The 2010s will go down as one of the most exciting, historic, and important periods in NBA history.
This past decade has seen the rise and fall of two dynasties, three different teams winning their first-ever NBA Finals, and countless amazing games with exhilarating finishes.
Additionally, this past decade has seen the birth and progression of many players, some who will go down as the best in basketball history. Here are my selections for the NBA All-Decade First Team (from 2010 to 2019).
G – Stephen Curry
Curry went from taking an unknown Davidson team to the Elite 8 to revolutionizing the game of basketball. Arguably the greatest three-point shooter of all time, Curry was an easy selection for this team. During the 2010s, the star point guard has made six All-Star and six All-NBA Teams. He also won the scoring title for the 2015-16 NBA season along with winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards.
Curry also ranks third all-time in three-pointers made and is likely to take the record from Ray Allen before he retires. Most importantly, he was at the forefront of the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Led by Curry, the Warriors won three NBA Championships and went to the NBA Finals for five straight seasons. His combination of flash handles, elite sharpshooting, and crafty playmaking ability make him one of the greatest point guards of all time.
G/F – LeBron James
James is unarguably a top-two player of all time and may even be widely considered the greatest once he is done in the league. He has been the best player in the world for this entire decade and still is to this day. During the 2010s, James made 10 All-Star and 10 All-NBA teams, one every year.
He won four MVPs, three NBA Finals, and three NBA Finals MVPs. James excels and wins wherever he goes, no matter how poor his supporting cast is. From 2011 to 2018, he took his teams to eight straight NBA Finals. That is unbelievably impressive. Obviously, everyone knows how purely talented James is, but his high basketball IQ and versatility are things that are often overlooked but still are top-notch. He was by far the easiest pick for this team.
F – Kawhi Leonard
Leonard is not like most of the players on this team. For the first three years of his career, he did not put up impressive numbers but was instead known for his grit, defensive prowess, and his consistent play.
In 2014, Leonard bested LeBron James and the Heat in the NBA Finals, winning Finals MVP in the process. He has made three All-Star and three All-NBA teams this past decade and has also won two Defensive Player of the Year awards. Like James, Leonard wins wherever he goes. He has won two NBA Finals and two Finals MVPs with two different teams.
One of these victories came last season, where he delivered the Toronto Raptors their first NBA Finals title in his only season north of the border. The silent killer is not flashy, but he is a natural leader, a born winner, and great basketball talent.
F – Kevin Durant
Even with the questions about his character, the man who ruined basketball by joining a 73-9 Warriors team and runs multiple burner accounts on Twitter to stick up for himself, is unlike anything the NBA has seen before. Durant is taller than many power forwards and some centers, but is a lights-out shooter and arguably the best pure scorer of his generation.
Watching his fluidity on the court is a treat for any basketball fan. Durant has made 10 All-Star and nine All-NBA teams during the 2010s and has won four scoring titles and the 2013-14 MVP as well. He has also won two NBA Finals, which he had to join the best team in the league to win, and two Finals MVPs. Durant is a crybaby, but he deserves to be on this team.
F/C – Dirk Nowitzki
In addition to being one of the most unique and successful big men of all time, Nowitzki is a class act who has done a lot for the game of basketball. It’s impossible to dislike Dirk. Players today do not have the same amount of loyalty as the former NBA MVP, who spent every minute of his 21-season career with the Dallas Mavericks.
During the 2010s, Nowitzki made six All-Star and three All-NBA teams. His most impressive feat by far came in the 2011 Playoffs. Nowitzki led his Mavericks team to an improbable championship run. In the 2011 NBA Finals, he dismantled a talented Heat team who was in their first year of the Big Three era, winning Finals MVP and securing his team’s title.
The original stretch five was at the center of one of the decades most inspiring underdog stories and fills out the final slot.
As always, let me know what you think. Did you agree with my picks for my All-Decade NBA team? Are there any players that I missed out on?
