NBA: Dirk Nowitzki, LeBron James and the 50 Greatest Players Since the Year 2000

Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James are two of the most recognizable names in recent NBA history.

But where do they rank over the last 10-plus years?

The NBA is at a crossroads right now with two generations of superstars in the league today. The last generation—led by guys like Kobe, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, etc.—is on their way out, and we're now debating the potency of their historical legacies. The new generation—LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, etc.—haven't even tapped their potential yet, and there's no way of telling where they'll end up.

But where does the new generation stack up compared to the old one?  Is it too early to say LeBron has a better career than someone like Tracy McGrady or Allen Iverson? Is Kobe the greatest player we've seen since Jordan?

The following list is based on performance in the regular season and postseason since the year 2000. Anything prior to that doesn't matter, and any future predictions aren't taken into account. If the NBA ended forever today, how would we rank the current stars?

Remember, when I list facts such as number of rings and All-Star appearances, I mean just since the year 2000.

Honorable Mentions

Derrick Rose: Check back in 7-8 years, and D-Rose will probably be in the top 10 of this list. Just 22 years old and three years into his career, and Rose already has a MVP.  He's probably the most explosive athlete at the PG position the NBA has ever seen. The only concern I have for his future is he attacks the rim so hard and so often that he will always be at risk for serious injuries.

Eddie Jones: Jones had an incredibly long and productive NBA career. He was efficient and a do-it-all player. If I factored the 1998 and 1999 seasons into this list, he'd definitely make the cut and probably make the top 40.

Brent Barry: This guy is the definition of always solid, never great. Barry was solid night in and night out, but never a star player. He gets bonus points for being a key reserve on two championship teams.

Richard Jefferson: RJ has always been a good scorer and capable of being the No. 3 option on a championship team. He never really got that chance, but don't let that hide the fact that this dude could play; career averages of 16.4 PPG and 5.0 RPG speak for themselves.

Antawn Jamison: 'Tawn is a spoiled baby and has never been a winner, but he has always been a versatile and at times dominant frontcourt player. His athleticism and ability to shoot at his size (6'9") have always made him a tough matchup.

Dikembe Mutumbo: Mutumbo's best seasons were all in the 1990's, but don't overlook his three All-Star appearances and Defensive POY award in the new millennium.  He was never a scorer, but he could D-up and rebound his entire career.  

Reggie Miller: Miller's prime was in the 1990's as well, but he still put together three great offensive seasons in the 2000's. His shooting actually got better with age, but his body prevented him from being what he once was.

Latrell Sprewell: Perhaps known more for his antics than his impressive offensive numbers (18.3 career PPG), Sprewell is actually one of the more underrated players in recent memory. Sure, he never won anything significant, but you can't hate the dude—he just wants to feed his family.

Other Honorable Mentions: Steve Francis, Michael Finley, Jamal Mashburn, Caron Butler, Carlos Boozer, Derek Fisher, P.J. Brown, Antonio McDyess, Kenyon Martin, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince

No. 50: Ron Artest (aka Metta World Peace)

Age: 31

Teams: Bulls, Raptors, Pacers, Kings, Rockets, Lakers

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 1

Three-Year Peak Averages: 20.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2.0 SPG

Which Ron Artest will you remember?  

Will it be the crazy guy who shaved weird stuff into the back of his head, got drunk at halftime (then played better in the second half), had rap skills that make Ja Rule sound like Biggie and brought a whole new meaning to the saying "When s**t hits the fan?"

Or will it be the incredible defensive force who could lock down the 2-4 spots and add a surprising scoring punch to a contending team?

Artest was a key player on a few Pacers teams that should have been elite and the defensive stopper on a Lakers championship team.  

Hate on the man all you want, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more consistently elite perimeter defender in the league.

Interesting Fact: Ron-Ron played on three different teams in the same season twice.

No. 49: David Robinson

Age: Retired in 2003

Teams: Spurs

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 14.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.2 BPG

The Admiral's prime was obviously in the 1990's, but don't write off his dominance in the early 2000's.

Forming the "Twin Towers" with Tim Duncan, Robinson was still a force to be reckoned with down low. Even at an old age he was pound-for-pound the strongest player in the league.

On top of being one of the best centers ever, Robinson was a great guy, and you can't not respect him. Whether it's his military service or his charitable work, David is a great role model of what a star athlete should be.  

Interesting Fact: Robinson has the last quadruple-double the NBA has seen; in 1994 against the Pistons he put up 34 points, 10 boards, 10 assists and 10 blocks.

No. 48: Jerry Stackhouse

Age: 36, technically still an eligible free agent

Teams: Sixers, Raptors, Pistons, Wizards, Mavericks, Bucks, Heat

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 24.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.0 APG

Stack is a true NBA journeyman who has never been able to get the ring he deserves. He was one of the league's best all-around scorers in the first half of the 2000's and averaged 29.8 PPG with Detroit during the 2000-2001 season.

Injuries took a toll on him though, and it appears after a very brief stint with Heat at the beginning of last year that his career is over, although he remains an eligible free agent. When Stackhouse was coming out of college he was legitimately compared to Michael Jordan. Obviously that didn't end up coming true, but Stack was a good player in his own right.

Interesting Fact: Stackhouse wore the No. 42 for most of his career to honor his favorite athlete, Jackie Robinson.

No. 47: Peja Stojakovic

Age: 34

Teams: Kings, Raptors, Pacers, Hornets, Mavericks

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 3

Three-Year Peak Averages: 21.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 41 percent three-point shooting

Peja is one of the greatest shooters ever and one of the most consistent scorers in recent memory.  He wasn't going to make incredible highlight-reel plays, and he wasn't going to give you much on defense. But you could count on the guy for at least two three's a game for most of his career, a claim even some of the best shooters can't make.

Peja was an underrated rebounder and a critical part of the great Kings teams in the early part of the 2000's. He's still active, although he doesn't receive many minutes anymore. 

It was nice to see him go to Dallas and get a ring.

Interesting Fact: Before his basketball career, Stojakovic served in the Greek army.

No. 46: Robert Horry

Age: Retired in 2008

Teams: Rockets, Raptors, Sixers, Lakers, Spurs

Championships: 5

All-Stars: 0

Three-Year Peak Averages: 6.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG

"Big Shot Rob" was one of the toughest guys to rank.  

If you go strictly by numbers, he probably doesn't even crack the top 200 since the year 2000 because he really was nothing more than an above-average role-player. But as much as we like to judge basketball just by numbers, there's a lot more to it than that.

No player in THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE has hit more clutch jumpers late in postseason games than Horry. He made a career out of it and played a critical role on every championship team he was on. Imagine how much different the NBA playoff outcomes would have been the last 10-15 years if Horry missed those shots.

If you're a fan of basketball, you're a fan of Robert Horry. It's that simple.

Interesting Fact: Horry's seven total rings are the most for any player who didn't play on a Celtics team in the 1960's.

No. 45: Deron Williams

Age: 27

Teams: Jazz, Nets

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 19.4 PPG, 10.5 APG, 1.2 SPG

D-Will has gotten off to a fast start and has undoubtedly become a top-15 player in the league. There's very few players you can routinely count on for a double-double, and even less who can do so with assists. 

Williams hasn't been in the league long enough and hasn't won enough to be ranked any higher on this list, but there's no telling where he will go. Combine his good shooting, incredible ball-handling, court vision and brute strength, and you really have an unstoppable force at PG.

Sadly for him, he will continue to be compared to Chris Paul, but Williams is a true star in his own right.

Interesting Fact: Going third in the draft, Williams is the highest-drafted player in the history of the University of Illinois.

No. 44: Jason Terry

Age: 33

Teams: Hawks, Mavericks

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 0

Three-Year Peak Averages: 15.4 PPG, 4.8 APG, 42 percent three-point shooting

Terry has been one of the most explosive bench players in the league for quite some time. Combine his quickness with his beautiful jump shot, and you have one of the few reserves in the league who can get a team a win by themselves.  

Terry finally got the ring he deserved for so long last season with Dallas and played a huge role on that team. Don't crucify me for writing this, but during the Finals, he was just as valuable to Dallas as Dirk. Miami had no answer for his scoring off the bench.

Terry has been effective for a long time, and he continues to play at a high level.

He also has the coolest tattoo in the NBA.

Interesting Fact: Terry's cousin is Martell Webster.

No. 43: Lamar Odom

Age: 31

Teams: Clippers, Heat, Lakers

Championships: 2

All-Stars: 0

Three-Year Peak Averages: 15.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 4.7 APG

Yes, he's soft.  

Yes, he cares more about partying with celebrities than playing hoops.  

But don't get it twisted; Lamar is one of the most uniquely talented players to grace the NBA in a long time.

He's 6'11", yet can shoot and dribble like a guard. That has made him a matchup nightmare coming off the bench. He's the best sixth man in the NBA and has been a key player on two championship teams. When you can get a guy averaging pretty close to a double-double off the bench, you take it.

Odom is often the first to receive criticism when the Lakers struggle, but Lakers fans need to feel lucky they have him—they may not for much longer.

Interesting Fact: Lamar played on an AAU team with Ron Artest and Elton Brand.

No. 42: Sam Cassell

Age: Retired in 2008

Teams: Rockets, Suns, Maverick, Nets, Bucks, Timberwolves, Clippers, Celtics

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 1

Three-Year Peak Averages: 19.7 PPG, 6.6 APG, 4.0 RPG

I apologize in advance for any nightmares you get by looking at his face, but I couldn't leave Cassell off the list.  

He was one of the best all-around PG's in the 2000's. Cassell could score, pass and before he lost his legs, guard. He wasn't just an average guy who always played with great players, like some say.

Sam had an unstoppable mid-range game and was perhaps the best post-up point guard the NBA has seen in 20 years.

He's not that pretty to look at, but he's efficient and reliable.

Interesting Fact: George Lucas wanted to cast Cassell to play a monster in the Star Wars prequels.

No. 41: Antoine Walker

Age: 34

Teams: Celtics, Mavericks, Hawks, Heat, Timberwolves

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 3

Three-Year Peak Averages: 22.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 4.7 APG

People seem to forget that as early as five years ago, Antoine Walker was one of the best No. 2 guys in the NBA. He could light it up with his size, athleticism and shooting ability, and he actually was a key player on the championship team in Miami.

'Toine was a ballhog though, and that, combined with the loss of his legs, is why he currently plays with the Idaho Stampede in the D-League.

Maybe he can make a comeback—he needs the money.

Interesting Fact: Walker played with Donovan McNabb in high school.

No. 40: Chris Bosh

Age: 27

Teams: Raptors, Heat

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 6

Three-Year Peak Averages: 23.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.5 APG

People love to hate on Bosh for no reason. Sure, he's not a tough banger down low, but the guy has produced at an incredibly high and efficient level his whole career.

Six All-Stars by the age of 27 is a rare feat in the NBA. You can argue Bosh isn't a truly elite player, and he's not. But he is the most consistently good PF to come into the league in 7-8 years (Amar'e may be better, but Bosh is more consistent).

Bosh is slowly building up a pretty good resume, and if he keeps this pace up for another 5-6 years and the Heat win a few titles, he'll be in the Hall of Fame for sure.

He took some heat (no pun intended) last year because his numbers dipped slightly. Don't be fooled though, his numbers only dipped because he was sharing shots with LeBron and Wade; Bosh had the best season of his career.

Interesting Fact: Bosh is Toronto's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, free throws and double-doubles. 

No. 39: Yao Ming

Age: 30

Teams: Rockets

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 8

Three-Year Peak Averages: 23.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 1.9 BPG

While injuries have slowed down Yao's career to the point where most people think it's over at the age of 30, there's no doubt he's one of the most popular and important NBA players of the last 20 years. He single-handedly gave the NBA a legitimate presence in China.

Yao has probably pumped more money into the league than any player ever. So while most American fans remember him for his freakish height and injuries, please don't forget that there was a four-year span where this guy was probably the best center in the world.

I doubt it will happen, but I'd love for Yao to get healthy and sign with a contender.

Interesting Fact: Yao was voted to the All-Star game two straight seasons when he didn't even play a game; talk about a flawed system.

No. 38: Tony Parker

Age: 29

Teams: Spurs

Championships: 3

All-Stars: 3

Three-Year Peak Averages: 19.8 PPG, 6.1 APG, 3.2 RPG

Tony Parker has accomplished more before the age of 30 as a PG than any player I can think of: three rings (all as a top-three guy), three All-Stars (should be more like five or six), a Finals MVP AND he was married to Eva Longoria at one point.

Parker has great quickness, and he bursts through the smallest of openings to get the ball to the rim. He also plays his best in the playoffs and late in game.  

He's not great on defense, not a great shooter and he sometimes focuses on scoring a bit too much, but that's just me being picky.

Parker has been one of the most reliable players in the NBA this century—and he's only 29.

Interesting Fact: Parker is actually a very successful French Hip-Hop artist; his rap name is TP.

No. 37: Amar'e Stoudemire

Age: 28

Teams: Suns, Knicks

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 6

Three-Year Peak Averages: 23.3 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.3 BPG

Stoudemire always had incredible physical talents, but once he developed his killer mid-range game and improved his free-throw shooting, he became an unstoppable offensive force.  

He also remarkably came back from a torn ACL and appears to still have all of his athletic ability.

Going to New York was a good decision for Amar'e. He had the best year of his career, and people are finally starting to notice him for the bona fide superstar he is. Now that Carmelo is in town, the Knicks have championship potential if they can improve their defense and bench.

Everyone's showing Dirk a ton of love, but Amare is probably the best PF in the game at the moment.  

Interesting Fact: Stoudemire didn't play basketball until his junior year of high school.

No. 36: Gilbert Arenas

Age: 29

Teams: Warriors, Wizards, Magic

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 3

Three-Year Peak Average: 27.7 PPG, 5.7 APG, 4.3 RPG

Arenas suffers from the "Ron Artest Syndrome" because he is more well known for his misconduct and bad attitude than his very solid play.

But before he became the cockiest player this side of LeBron and before he pulled a gun out on the locker room, Agent Zero was the best scoring guard in the NBA after Kobe and Iverson.

Blessed with good size, great athletic ability, a nice shot and a killer instinct, Arenas seemed unstoppable at one point, and he was actually considered to be a top-10 player.

That's obviously changed, but Gilbert still possesses that ability. If a team can overlook his issues and pay him the huge amounts of money he wants, they could find a diamond in the rough.

Interesting Fact: Gilbert wears a different pair of shoes every game.

No. 35: Andre Miller

Age: 35

Teams: Cavs, Clippers, Nuggets, Sixers, Trail Blazers

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 0

Three-Year Peak Averages: 15.3 PPG, 8.5 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.3 SPG

How can a guy with zero rings and zero All-Stars be ahead of some of the other guys on this list?  

The answer is he really can't, unless he's  Andre Miller.

Miller is one of the most underrated NBA players ever. This guy has been a solid-to-good PG his entire lengthy career and still plays at a high level. He's not going to bring you a ton of wins by himself, but he's good enough to win with.

An Andre Miller team can always compete because he's just a solid leader every time he steps on the court. He's not a great shooter or explosive athlete, but he is durable and plays the position the right way. I'll take 10 solid years of Andre Miller over 2-3 great fluke years some other PG's have had.

Interesting Facts: During his rookie year, Miller was the only player in the league to average 10 assists and 10 points.

No. 34: Baron Davis

Age: 32

Teams: Hornets, Warriors, Clippers, Cavs

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 20.4 PPG, 7.7 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 APG

Davis is more than just a dude with a cool beard.  

Ever since entering the league, he's filled up the highlight reel with explosive plays. He's very quick, very strong and is an underrated distributor.

Davis has gotten worse in recent years, but he still has the tools to be a very effective floor general, and he'll probably leave Cleveland pretty soon since Kyrie Irving is in town.

Baron has been one of the best point guards of the 2000's and continues to play at a high level when he is in shape and focused. Props to him for leading the Warriors to that epic upset of the top-seeded Mavs in the first round back in 2007.

Interesting Fact: Davis is the shortest player (6'2") to ever win the McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Contest.

No. 33: Rasheed Wallace

Age: Retired in 2010

Teams: Wizards, Trail Blazers, Hawks, Pistons, Celtics

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 4

Three-Year Peak Averages: 18.9 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.4 BPG

When it comes to yelling at refs, no one in the 2000's was better than 'Sheed.  

When it came to being a great all-around forward who could shoot, D-up at an elite level and rebound there were few better.  

After becoming a star in Portland, Wallace went to Detroit and helped lead a lot of good Pistons teams, including a championship team.

Wallace was very tough to guard because he could step back to drill three's and also post up almost anyone. Teammate Ben Wallace got all the defensive accolades, but Rasheed was nearly as good.  He didn't back down from anybody, and while that sometimes got him in trouble, it inspired his team and usually added to the momentum in a positive direction.

Rasheed really was one of the craziest players the league has ever seen, but he could back it all up on the hardwood.

Interesting Facts: 'Sheed's 304 technicals are the most in NBA history.

No. 32: Jermaine O'Neal

Age: 32

Teams: Trail Blazers, Raptors, Pacers, Heat, Celtics

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 6

Three-Year Peak Averages: 21.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.3 BPG

Injuries have prevented Jermaine from having the type of career most envisioned after 7-8 years in the league. He's lost his athleticism and durability, but there was a time when he was one of the league's best players.

He could be counted on for scoring and rebounding, and he also protected the rim better than anybody. His quickness was unmatched by any other center as well.  

O'Neal is one of many good but should have been great players the NBA has seen in recent years. While he's missed a lot of time the past few years, he's played decent when healthy.

O'Neal can definitely still be a key rotation guy on a contender. 

Interesting Fact: O'Neal's favorite player growing up was Hakeem Olajuwon.

No. 31: Manu Ginobili

Age: 33

Teams: Spurs

Championships: 3

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 17.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.3 APG

Ever since entering the league, Manu has been one of the most dynamic bench scorers in the NBA. His ability to provide offensive firepower (both with shooting and slashing) at both wing positions were key on three championship teams.

Manu is another guy who has been held back by injuries, but last year (in the starting lineup) was arguably the best season of his career. If he was healthy in the playoffs, I highly doubt the Spurs would have lost to the Grizzlies. He's San Antonio's best player right now.

It's unfortunate Ginobili didn't start his NBA career until age 23, otherwise his legacy would probably be a lot greater. But no matter what happens from here on out, Ginobili will be remembered as the best sixth man of the 2000's.

Interesting Fact: Ginobili's pro career in Europe started at the age of 16.

No. 30: Rahsard Lewis

Age: 31

Teams: Sonics, Magic, Wizards

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 21.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 39 percent three-point shooting

Rashard Lewis has been quietly filling up box scores in every category for 10 years now. His incredible athleticism and skill for a player his height (6'10") make him a Lamar Odom-esque mismatch. But when Lewis was in his prime, he was much better than Odom.

Lewis was really a do-it-all player, and if you look at stats across the board for the 2000's, Lewis is one of the names you will be surprised to see a lot.

I did have to bump him a few spots down due to his lackluster playoff career and current situation (being the second highest paid player in the league, yet only averaging 11 points). But there was a time when every team in the league would have taken Rashard Lewis on their roster.

Interesting Fact: Lewis owns the most expensive house of any active NBA player.

No. 29: Carmelo Anthony

Age: 27

Teams: Nuggets, Knicks

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 4

Three-Year Peak Averages: 27.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.3 APG

Carmelo receives as much criticism as anyone—mostly for his lack of defense, inability to be a team player and questionable shot selection.  

But everyone who is overly critical of Carmelo forgets that he is one of the most gifted and productive offensive players to come into the NBA in a long time.

He's currently the third-best pure scorer in the league (behind LeBron and Durant—sorry Kobe and Wade, but 'Melo has more pure offensive talent). He's never averaged lower than 21 PPG, and he's averaged more than 25 in six of his nine seasons in the league.

Carmelo's not LeBron, and he's not a defensive stopper. But you know what you get with 'Melo: a dynamic scorer who (if the right defensive-minded players are around him) can win a lot of basketball games.

He actually played the most efficient basketball of his career after he was traded to New York, and I look for him to improve as the team does.

Interesting Fact: It took Carmelo three tries to get the test scores necessary to play for Syracuse.

No. 28: Pau Gasol

Age: 30

Teams: Grizzlies, Lakers

Championships: 2

All-Stars: 4

Three-Year Peak Averages: 20.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.9 BPG, 52 percent FG shooting

"Pau Ga-Soft" as us Celtics fans like to call him after the bullying Garnett handed him in the 2008 Finals is another player (like Carmelo and Bosh) who receives way too much crap from the media and fans.  

Yes, he's had his struggles, but he's been one of the best post scorers of the last 10 years.

He was the second-best player on two championship teams and the Lakers oftentimes end up feeding him in the post in the clutch, as opposed to letting Kobe play one on five.  

Pau has absolutely beautiful footwork in the paint. He's got great hands, an arsenal of post moves and the touch to get shots that seem improbable to go in. He's a great passer as well.

Gasol becomes a better defender and rebounder every year, and after Dwight Howard, he may be the best big in the league today.

Interesting Fact: Gasol has won European Player of the Year seven times, the most ever.

No. 27: Stephon Marbury

Age: 34

Teams: Timberwolves, Nets, Suns, Knicks, Celtics

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 21.2 PPG, 8.2 APG

Starbury is looked at in a negative light by most NBA fans, but I don't really see why. It's probably because he spent a good chunk of his career with the Knicks, whose fans expect every mildly-talented player to be their savior.

Marbury is not the punk most people think he is. He has given more than $8 million to charity and put his name on a pair of $15 basketball shoes so poor kids could afford them. 

On the court, Marbury was simply electrifying. During the first 10 years of his NBA career, he could change a game with his scoring and passing as well as anyone. Marbury (in his prime) really was one of the best PG's of the modern era.

Interesting Fact: In 2008, Marbury got into a fight with a bouncer at a club. That bouncer, Montel Vontavious Porter, would go on to be a superstar wrestler.

No. 26: Vince Carter

Age: 34

Teams: Raptors, Nets, Magic, Suns

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 8

Three-Year Peak Averages: 25.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.4 APG

I admit, I really hate Vince Carter.  

I hate the way he purposely played poorly so Toronto would trade him.  

I hate the way he gave up late in games on the Nets.  

I hate the way every fan in the NBA overrated him after his Dunk Contest performance and voted him to eight All-Star games.

I wanted to rank Vince as low as possible on this list, but then I looked at the numbers. There's no way around it, Carter is one of the best scorers the NBA has seen in 15 years. He also adds pretty decent other stats as well.

The fact that he doesn't play defense and clearly isn't a winner allowed me to leave him out of the top 20, but when I made this list off the top of my head before doing research, Vince was No. 46.

Interesting Fact: Carter was the first Net to score 2,000 points in a season.

No. 25: Marcus Camby

Age: 37

Teams: Raptors, Knicks, Nuggets, Clippers, Trail Blazers

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 0

Three-Year Peak Averages: 10.2 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 3.0 BPG

Here's a name you probably didn't expect to see in the top 25.  

Camby has quietly been one of the best players of the 2000's. He doesn't score, but as far as a combination of rebounding and defense, there are few better.

Camby is one of the few guys in the NBA who can win a team a game by himself without scoring double-digits—he's that good on the glass and on defense. Camby has been shipped around the league (mostly playing on bad teams) because no NBA GM's ever realized his true value.

How many guys since the year 2000 can lock down both post positions against elite competition and out-rebound their guy every game?

The answer is Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Marcus Camby.

Camby's not going to make highlight-reel offensive plays, but he'll do just about anything else to get his team a W.

Interesting Fact: Camby received prostitutes and jewelry from agents while in college, opening up America's eyes to the dark side of college sports.

No. 24: Dwight Howard

Age: 25

Teams: Magic

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 5

Three-Year Peak Averages: 20.6 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 2.7 BPG, 59 percent FG shooting

Like Camby, Dwight Howard has also proven he can fill up the stat sheet with rebounds and blocks.  

Only Howard can add 20 points to go with it.  

He's an incredible physical specimen, and he has dominated the NBA despite still having minimal basketball skills and post game.

Howard does need to make major improvements though if he wants to win rings and finish his career as a top-five center (something he has a chance to do). He really does need to work on his touch around the hoop and obviously add more post moves.

But despite winning three straight Defensive POY awards, Dwight has a lot of work to do on that end of the floor as well. He does get caught out of position a lot and has gotten pushed around by less talented, but more fundamentally sound centers such as Al Horford, Kendrick Perkins, Joakim Noah and even Anderson Varejao.

When Howard get blocks, he also needs to keep the ball in play and hit it to his teammates to start fast breaks instead of smashing them into the stands to get on ESPN. A lot of NBA centers suffer from this; they all need to watch Bill Russell.

Interesting Facts: Howard's parents actually have a video of him at age nine saying he was going to be the No. 1 pick one day—he was.

No. 23: Kevin Durant

Age: 22

Teams: Sonics/Thunder

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 27.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG

You may think it's a little early for KD to be up this high on the list, but it's really not.  

Barring injury, Durant will surely go down as one of the top five scorers in the history of the NBA.  He has two scoring titles at the age of 22, a feat even some of the greatest scorers fail to do in their careers.

He's the perfect scorer, with incredible height and length, great basketball skills, superhuman athleticism and one of the sweetest shooting strokes the league has ever seen. Once he bulks up a bit and learns to post up better, he will literally be able to do it all.

Durant also works hard in the other aspects of the game, and his teammates love him. He's the kind of superstar we can all root for and the NBA needs.

Interesting Fact: Durant and Michael Beasley have been good friends since they were kids.

No. 22: Michael Redd

Age: 31

Teams: Bucks

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 1

Three-Year Peak Averages: 25.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 38 percent three-point shooting

Redd is one of the most underrated players of the last 20 years.  

Before injuries got to him, he was one of the best shooters and best all-around scorers in the league. He never complained, even though he was stuck on the struggling Bucks franchise and was always a leader on the team.

Redd can still shoot the ball, and I expect him to find a role on a contender next year. Redd will be remembered as a poor mans Ray Allen, but the fact of the matter is he was a solid No. 1 scorer for 5-6 years.

Redd is one of the good guys in the league, and he deserves to have one run at a championship.

Interesting Fact: His eight three-pointers in the fourth quarter against Houston in 2002 is a NBA record for most three's made in a quarter.

No. 21: Chris Paul

Age: 26

Teams: Hornets

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 4

Three-Year Peak Averages: 20.9 PPG, 11.1 APG, 4.6 RPG, 2.5 SPG

Chris Paul is the best PG in the NBA and is the best PG since Stockton. Kidd and Nash have been around longer, so they're higher on this list, but Chris Paul will surely pass them one day.  

Paul has everything you could ask for in a PG; scoring ability, quickness, defense, incredible court vision and all his teammates appear to love playing with him.  Unfortunately for Paul, he has never had a player better than David West on his team and has had to carry New Orleans since his rookie year.

But all signs indicate that Paul will either be traded or become a free agent within the next year, so he should get the opportunity to win with a franchise that also is dedicated to that goal.

Paul is one of the best players in the league—has been for a while and will be for the foreseeable future.

Interesting Fact: Chris Paul is very close with Reggie Bush; they share a housing complex.

No. 20: Chris Webber

Age: Retired in 2008

Teams: Warriors, Wizards, Kings, Sixers, Pistons

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 4

Three-Year Peak Averages: 24.9 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.5 BPG

Webber was also great throughout the 1990's, but during the first half of the 2000's he was probably the best all-around PF not named Garnett or Duncan.  

While Webber never became the true NBA legend most thought he would be when he came into the league, he still had a very good, Hall of Fame-caliber career. He was a perfect talent; quick and athletic, yet strong in the post. Webber had a knack for rebounding and defending, and despite what people say, he was pretty damn good in the clutch.

Was Webber's career a disappointment? Yes, but it was a very productive disappointment.

Interesting Fact: Chris Webber has produced songs for the rapper Nas. One of them, "Blunt Ashes," is considered to be one of his best songs ever.

No. 19: Elton Brand

Age: 32

Teams: Bulls, Clippers, Sixers

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 2

Three-Year Peak Averages: 21.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.2 BPG

Elton Brand was very good player for 8-9 years. Injuries have hurt him, but there was a time when he was the ideal guy to have down low. He had great post moves, a nice jumper and was an excellent positional rebounder and defender—and he did all this despite being just 6'8".

Brand was the first overall pick out of Duke, and he didn't disappoint, as he won Rookie of the Year and was a great asset from day one. His upside was limited, and he never had the physical tools Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan had, but Brand got the most of what he had.

It's toss-up between Brand and Webber; I'll take Brand because I feel he was better, defensively.

Interesting Fact: Brand co-owns a film production company that made the Christian Bale hit "Rescue Dawn."

No. 18: Karl Malone

Age: Retired in 2004

Teams: Jazz, Lakers

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 3

Three-Year Peak Averages: 22.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 4.5 APG

Malone is one of the best players ever, and while his incredible career was mostly built in the 1980's and 1990's, he was still one of the best players in the NBA early in the 2000's.  

And despite having almost no athleticism left, he was still unstoppable. 

Yeah, he always had Stockton, but both those players fed off each other so much it's unfair to hold that against either one of them.  

It's just crazy to think that a 40-year-old Mailman was still better than almost every other player in the league. Sorry Chuck, but Karl's the greatest player to never win a ring. Anytime a player has a legitimate case as one of the best players of three different decades, you know you have a legend.

Interesting Fact: Malone is the "baby daddy" of Buffalo Bills Tackle Demetrius Bell. They've only met once.

No. 17: Ben Wallace

Age: 36

Teams: Wizards, Magic, Pistons, Bulls, Cavs

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 4

Three-Year Peak Averages: 8.0 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.3 BPG

Ben Wallace has never averaged double-digits in points, yet was a clear top-20 player of the 21st Century. He's the best defensive center the NBA has seen in 20 years, and he also was the NBA's best rebounder for five years or so.

With Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton, those Pistons teams had plenty of guys who could score, so Ben never really needed to. But due to his strength, I have no doubt he could of averaged 15 per game if he was ever leaned on for scoring.

Wallace has a mean streak, but that's part of his game. I really couldn't picture a guy in his role being nice and friendly.  

Interesting Fact: He used to rock the 'fro in Detroit and the corn rows on the road.

No. 16: Chauncey Billups

Age: 34

Teams: Celtics, Raptors, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Pistons, Knicks

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 5

Three-Year Peak Averages: 17.5 PPG, 7.5 APG, 3.1 RPG

Coming in at No. 16 is Wallace's ex-teammate, Chauncey Billups.  

Chauncey was the unquestioned leader and best player on those Pistons teams. He has great size and strength for a PG, and is one of the best clutch shooters the league has ever seen.

His production has dipped a bit, but he is still one of the better guards in the league. Billups makes up for a decline in quickness by getting stronger and straight-up outsmarting the opposition.  

He played pretty well in New York, and if he and Amar'e were healthy in the playoffs, I have a hard time believing the Knicks would have been swept.

Interesting Fact: Billups led the Pistons to six straight Eastern Conference finals appearances, one for every year he was with the team.

No. 15: Shawn Marion

Age: 33

Teams: Suns, Heat, Raptors, Mavericks

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 4

Three-Year Peak Averages: 20.1 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 2.0 SPG

Marion deserves way more respect than he gets.

He's been a great player for 10 years, and during the Mavs' run everyone was saying, "Dirk deserves a ring, Jason Kidd deserves a ring, Jason Terry deserves a ring." 

No one was talking about Marion.  

But his timely scoring and defense on Kevin Durant and LeBron James was just as important to the championship run as Dirk's or Terry's scoring.

Marion has been an incredible defender (he can guard every position on the floor) for sometime. He has also been a very solid offensive player.

Then there's the rebounding. I can't think of another perimeter player in the last 15 years who has averaged 10-plus rebounds.

Marion brings so much to the table, and it's amazing he's not regarded as a future Hall of Famer—he should be.

Interesting Facts: In 1998, Marion won Junior College Player of the Year.

No. 14: Ray Allen

Age: 35

Teams: Bucks, Sonic, Celtics

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 10

Three-Year Peak Averages: 25.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, 39 percent three-point shooting, 89 percent FT shooting

Ranking Ray-Ray was tough for me.

He's one of my personal favorite players and undoubtedly the greatest shooter in NBA history, but I couldn't rank him any higher for one reason.  

It's not because all he can do is shoot, that's completely false. Allen has always been a solid defender, rebounder, passer and slasher. He has a complete game.  

He's not a choke artist—in fact, he's one of the more clutch players I ever remember watching.

The reason I can't rank Allen any higher is because he has never been an MVP-caliber player.  He's always been great, everybody knows that. But at no point would anyone argue Ray was a top-five player in the league.

Props to helping Boston win a championship and actually putting together a really good acting performance in Spike Lee's awesome movie "He Got Game."

Interesting Fact: On top of holding the NBA record for three's made, Allen also holds records for three's in a single season and seasons leading the league in three's.

No. 13: Gary Payton

Age: Retired in 2007

Teams: Sonics, Bucks, Lakers, Celtics, Heat

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 9

Three-Year Peak Averages: 23.1 PPG, 8.7 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.7 SPG

Gary Payton is one of the best PG's ever, and very few people know it. He had an all-around great game to go with the fact that he is one of the best scorers at the position the NBA has ever seen.

Oh yeah, Gary was pretty good on the other side of the ball too.  

Payton is hands down the best defensive point guard of all time. He was a great athlete with incredible lateral quickness, and he had the size and strength to bully guys as well.

Right now nobody in the NBA can seem to stay in front of Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook. Well, I bet Gary could hold them to under 15 points and six assists every time he played them—he was that good.

Payton's best seasons were with Seattle, but even when he lost his offensive game, he could still guard the point as well as anyone the league has ever seen.

Also, Payton is the greatest trash-talker in the league's history, and nobody defended Jordan better than a young Payton in the 1990's.

Interesting Fact: Jordan scored more than 30 in only one of the six games Payton guarded him in the 1996 Finals.

No. 12: Tracy McGrady

Age: 32

Teams: Raptors, Magic, Rockets, Knicks, Pistons

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 7

Three-Year Peak Averages: 28.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.5 SPG

People seem to forget how great of a career T-Mac has had. He takes a lot of crap because he hasn't gotten out of the first round, but it's not his fault he's been buried on terrible teams. With a playoff average of 28.5 PPG, McGrady has done everything he can.

Besides, playoff struggles don't erase his incredible play throughout the 2000's. He was always a great all-around player whom people forget was once predicted to go down as one of the all-time greats—I mean Jordan level.

Injuries and declining ability have made T-Mac only a fraction of the player he once was. But when it comes down to the best scorers in their prime over the last 10 years, the only names you can even think about mentioning are O'Neal, Bryant, Iverson, Durant, James, Wade and McGrady.  

That's a pretty good group to be mentioned with.

Interesting Fact: McGrady was going to go to Kentucky if he didn't bypass college for the NBA right out of high school.

No. 11: Steve Nash

Age: 37

Teams: Suns, Mavericks

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 7

Three-Year Peak Averages: 18.1 PPG, 11.1 APG, 45 percent three-point shooting

Nash has arguably been the best offensive PG since Stockton. He's got incredible court vision, ball-handling and he's one of the best shooters the league has ever seen.  

Nash is not perfect though.  

He doesn't have a ring despite being on some stacked teams, and he may be THE WORST defensive player of the last 10 years—that's not an overexaggeration. Nash literally struggles to guard back-up point guards; he makes Derek Fisher look like Chris Paul.

And he didn't deserve either of his MVP's. The first should have gone to Shaq, the second to Kobe.

Nash has been an incredible, but slightly overrated player in the NBA.

Interesting Fact: ESPN named Nash the ninth best PG of all time behind (in order) Archibald, Kidd, Frazier, Cousy, Stockton, Thomas, Robertson and Magic.

No. 10: Jason Kidd

Age: 38

Teams: Mavericks, Suns, Nets

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 8

Three-Year Peak Averages: 11.4 PPG, 10.1 APG, 7.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG

Kicking off the top 10 is Jason Kidd, in my opinion the best PG of the last 20 years.

Kidd is an absolutely incredible passer, and often times has defenders and fans puzzled as to how he finds some of the passing lanes he does.

Despite not being very fast or athletic, Kidd is one of the greatest fast break players ever. He just knows where guys are going to be. 

He's also the second-best rebounder at the PG position after Magic, and Kidd wasn't 6'9" like Johnson. He knows where the ball is going to bounce and has the physical strength to out-fight his man to the spot.

Kidd's always been a solid defender, and it's crazy to think how much better his numbers would be if he had any sort of a jump shot early in his career like he does now.

Kidd is simply one of the smartest players to ever step onto a NBA court.

Interesting Fact: Kidd was forced to go to anger management classes for six months after pleading guilty to spousal abuse.

No. 9: Dwyane Wade

Age: 29

Teams: Heat

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 7

Three-Year Peak Averages: 27.4 PPG, 6.0 APG, 5.7 RPG, 1.9 SPG

Wade has put together an incredible resume, and injuries seem to be the only thing holding him back from being a top-15 player in the history of the league.

He has unreal athleticism to pair with his brute strength and incredible basketball skills. Wade's a great defender as well.  

But what separates him from most is his fearlessness. Wade attacks the hoop as hard as he can every time. Even after suffering a potentially career-ending injury, Wade bounced back and kept flying at the rim.

He's absolutely relentless, and the entire opposing team gets tired of trying to defend him.

Wade was the best player on a championship team, and during last season's Finals, he was the best player for Miami. If it adds anything, Wade seems like a very likable player, and I haven't really heard of any complaints against him.

Interesting Fact: Over the last three years Wade has scored more points from a post-up position than any player in the NBA shorter than 6'7".

No. 8: Paul Pierce

Age: 33

Teams: Celtics

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 9

Three-Year Peak Averages: 25.8 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 38 percent three-point shooting

Paul Pierce is one of the best all-around scorers the NBA has seen in a long time. He can beat you driving to the hoop with his athleticism, and he can beat you from beyond the arc. Pierce has that incredible step-back mid-range jumper, and he's strong enough to post up most perimeter players.  

There really isn't a way to defend Paul Pierce.

Pierce tops that off with a great all-around game that includes defense and rebounding, and despite being stuck on a lot of crappy Celtics teams, he has always given it his all and has never pulled a Vince Carter—even though he was in a much worse situation than VC.

Pierce's impressive career went to another level when the Celtics acquired KG and Ray Allen, and won the championship in 2008. Pierce outplayed both LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, and was the clear emotional leader of the team.

The stretch he had during those playoffs was remarkable.

Kudos for sticking with one team his whole career despite the struggles.

Interesting Fact: A month before the 2000-2001 season, Pierce was stabbed 11 times and beat over the head with a bottle in a night club. He went on to play every game that season.

No. 7: Dirk Nowitzki

Age: 33

Teams: Mavericks

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 10

Three-Year Peak Averages: 25.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 40 percent three-point shooting, 89 percent FT shooting

Dirk is the best European player, the best shooting big man and frankly one of the best offensive weapons the NBA has ever seen.

We all know about his shooting, but another part of his game that is just as valuable is his footwork—it's absolutely beautiful. He can spin, lean, step back and push forward so smoothly, and that is the key to Dirk's offensive game.

He finally got the ring he deserved, so we can stop questioning his greatness and legacy.

Or can we?

One thing prevents Dirk from being top five on this list and being a top-five PF of all time is his defense.

No matter how much we all of a sudden love Dirk after his performance in the most recent playoffs, even the biggest Dirk fans can't ignore the obvious; he doesn't, and never has, given any effort on that side of the ball.

A small asterisk in an otherwise perfect legacy.

Interesting Fact:  Dirk has 10 All-Stars, a regular-season MVP, a Finals MVP and is a three-point champion. The only other player who has all those things is Larry Bird.

No. 6: Allen Iverson

Age: 36

Teams: Sixers, Nuggets, Pistons, Grizzlies

Championships: 0

All-Stars: 11

Three-Year Peak Averages: 31.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.2 APG

A lot of people hear the name "Allen Iverson" and think of the guy who never won a ring.  

They think of the dude with all the tattoos who was the main culprit of bringing the Hip-Hop culture into the league.  

They think of the ballhog.  

They think if the egomaniac who gave the classic "practice" interview.

And while all those things are legitimate facts about Iverson, most of us forget the biggest one: this guy played the game with an intensity and passion the league hadn't seen since a young Jordan.  

Down by 20 or up by 20, in the playoffs or in a game where his team was already mathematically eliminated, nobody played harder than The Answer.

And while the NBA listed him as 6'0", he was really 5'10". It didn't matter though because he was blazing fast, had incredible handles and was tough as nails. You could make an argument that Iverson is the greatest one-on-one scorer in the history of basketball.

I'd love to see Iverson make a comeback, join a contender as a sixth man and get a ring. He deserves it.

Interesting Fact: Iverson actually learned his crossover move from a walk-on while at Georgetown.

No. 5: LeBron James

Age: 26

Teams: Cavs, Heat

Championships: You know.

All-Stars: 7

Three-Year Peak Average: 29.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.7 SPG

We all hate him.  

We're all going to play the "no championship" card until we can't.  

Basketball fans do everything in their power to give LeBron as little credit as possible.  

Real talk, LeBron is the best player in the NBA today, has been for five years and is the most physically-gifted player ever to step onto a basketball court.

It's not an excuse for his shortcomings recently, but maybe we all put too much pressure on the guy. He was heralded as the next Jordan before he even finished high school, and his immediate success in the league did nothing but validate those predictions.

But us NBA fans are going to have to settle. It becomes more apparent every game that LeBron will go down as ONLY the second-best player of all time.  

I'm not defending the guy's character. He's a pompous egomaniac who can't stand when every sports fan in America isn't talking about him. He tries to make every pregame warm-up and postgame press conference a spectacle.  

I'm not saying we should be rooting for LeBron James.

What I am saying is that he has seven All-Stars, two MVP's, 17,000 points, 4,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists and 1,000 steals.

And oh yeah, he's 26.

With every late-game collapse and controversial Twitter post, the public saga that is LeBron's career and life grows. And it will continue to grow with every ring he wins and record he breaks.

Interesting Fact: James has already earned more money than any player other than Jordan.

No. 4: Kevin Garnett

Age: 35

Teams: Timberwolves, Celtics

Championships: 1

All-Stars: 12

Three-Year Peak Averages: 23.1 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.7 BPG

KG is one angry dude, and he brings that anger to the hardwood with him every night.

Opposing players and fan may hate him for it, but it is that anger and drive that separates KG from other physically-gifted, but emotionally-lacking forwards like Chris Webber and Elton Brand.

Obviously The Big Ticket has incredible basketball talent. He has a basketball body with great quickness and athleticism. Combine that with his savvy play in the post, his killer mid-range game and great passing ability, and you have an offensive juggernaut.

But it's not that side of the ball that has made Garnett one of the best players ever.  

On defense, he just wants it more. He enjoys playing defense, and not just the highlight-reel blocks that most bigs glorify.

Kevin loves doing the little things: help defense, communication, picking guys up off screens. Name a defensive aspect of the game, and there's a pretty good chance KG does it better than everybody else.

After literally carrying Minnesota on his back for a decade, Garnett finally got the chance to win in Boston. Anyone who didn't at least consider crying when he was screaming "Anything's Possible!" after winning the title doesn't have a heart.

Interesting Fact: KG says he would have retired if the trade that sent him to Boston never happened.

No. 3: Shaquille O'Neal

Age: Retired in 2011

Teams: Magic, Lakers, Heat, Suns, Cavs, Celtics

Championships: 4

All-Stars: 9

Three-Year Peak Averages: 28.5 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 2.7 BPG

Shaq is just as much a figure in American pop culture as he is in the NBA. He's the second-most popular and recognizable player in basketball, and the NBA lost both a great player and a great character.

Shaq has always been a showman, and he probably has the funniest interviews in professional sports. But the reason Shaq became such a celebrity was his brilliant on-court play. Despite only starting his career in 1992, he was voted into the NBA's 50 Greatest Players List in 1996.

He carried that 1990's dominance into the new millennium. Shaq was the best player (sorry, Kobe) on those Lakers teams, and while Wade may have stepped up big in the Finals for Miami, it was Shaq's MVP-worthy play in the post that got them there.

Shaq has been flat-out overpowering people for nearly 20 years; very few big men can average close to 30 points a game. O'Neal has been one of the most dominant players ever, and it's going to be hard to picture the NBA without him.

Interesting Facts: Shaq is actually Muslim.

No. 2: Kobe Bryant

Age: 32

Teams: Lakers

Championships: 5

All-Stars: 12

Three-Year Peak Averages: 31.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.6 SPG

Despite Shaq being better than Kobe when they played together, Kobe ranks ahead of him because of what he did after the two parted ways—Kobe definitely won that battle.  

There's other ways of saying it, but Kobe is the second-best SG of all time and one of the most dynamic all-around players in the history of basketball. He puts more time into improving his game than anyone, and when you combine that drive to win with his incredible God-given abilities, you have a lethal match.

There are absolutely no holes in Kobe's game, and he's one of the few team-sport athletes ever who can say that. Even as his athleticism begins to decline, he's still an unstoppable force. Kobe can go for 40 just as easily as ever thanks to his improved shooting and understanding of the five-on-five game.

He's also one of the best perimeter defenders the league has ever seen. A lot of people have complaints about Kobe, but his only fault is that maybe he cares a little too much. Sometimes his desire to be the best every game affects some of the more relaxed teammates on the Lakers.  

And while it feels like Kobe has been around for 20 years, he is just 32 and has plenty left in the tank.

Interesting Fact: Bryant was named Player of the Decade by TNT.

No. 1: Tim Duncan

Age: 35

Teams: Spurs

Championships: 3

All-Stars: 12

Three-Year Peak Averages: 23.7 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.7 BPG

Duncan has been the best player on four championship teams (three in the 2000's); that alone should get him consideration for the No. 1 spot.

Then when you add his impressive career statistics and all the stuff he does that stats don't show (post positioning, help defense, running the offense from the high post), it become pretty clear Duncan has been the most consistently great player of the 21st Century.

Even guys like Kobe, Shaq and Garnett have had seasons where they don't seem to be at their best.  Duncan has never had one of those seasons. Sure his numbers have gone down with age and he's no longer a dominant player, but you always know what you're getting with him.

In terms of his body and skill set, he's really the picture perfect PF. He also has the basketball IQ and attitude to go with it.  

Guys like Tim Duncan don't come around anymore. Today's stars are more concerned with making SportsCenter's "Top 10" than doing all the little things to help their team win. Duncan is truly the last of a dying breed.

Tim Duncan is the best PF of all time, and he's also the greatest player since Jordan.

"The time when there is no one there to feel sorry for you or to cheer for you is when a player is made." -Tim Duncan