Guides / Decade guides

The 2000s: zones, isolation and the wing takeover

By the 99OVR editorial team at Sameer Studios

The 2000s opened with zone defense newly legal and closed with hand-checking gone, and in between the league belonged to wings who could make their own shot. The 99OVR pool for the decade follows suit: wings with shooting and athleticism to burn, big men who finally shoot, and point guards who mostly don’t guard anyone.

Two rule changes, two different decades

The decade opened with the biggest defensive rule change in years. In 2001–02 the league scrapped its illegal-defense rules and allowed zones, adding a defensive three-second rule so a center couldn’t just camp under the rim. Help defense got crowded and clever, the best teams (San Antonio, Detroit) won on rotations, and scoring stayed low. Star wings answered the packed paint by pulling up from the midrange.

The second half was shaped by a crackdown. From 2004–05 the league had officials enforce its rules against hand-checking, and a quick guard could suddenly get into the lane without a forearm in his ribs. Phoenix’s Seven Seconds or Less Suns won 62 games that season, Steve Nash won the first of back-to-back MVPs, pace began creeping up and three-point attempts rose toward the spread game of the 2010s.

Two more changes shaped who is in this pool. The 2005 labor deal set a minimum draft age, making that year’s class, Monta Ellis included, the last straight from high school. And the league went global: by 2007 a Canadian and a German had won MVPs, a Frenchman had been Finals MVP, and a Chinese center had gone first overall.

Dynasties, isolations and the rest of the world

Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant opened the decade with three straight titles, and the 2001 Lakers lost one playoff game all spring, to Allen Iverson’s 76ers in the Finals. Tim Duncan’s Spurs then won in 2003, 2005 and 2007, a dynasty so understated it barely felt like one. Detroit beat the Lakers in five in 2004 without a superstar, Dwyane Wade carried Miami past Dallas in 2006, Boston’s new big three won in 2008, and the Lakers closed the decade with another title in 2009.

Underneath the dynasties, it was the iso decade. Iverson, Tracy McGrady, Kobe, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter and Carmelo Anthony made careers of the one-on-one jumper, and Kobe scored 81 in a game in 2006. Those wings are why this pool’s shooting guards and small forwards are so loaded.

Meanwhile the rest of the world caught up. Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Yao Ming, Peja Stojakovic and Andrei Kirilenko were stars or close to it, and the U.S. finished sixth at the 2002 World Championship and took bronze at the 2004 Olympics. The imports brought what the league had lacked: big men who could shoot and pass. And the 2003 draft (LeBron James, Carmelo, Chris Bosh, Wade) owned the decade’s final years.

What changed from the ’90s pool

Set beside the 1990s pool, 99OVR’s hand-rated 2000s pool (editorial game ratings, not official ones) shows four big shifts.

Big men learned to shoot

The ’90s had almost no big-man jumpers. Here Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best shooters in the entire decade, and Mehmet Okur, Rashard Lewis, Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Yao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas give power-forward and center runs a real answer in round one. Handles and passing on bigs are still rare, so the jumpshot round is the one that changed.

Wings took over defense and athleticism

The shooting-guard pool is as deep in shooters as any position pool in the game and the most athletic group of shooting guards in any decade. The small forwards add what the ’90s never had: real depth on defense, with Bruce Bowen, Ron Artest, Kirilenko, Shawn Marion, Shane Battier and Tayshaun Prince all guarding at a high level.

Point guards stopped defending

Handles and playmaking are still deep at the point, but there is no Gary Payton here. Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Jason Kidd and Kirk Hinrich hold up; as a group, this is the weakest defensive point-guard pool of any decade. Tony Parker is the only point guard who finishes at an elite level.

The paint split in two

The positional wheel’s tagline promises defense-first bigs, and the best of them are here: Ben Wallace, Dwight Howard, Marcus Camby, Duncan, Garnett. But the same pools carry the scoring bigs whose box lines were enormous and whose defense was not. The result is the weakest defensive center pool of any decade, even as big-man finishing gets deeper than it was in the ’90s.

Reading each position pool

Point guards come in three kinds: pure passers (Nash, Kidd, Paul, Rondo, Andre Miller, Deron Williams, Jose Calderon), score-first combo guards (Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, Steve Francis, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Ben Gordon) and athletes (Baron Davis, Devin Harris, T.J. Ford). A deal without an elite ball handler is rare.

Shooting guards are the decade’s strength and its playmaking hole: they are the weakest passers of any shooting-guard pool, with Wade, Manu Ginobili and McGrady the exceptions.

Small forwards run from specialists (Peja, Kyle Korver, James Posey) to LeBron, who is strong almost everywhere and in a class of his own as a passer.

Power forwards and centers sort into three tribes: shooters (Dirk, Okur, McDyess, Ilgauskas), stoppers (Ben Wallace, Camby, Dwight, Tyson Chandler, Samuel Dalembert, Emeka Okafor) and scorers (Zach Randolph, Al Jefferson, Carlos Boozer, Eddy Curry, Amar’e Stoudemire). In most rounds one tribe is the answer and the rest are noise. Duncan, Garnett, Pau Gasol and Rasheed Wallace belong to more than one, which is why they’re so valuable.

The 2000s on both wheels

The 2000s are the busiest decade on the Best Player wheel: nineteen franchise eras across eighteen teams, with the Lakers’ 2001 and 2005 seasons merged into one decade roster. Nine of the headline seasons were lottery teams, from the 15-67 Clippers to the 21-61 Blazers, but the reel deals each franchise’s whole decade: the 2004 Magic slot includes McGrady and Dwight Howard, and the 2002 Bulls slot holds Ben Wallace and Ron Artest. The landing badge is judged on that full roster, so no 2000s franchise lands as rough.

A team re-spin keeps the decade, and with eighteen franchises to choose from, a 2000s team re-spin draws from the widest field on the wheel. In positional runs the decade lands about one spin in six. A 2000s shooting-guard jumpshot landing reads ALL-TIME practically every time, while 2000s point guards in the defense round can come up ROUGH, which the ’90s point guards almost never do.

Drafting from the 2000s

Wing runs want the 2000s, except in round four

For shooting-guard and small-forward runs, a 2000s landing is good news in almost every round: shooting and athleticism are deep at both spots, shooting guards add handles and small forwards add defense. Playmaking is the exception. If the reel brings 2000s shooting guards in round four, look for Wade, Ginobili or McGrady and treat anyone else as a placeholder. The positional builds guide explains how much playmaking a wing build actually needs.

Kobe is the fallback; LeBron is the answer

Kobe Bryant is elite at nearly everything, yet in the shooting-guard pool he is never the single best at anything: Ray Allen out-shoots him, Iverson out-dribbles him, Wade out-finishes and out-passes him, Bowen and Artest out-defend him, Vince Carter out-jumps him. Take the specialist when he is in your dozen and Kobe when he isn’t. LeBron is the opposite case. His athleticism has company among small forwards; his finishing and especially his playmaking don’t, so that is where he belongs.

In defense rounds, ignore the twenty-and-ten

The scorers’ box lines are bait. In a big-man defense round, a line like “23.6 PPG · 10.1 RPG” (Zach Randolph) is a warning, and one like “6.7 PPG · 13.0 RPG · 4x DPOY” (Ben Wallace) is the tell. At point guard there is no lockdown answer; Paul, Rondo, Kidd, Hinrich and Brevin Knight are the ceiling, so take one and move on. The roster-reading guide covers which stat lines to trust.

Judge a tank-year franchise by its decade

On the Best Player wheel, the season on the label is only how the franchise earned its slot. Before you spend a team re-spin on a 2000s landing, check whether the decade roster has someone elite at this round’s skill. The Nuggets slot, earned by a 17-65 season, still offers Marcus Camby in a defense round and Allen Iverson in a handles round.

Players worth knowing

Bruce Bowen: One of the very best defenders in the decade, with a respectable corner three and almost nothing else. In a wing run’s defense round he is the steal; anywhere else he is a reach.
Brad Miller: A high-post passer who is usually the best playmaking option a big-man deal offers. His athleticism is among the lowest in the pool, so never take him for it.
Mehmet Okur: A center who shoots like a wing, which makes him a jackpot in a big-man jumpshot round. Everything else is ordinary or worse, especially the athleticism.
Tony Parker: The only point guard in the decade who finishes at an elite level, teardrop and all. The jumper is the weak spot.
Andre Miller: One of the decade’s best passers and a capable finisher for a point guard. The jumpshot round is where he hurts you, exactly as his note warns.
Ruben Patterson: The self-declared Kobe Stopper is a trap in the defense round, where he is decent rather than elite. What he really brings is athleticism.
Yao Ming: At seven-six you would expect a shot-blocker first; his real strengths are finishing and a genuine shooting touch. Avoid him in the athleticism round.
Zach Randolph: Twenty and ten every year and one of the worst defenders in the decade. Take his finishing and never let the rebounding line talk you into him on defense.

On the Best Player wheel

When the franchise reel lands on one of these teams in the 2000s, the roster you read is the whole franchise across the decade, not a single season. The team that earned the slot is listed first; the rest of the roster is everyone else who played for the franchise in those ten years.

2000s Clippers · Solid · 104 players

2000 Clippers: 15-67 in the Sports Arena. Attendance optional. Headliners: Maurice Taylor, Derek Anderson, Lamar Odom, Tyrone Nesby, Eric Piatkowski.

2000s 76ers · All-time · 85 players

2001 76ers: Iverson's MVP year. One Finals game stolen in LA. Headliners: Allen Iverson, Theo Ratliff, Dikembe Mutombo, Aaron McKie, Toni Kukoc.

2000s Lakers · All-time · 66 players

2001 Lakers: 15-1 through the playoffs. The most dominant month ever. Headliners: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Horace Grant.

2005 Lakers: 34-48 and no playoffs. The year after Shaq left. Headliners: Kobe Bryant, Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Chucky Atkins, Chris Mihm.

2000s Wizards · Solid · 82 players

2002 Wizards: Jordan came back at 38 and dragged them to 37 wins. Headliners: Michael Jordan, Richard Hamilton, Courtney Alexander, Christian Laettner, Tyronn Lue.

2000s Nets · All-time · 95 players

2002 Nets: Kidd arrived and a 26-win team went to the Finals. Headliners: Kenyon Martin, Jason Kidd, Keith Van Horn, Kerry Kittles, Richard Jefferson.

2000s Grizzlies · Solid · 95 players

2002 Grizzlies: First year in Memphis. 23 wins and a Rookie of the Year. Headliners: Pau Gasol, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, Stromile Swift, Michael Dickerson.

2000s Bulls · Solid · 93 players

2002 Bulls: 21-61. Six seasons of rubble after the dynasty. Headliners: Jalen Rose, Ron Artest, Marcus Fizer, Fred Hoiberg, Eddie Robinson.

2000s Nuggets · Solid · 89 players

2003 Nuggets: 17-65. The tank that landed Carmelo Anthony. Headliners: Juwan Howard, James Posey, Nene, Chris Whitney, Rodney White.

2000s Magic · Solid · 82 players

2004 Magic: 21-61 with a scoring champion on the roster. Explain that. Headliners: Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Gordan Giricek, Drew Gooden, Tyronn Lue.

2000s Timberwolves · Solid · 87 players

2004 Timberwolves: 58 wins, a KG MVP, and the only conference finals in franchise history. Headliners: Kevin Garnett, Sam Cassell, Latrell Sprewell, Wally Szczerbiak, Troy Hudson.

2000s Pistons · All-time · 76 players

2004 Pistons: No superstar. Beat the Lakers 4-1. Still the best team defense of the century. Headliners: Richard Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Mehmet Okur.

2000s Jazz · Solid · 68 players

2005 Jazz: 26-56. The first year with neither Stockton nor Malone. Headliners: Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmet Okur, Matt Harpring, Gordan Giricek.

2000s Suns · All-time · 94 players

2005 Suns: Seven Seconds or Less. 62 wins and the offense everyone copied. Headliners: Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, Steve Nash, Quentin Richardson.

2000s Heat · All-time · 92 players

2006 Heat: Down 0-2 to Dallas. Wade decided it wasn't happening. Headliners: Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Williams, Antoine Walker, Udonis Haslem.

2000s Blazers · Solid · 87 players

2006 Blazers: 21-61. The Jail Blazers hangover, before Roy and Oden. Headliners: Zach Randolph, Darius Miles, Ruben Patterson, Voshon Lenard, Juan Dixon.

2000s Warriors · All-time · 100 players

2007 Warriors: We Believe. An eight seed took out 67-win Dallas. Headliners: Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, Monta Ellis, Jason Richardson.

2000s Pacers · Solid · 74 players

2008 Pacers: 36-46. Still paying for the Malice at the Palace. Headliners: Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Jermaine O'Neal, Troy Murphy, Marquis Daniels.

2000s Celtics · All-time · 87 players

2008 Celtics: Ubuntu. 24 wins to a banner in one summer. Headliners: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Leon Powe.

See every franchise on the wheel →

The 2000s positional pool

Positional runs deal twelve players at random from the chosen position’s pool when the decade reel lands on the 2000s. These are all 109 players who can appear, with the box-score clue from their roster card and the note shown beside it on wider screens. Players listed at two positions can be dealt in either pool. Skill ratings stay hidden until your verdict.

Point guards

Steve NashPG: 18.8 PPG · 11.5 APG · 50-40-90Two MVPs for making everyone around him look drafted higher.
Jason KiddPG: 14.9 PPG · 9.1 APG · 7.3 RPGTook the Nets to two Finals on passes and rebounds alone.
Chauncey BillupsPG: 17.0 PPG · 6.2 APG · 89% FTMr. Big Shot. Journeyman until Detroit handed him the keys.
Chris PaulPG: 22.8 PPG · 11.0 APG · 2.8 SPGArrived in New Orleans already running the league's smartest offense.
Tony ParkerPG: 18.8 PPG · 6.0 APGThe teardrop was unguardable and nobody could explain why.
Baron DavisPG: 22.9 PPG · 8.1 APGWe Believe. Dunked on Kirilenko and the whole Western Conference.
Deron WilliamsPG: 18.8 PPG · 10.5 APGRan the flex offense so well people argued he was better than Paul.
Mike BibbyPG: 21.1 PPG · Game 5Hit the dagger over the Lakers and Sacramento never got over it.
Stephon MarburyPG: 20.8 PPG · 8.1 APGAll the numbers, none of the wins. The math never worked.
Sam CassellPG: 19.8 PPG · 7.3 APGDid the dance at 34 because he'd earned it twice over.
Andre MillerPG: 16.5 PPG · 8.9 APGNever took a three, never needed one, never stopped throwing lobs.
Rajon RondoPG: 11.9 PPG · 8.2 APG · 1.9 SPGHands like a pickpocket, jumper like a rumor.
Kirk HinrichPG: 15.7 PPG · 6.3 APGChicago's designated adult. Guarded whoever needed guarding.
Devin HarrisPG: 21.3 PPG · 6.9 APGThe fastest first step in the league and nowhere to put it.
Jose CalderonPG: 12.8 PPG · 8.9 APG · 98% FTMissed one free throw all season. One.
Derek FisherPG: 11.5 PPG · 0.4 secondsFive rings and the most famous catch-and-shoot in Texas.
T.J. FordPG: 14.0 PPG · 7.5 APGBlur speed in the open floor, spinal stenosis in the fine print.
Jamaal TinsleyPG: 9.4 PPG · 6.4 APGPasses nobody saw coming, including the man they were thrown to.
Luke RidnourPG: 10.5 PPG · 5.4 APGSteady, blond, and better at this than you remember.
Earl BoykinsPG: 8.9 PPG · 5'5"Bench-pressed 315 at five-five. Scored 32 in a game.
Raymond FeltonPG: 13.1 PPG · 6.1 APGWon a title at North Carolina, then a decade of honest work.
Brevin KnightPG: 7.4 PPG · 8.8 APG · 2.0 SPGSix feet of nothing who led the league in steals. Look it up.
Allen IversonPG / SG: 31.1 PPG · 5.4 APG · MVPCarried a scoring title, a Finals trip, and a whole aesthetic.
Gilbert ArenasPG / SG: 29.3 PPG · HibachiTold you the shot was going in before he took it. It usually was.
Steve FrancisPG / SG: 19.9 PPG · Stevie FranchiseExplosive as advertised. The point guard part was mostly marketing.
Jason TerryPG / SG: 19.6 PPG · 38% 3PTJET. Slept in the shorts of the team he planned to beat.
Jamal CrawfordPG / SG: 17.7 PPG · four-point playsHandles for a highlight tape, defense for the other team's.
Ben GordonPG / SG: 21.4 PPG · 41% 3PTSixth Man of the Year who couldn't be left alone in the fourth.
Leandro BarbosaPG / SG: 18.1 PPG · Brazilian BlurSeven Seconds or Less was too slow a name for him.
Delonte WestPG / SG: 10.4 PPG · 40% 3PTGuarded three positions and shot it better than his role suggested.

Shooting guards

Kobe BryantSG: 35.4 PPG · 81 points · five ringsTook every hard shot on purpose because the easy ones bored him.
Dwyane WadeSG: 30.2 PPG · 2006 FinalsFlash. Went to the rim like the rim owed him a debt.
Ray AllenSG: 26.4 PPG · 40% 3PTThe most repeatable jumper ever built. Pregame ritual included.
Michael ReddSG: 26.7 PPG · leftyMilwaukee's quiet bucket machine. One All-Star nod, a thousand pull-ups.
Richard HamiltonSG: 21.5 PPG · the maskRan off screens until your legs filed a complaint.
Manu GinobiliSG: 19.5 PPG · EurostepCame off the bench for a decade and started every fourth quarter.
Monta EllisSG: 20.2 PPG · 53% FGGot to the rim whenever he wanted. Passed roughly never.
Cuttino MobleySG: 16.0 PPG · CatThe other half of Houston's backcourt, and the reliable half.
Raja BellSG: 14.7 PPG · 41% corner 3Clotheslined Kobe and then made the corner three anyway.
Larry HughesSG: 22.0 PPG · 2.9 SPGLed the league in steals. Also led his own team in bad shots.
Kevin MartinSG: 24.6 PPG · the ugliest good jumperLived at the free throw line. The form was a crime scene.
J.R. SmithSG: 15.2 PPG · permanent green lightNever met a shot clock he respected or a three he refused.
Mike MillerSG: 13.1 PPG · 41% 3PT · ROYRookie of the Year, Sixth Man, and the same release for fifteen years.
Tracy McGradySG / SF: 32.1 PPG · 13 in 33 secondsScored without ever appearing to try. Two scoring titles say he did.
Vince CarterSG / SF: 27.6 PPG · Le Dunk de la MortJumped over a seven-footer at the Olympics and kept walking.
Paul PierceSG / SF: 26.8 PPG · The TruthStabbed eleven times in 2000. Played all 82 the next season.
Joe JohnsonSG / SF: 21.4 PPG · Iso JoeSeven All-Star trips out of dribbling into a jumper.
Ron ArtestSG / SF: 18.3 PPG · DPOY 2004Guarded one through four and made all four hate their evening.
Bruce BowenSG / SF: 6.6 PPG · corner three · the toesNobody's favorite matchup, three rings, and famously bad real estate.
Corey MaggetteSG / SF: 19.8 PPG · free throw specialistDrew fouls at a historic rate. Assists arrived by accident.
Caron ButlerSG / SF: 20.8 PPG · Tuff JuiceTwo All-Star trips and a straw-chewing habit worth the ticket.
Andre IguodalaSG / SF: 18.8 PPG · 5.7 APGAsked to be a first option. Was actually the league's best fourth.
Kyle KorverSG / SF: 12.6 PPG · 43% 3PTTraded for the cost of a summer-league table. Shot 43% forever.

Small forwards

LeBron JamesSF: 30.0 PPG · 7.6 APG · MVPArrived at 18 as a finished product and kept adding anyway.
Peja StojakovicSF: 24.2 PPG · 43% 3PTSacramento's spacing was one man wide and it worked.
Josh HowardSF: 19.9 PPG · 2007 All-StarDallas's second option and the reason the defense held up.
Richard JeffersonSF: 19.5 PPG · Kidd's favorite targetRan the floor for a living. Kidd found him every time.
Luol DengSF: 18.8 PPG · 7.4 RPGDuke to Chicago, quiet as a library, guarded the other team's best.
Grant HillSF: 19.7 PPG · the ankleReinvented himself as a shooter because the explosion was gone.
Hedo TurkogluSF: 19.5 PPG · point forwardRan Orlando's pick-and-roll at six-ten. Nobody had a matchup.
James PoseySF: 8.2 PPG · two rings, two teamsThe role player every contender bought in a hurry.
Ruben PattersonSF: 10.6 PPG · self-declared Kobe StopperTrademarked the nickname. Kobe averaged 30 against him.
Danny GrangerSF: 25.8 PPG · 40% 3PTMost Improved Award, All-Star berth, then the knees collected.
Wally SzczerbiakSF: 18.7 PPG · 45% from deepPure shooter, unsigned defense, permanent trade-machine fodder.
Carmelo AnthonySF / PF: 28.9 PPG · the shot creatorCould get a bucket on anyone. Was asked to prove it nightly.
Shawn MarionSF / PF: 19.4 PPG · 10.0 RPG · The MatrixUgliest jumper in the league, guarded all five positions with it.
Andrei KirilenkoSF / PF: 16.5 PPG · 3.3 BPG · the 5x5Filled every column on the box score, sometimes in one quarter.
Lamar OdomSF / PF: 15.2 PPG · 6'10" handleA point guard in a power forward's body, moods included.
Antawn JamisonSF / PF: 20.5 PPG · the flip shotScored 20 a night on shots no coach would ever teach.
Gerald WallaceSF / PF: 19.8 PPG · CrashEarned the nickname the hard way, repeatedly, into the stanchion.
Tayshaun PrinceSF / PF: 14.7 PPG · The BlockChased Reggie Miller down the floor and changed a series.
Josh SmithSF / PF: 15.6 PPG · 3.0 BPGBlocked everything at the rim. Kept shooting from twenty feet.
Rashard LewisSF / PF: 22.4 PPG · 40% 3PTGot max money as a stretch four before the league agreed with him.
Shane BattierSF / PF: 10.1 PPG · the no-stats All-StarThe box score hated him. Every plus-minus column loved him.

Power forwards

Kenyon MartinPF: 16.7 PPG · Nets dunk factoryFirst pick with a mean streak and a permanent scowl.
Zach RandolphPF: 23.6 PPG · 10.1 RPGTwenty and ten every year. Never guarded a soul doing it.
Udonis HaslemPF: 10.7 PPG · 7.7 RPGUndrafted, unmovable, elbow jumper from the same spot for 15 years.
Al HarringtonPF: 17.4 PPG · shoots it anywaySix-nine with a green light nobody remembers granting him.
Tim DuncanPF / C: 23.2 PPG · 12.4 RPG · 2.5 BPGThe most boring dynasty in history and the most complete big man.
Kevin GarnettPF / C: 24.2 PPG · 13.9 RPG · MVPScreamed at the rim, the rafters, and anyone within twenty feet.
Dirk NowitzkiPF / C: 26.6 PPG · 50-40-90 · MVPSeven feet of unblockable one-legged fadeaway. Nobody solved it.
Rasheed WallacePF / C: 17.1 PPG · BALL DON'T LIEShot threes at seven feet and led a title defense from the block.
Elton BrandPF / C: 24.7 PPG · 10.0 RPGTwenty-five and ten for the Clippers, which nobody watched.
Pau GasolPF / C: 18.9 PPG · 8.6 RPGSoft hands, softer reputation, two rings once he had Kobe.
Amar'e StoudemirePF / C: 26.0 PPG · lob prototypeBest pick-and-roll finisher alive. Rotated on defense by rumor.
Chris BoshPF / C: 22.7 PPG · 9.7 RPGCarried Toronto alone and got called soft for it.
Jermaine O'NealPF / C: 20.1 PPG · 2.6 BPGHigh schooler who became Indiana's franchise, then Indiana's what-if.
Carlos BoozerPF / C: 20.9 PPG · 11.7 RPGScreamed after every made jumper. Made a lot of jumpers.
NenePF / C: 14.6 PPG · 60% FGStrongest man in the league and the most efficient nobody talked about.
Al JeffersonPF / C: 23.1 PPG · post footworkLast man in the league who scored from the block on purpose.
David LeePF / C: 16.0 PPG · 11.7 RPGDouble-doubles by the bushel. The rim was a suggestion at his end.
Antonio McDyessPF / C: 17.2 PPG · post-knee editionLost the hops, kept the jumper, extended the career a decade.
Mehmet OkurPF / C: 17.6 PPG · 38% 3PT at seven feetUtah's secret weapon was a center standing at the arc.
Brad MillerPF / C: 14.1 PPG · 4.3 APGPassed out of the high post like a point guard who ate well.
Marcus CambyPF / C: 10.3 PPG · 3.6 BPG · DPOYErased everything at the rim and never gained a pound.

Centers

Shaquille O'NealC: 29.7 PPG · 13.6 RPG · three-peatThe most physically unfair player who ever lived. Free throws excepted.
Yao MingC: 19.0 PPG · 9.2 RPG · 7'6"Genuine touch at seven-six. The feet held up for exactly six years.
Dwight HowardC: 20.6 PPG · 14.2 RPG · 3x DPOYSuperman took Orlando to the Finals on defense and dunks alone.
Ben WallaceC: 6.7 PPG · 13.0 RPG · 4x DPOYUndrafted, six-nine, and the best defender of the decade.
Zydrunas IlgauskasC: 15.8 PPG · 7.9 RPGBig Z. Broken feet, unbroken jumper from seventeen feet.
Tyson ChandlerC: 8.8 PPG · lob catcherCaught everything Chris Paul threw near the rim. That was the job.
Samuel DalembertC: 8.1 PPG · 2.3 BPGBlocked shots into the third row and the fourth if he could.
Brendan HaywoodC: 8.0 PPG · 1.4 BPGLarge, functional, and always in a contract dispute.
Erick DampierC: 7.0 PPG · one contract yearAveraged 12 and 12 in a walk year. Never came close again.
Eddy CurryC: 16.6 PPG · 57% FGCould score on anyone. Defended nobody, including himself.
Emeka OkaforC: 13.0 PPG · 10.7 RPG · ROYUConn title, Rookie of the Year, and then Charlotte happened.
Chris KamanC: 15.4 PPG · the cavemanAll-Star out of nowhere with a hook shot and a hairstyle.
Kwame BrownC: 6.6 PPG · No. 1 pickFirst high schooler taken first overall. Hands of glass.
Michael OlowokandiC: 9.8 PPG · The Kandi ManPicked ahead of Nowitzki, Pierce, and Carter. All of them.