2000s NBA All-Decade Team

There's no denying that the past 10 years have featured some of the best basketball us fans have ever seen. We have seen men like LeBron James (pictured) and Dwight Howard blossom into perennial All-Stars who have changed the game and the way the fans look at it. 

While the 90s were a golden age of basketball, the first decade of the new millennium could be something much more.

That being said, putting together an all-time team from this period could prove to be a doozy. So many talents have emerged during this time that it could be virtually impossible to put together a flawless starting lineup, let alone a bench. The sad part of this is that so many great players will go unnoticed.

Still, I am never one to back down from a challenge. Here is the complete 2000s All-Decade Team, from starting lineup to team management.

Point Guard: Chris Paul

Ever since he was drafted out of Wake Forest in 2005, Chris Paul has slowly become the best point guard in the NBA today. For someone just 6'0" and 175 pounds, he plays with the emotion and energy of someone much bigger.

Over the course of his brief career, he has played in four All-Star Games and has been named to one All-NBA First Team as well as one All-Defensive Team.

The best part about Paul is that he has the ability to score a good amount of points as well as pass the ball effectively. For his career, he has averaged 18.7 points and 9.9 assists. In terms of defense, Paul is an absolute beast with a career mark of 2.4 steals per game.

He may not have a championship on his resume yet, but to not make Paul the starting point guard on this team would just be an injustice.

Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant

Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant is easily one of the best guards of his generation and probably of all time. Since the start of 2000, he has won an astounding five championships and was named MVP in 2008.

Over the course of his career, he has been named to 13 All-Star Teams and nine All-NBA First Teams.

Like Paul, Bryant is a guard who can play defense as well as shoot. He has made the All-Defensive First Team nine times and has career averages of 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals to go with an impressive 25.3 points per game.

Throw in the fact that he's a great leader and he is the obvious choice to be in the starting lineup for this team.

Small Forward: LeBron James

No stranger to hype at all, LeBron James was the talk of the town before the Cleveland Cavaliers even drafted him with the first pick in 2003. ESPN actually broadcast his high school games—that's how talented he was.

Sure enough, James lived up to the hype and more as he won Rookie of the Year in his first season, averaging 20.9 points to go with 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists.

His legend has continued to grow since he first stepped on the hardwood, as he has made seven consecutive All-Star Games and has won the MVP Award twice. He has made the NBA Finals twice, losing both times.

The fact is that, while James may be hated by many following his "decision," not to mention his lack of a ring, he is still the best all-around player in the NBA. For his career, he has averaged 27.7 points to go with 7.1 rebounds and seven assists, not to mention 1.6 steals.

The kid may make some questionable decisions, but he's easily the best all-around player in the NBA and considering the small forward position, he is perfect for this team.

Power Forward: Dirk Nowitzki

Ever since becoming a starter in the 1999-2000 season, Dirk Nowitzki has blossomed into one of the league's best power forwards. He has great size at 7'0", 245 pounds and has been a phenomenal leader for a Dallas Mavericks team that just keeps getting better and better.

Last season, he led the team to its first championship as Dallas beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

On top of that, Nowitzki has played in 10 straight All-Star Games and has shown the ability to play solid defense and make jump shots from all over the court. For his career, he has averaged 23 points and 8.7 rebounds.

With the city of Dallas rallying behind him and some talented teammates already at his disposal, something tells me that this is only the beginning for Nowitzki.

Center: Dwight Howard

There is a reason that Dwight Howard will be a highly touted free agent come next offseason. He is the best center in the league today and is virtually impossible to defend on either end of the court. For the past three years, he has been named Defensive Player of the Year.

Howard has also played in five consecutive All-Star Games and helped lead the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The craziest part about Howard's success is that he is just 25 years old. Thus far, he has averaged 18.2 points and 12.8 rebounds for his career as well as an even more impressive 2.2 blocks.

With his body showing no signs of slowing down, Howard surely has many more All-Star appearances ahead of him and is thus deserving of being the starting center on this team.

Sixth Man: Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade would be a perfect sixth man for this team simply because his game is so unpredictable.  The seven-time All-Star can hurt the opposition in a number of ways, be it with a pretty fadeaway jumper or a hard drive to the basket. Wade is also a decent defensive guard who has averaged 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals for his career to go with 25.3 points.

Yet, the best part about Wade is that he has the heart of a champion. The man simply wants to win and do what is best for his team in the process.

He was named MVP of the 2006 NBA Finals, when the Miami Heat came back from a 2-0 deficit to win four straight games and take home their first championship.

Backup Point Guard: Steve Nash

Steve Nash is a good point guard for multiple reasons. While his defensive game is limited, his pass-first approach (8.5 assists per game for his career) and supreme athleticism have helped him turn the teams he has played on into perennial contenders.

He was with the Dallas Mavericks when their resurgence began and it was during his second stint with the Phoenix Suns that the team started making the playoffs regularly once again.

On top of that, Nash is easily one of the best leaders in the NBA. More often than not, he will sacrifice his own personal stats if the good of the team relies on it. That being said, it's no surprise that he has made seven All-Star teams and has been named MVP twice.

Throw in his career three-point percentage of 43, and Nash is the perfect backup point man.

Backup Shooting Guard: Ray Allen

The backup shooting guard on a team like this should be a pure shooter and, for this decade, the best in that department is Ray Allen. The man has made 40 percent of his three-pointers and, last season, passed Reggie Miller as the all-time leader in three-pointers made.

Even more impressive, Allen has averaged 20.2 points per game for his career.

Like many of the men on this team, Allen is also a great team leader. Without the 10-time All-Star, the Celtics may not have made the NBA Finals twice in three years recently.

Love him or hate him, his shooting ability is without a doubt unbelievable.

Backup Small Forward: Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce is a great pick for the backup small forward in the fact that he would be a great swingman.  He can shoot, pass, play defense and drive to the basket well.

Over the course of his career, Pierce has made nine All-Star teams and won a championship in 2008.

For his career, Pierce has averaged 22.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He is just the type of player who can do it all and his team's success is indicative of that.

Backup Power Forward: Kevin Garnett

In a decade split between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Boston Celtics, Kevin Garnett has been one of the game's most dangerous power forwards.

From being a 14-time All-Star to nine All-Defensive First Team selections, the man has been one of the most intense people at both his position and in the league itself.

He may have slowed down a bit over the past three seasons, but Garnett still holds career averages of 19.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Throw in that he can still trash talk with the best of them, and he is the obvious choice for this spot on the 2000s All-Decade Team.

Backup Center: Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan's role on this team is that of the veteran center who has simply seen it all. He has multiple accomplishments on his resume and is now in the twilight of his career. He can still play well, but is now more of a mentor to the team's youth rather than the alpha dog.

Duncan fits this role perfectly in that he has won four championships, including three this decade, not to mention the fact that he has played in 12 consecutive All-Star Games.

The two-time MVP has amazing career averages of 20.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. Those numbers are quite impressive for someone who usually plays power forward and occasionally center.

Thus, despite the fact that he posted career lows in both scoring and rebounding last year, the 35-year-old Duncan's leadership and experience have earned him the backup center's job on this team

12th Man: Carmelo Anthony

He may be an unconventional choice for a 12th man, but I feel it's impossible to not include Carmelo Anthony on this team. The man is just such a great athlete and teammate that his presence is almost a necessity.

He's a great scorer and rebounder, and the fact that his wife is one of the more attractive WAGs doesn't hurt either.

However, Anthony's value comes in that he has made more clutch and/or game-winning shots than I can count. If the game is on the line and a win means something big, then Anthony and his career average of 24.8 points per game is who I want taking the shot.

Head Coach: Gregg Popovich

You were expecting...oh, i don't know, Phil Jackson? No thanks. When it comes to this All-Decade Team, the man for the job is current San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who has won four titles with the team since taking over in 1996.

Over the course of his tenure in San Antonio, Popovich has posted a remarkable record of 797-383, good for a winning percentage of .675. He has been the man to mold the talents of players like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and thus turn them into stars.

The three have won three championships together, as Popovich is also excellent in the playoffs with a 108-73 record.

Thus, while Phil Jackson might have more rings this decade, Popovich is more deserving of being this coach's team for one reason alone. A lot of the talent Jackson had on the Lakers was either there to begin with or brought in from another team via a trade or free agency. Popovich, on the other hand, built his championship cores from scratch.

Owner: Dr. Jerry Buss

Considering how he had a PhD in physical chemistry by the time he was 24 and taught for a time at USC, Dr. Jerry Buss is the last man one would expect to own a professional sports franchise.

Yet, thanks to some smart real estate investments, he finds himself in that position and owns one of the most successful franchises in NBA history.

Buss is the perfect owner/front office representative for this All-Decade Team just because he has shown time and time again that he and his staff know how to put together a winning franchise. Considering how the Los Angeles Lakers have won five championships since 2000 and still have a talented group despite starting to show signs of age, it's a sure bet that Buss is already in the planning stages of putting together his next championship roster.

Thus, he is the man who would best represent this All-Decade Team in the front office department.