NBA All-Decade Teams Part Six: The 2000s

Well, we’ve covered most of the history. The '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s are all in the rear-view mirror, and now it’s time to focus on the most recent—and still in progress—decade.

It’s time to wrap up my six-part series with my final installment: the All-2000s team.

These are the years that everyone remembers clearly because most of these players played, quite literally, yesterday.

So, who have made their mark as the top players of the new millennium?

My final starting five:

Point Guard: Steve Nash, Dallas Mavericks/Phoenix Suns

Stats (2000-08): 17.0 PPG, 9.5 APG, 3.3 RPG, six-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA MVP

Stats (2008): 15.1 PPG, 8.1 APG, 2.9 RPG

Steve Nash is truly a perfect fit for this decade. The first year he averaged double digits in PPG was the 2000-01 season with the Mavericks.

Over the coming years, Nash would establish himself as the top floor general in the game.

In 2004-05 (the year after Dallas let him walk), Nash showed the Mavericks just how poor of a choice they made, with his first career double-double average for a season (15.5 PPG, 11.5 APG), on his way to winning the first of his back-to-back MVP awards.

Nash still has no championship ring to sport, but a wiley vet like him will find a way to get one, much like Gary Payton did.

Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

Stats (2000-08): 29.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.3 APG, eight-time NBA All-Star, 2007-08 NBA MVP, two-time NBA Champion

Stats (2008): 25.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.1 APG

Kobe Bryant was involved in one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history before his pro career even began.

On the day of the 1996 NBA draft, the Charlotte Hornets took Bryant, and traded his rights to the L.A. Lakers for center Vlade Divac. The rest is history.

Of course, people argue that the Hornets had no choice, since Bryant’s agent, Arn Tellem, had said prior to the draft that Kobe playing for Charlotte was “an impossibility.”

But they did have other choices, and their names were Peja Stojakovic, Steve Nash, Jermaine O’Neal, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Well, regardless of your opinion of the Hornets and their blunders, Kobe turned out to be not only one of the best players in the NBA today, but of all time.

Last season, Bryant finally won his long-deserved MVP award.  With teammates like Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum at his side, he looks poised to pick up at least one more ring before all is said and done.

Small Forward: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

Stats (2000-08): 27.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 6.6 APG, four-time NBA All-Star

Stats (2008): 27.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 6.3 APG

Okay, so LeBron James is only in his sixth season, but he is far too talented to be left off this list.

Over the past couple seasons, LeBron has silenced haters who called him a one-trick pony, shooting upwards of 31.5 percent from three-point range and 47.2 percent from the field in each of the past four seasons.

Of course, this year, he is only shooting 27.1 percent from beyond the arc, but he is also shooting a career-high 49.1 percent from the field.

Bottom line, if I were starting a franchise, there is no one I would rather have then LeBron James to build around.

Power Forward: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

Stats (2000-‘08): 21.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 2.4 BPG, eight-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Champion

Stats (2008): 20.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.6 BPG

“Mr. Fundamental” has been a dominant force ever since he burst onto the scene in 1997.

He has been an All-Star every season except 1998-99, where he was somehow left out of the All-Star game despite being named to the All-NBA First Team at season’s end.

His lowest career PPG average is 18.6, and his lowest RPG average is 10.6.

He’s averaged a double-double every single season, and is in the debate for the best power forward of all time.

In my opinion? There’s no contest. No one has ever manned the four-spot better than Tim Duncan.

Center: Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers/Miami Heat/Phoenix Suns

Stats (2000-‘08): 22.8 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.1 BPG, six-time NBA All-Star, three-time NBA Champion

Stats (2008): 14.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.4 BPG

He wasn’t on my '90s team, so you know he had to be on my 2000s team.

Over the course of his career, Shaq has been one of the most fun players to watch both on and off the court. With his dominating post play and his hilarious word play, he has been, well, Shaqtastic.

He teamed with Kobe to form one of the best inside-outside duos of all time in L.A., and he brought Miami its first championship in franchise history.

Though his best days are far behind him, Shaq will always be remembered as one of, if not the greatest center to ever play the game.

Well, this is the end. It’s been a fun ride, but six parts later, my series is finally over.

I hope everyone enjoyed reading these.

Next time, I’ll probably keep my story a little shorter; maybe spread it out over one day, instead of six.

*Note: All stats provided in this series have been courtesy of www.basketballreference.com