amazing, and he became the league's youngest scoring champ in history last season, barely beating out LeBron James.
Durant is also a good rebounder, but has improved his team play this season. Durant is looking to pass more this season, and other players like Russell Westbrook are benefiting.
Durant has learned that helping his teammates improve will help the team improve, and many young players don't learn that as quickly as Kevin.
2. Paul Pierce
9 of 11
Paul Pierce is an elite NBA player even in his thirties. Pierce is a tremendous all around player, and is one of the most clutch players in the NBA.
Pierce is a pure scorer, who can penetrate against any defense, and shoot threes as good as anyone. Paul has also improved in his thirties, an age when most players decline.
Pierce is a much better defensive player right now then he was in his prime, and his dedication on that end of the floor has helped the Boston Celtics become a defensive power.
Pierce is not statistically dominant anymore, but he is so valuable, and few players are better in crunch time.
1. LeBron James
10 of 11
No player has been more criticized in the NBA in 2010 than LeBron James, but you cannot debate the amount of talent he has.
James is the most talented player in the NBA, and can earn a triple double any night. His passing skills for a forward are spectacular, and he rebounds as well as most power forwards and centers.
LeBron does not play well in clutch situations, and often chokes under pressure. But he is still very young, and hasn't entered his prime yet.
LeBron gives the Miami Heat a little bit of everything each night, and when he's playing well, he becomes un-guardable.
Review: Did I Miss Someone?
11 of 11
The small forwards of the NBA are the league's biggest superstars. They also fill out the stat sheet better than any position.
Their versatility gives teams many options in any game situation. Small forwards are often great defenders.
There were a lot of players to choose from, and many could have made the 10, nine, and eight spots on this list. Who could I have put there? Maybe Richard Jefferson?
