The 10 Best NBA Players of Each Decade: 2010s
It’s easy for any fan to argue they grew up in the greatest era of their favorite sport, and the generational comparisons fuel our fandom.
The NBA has produced countless legends who blazed trails through their scoring excellence and championship pedigree, but the 2010s saw the history books be rewritten with some of the greatest individual performances the sport has ever seen. Not only this, but the influence of some of the decade’s breakout stars would change the chemical makeup of basketball as we know it.
As a result, the 2010s may ultimately go down as the most significant decade in NBA history, aided by the play of 10 stars in particular.
LeBron James
The most dominant player of his time, LeBron James cemented his legacy with one of the greatest decades in sports history in the 2010s. In that time, LeBron captured three NBA Championships, four Most Valuable Player nods, and three NBA Finals MVP trophies.
Perhaps most impressive is his path to collecting those accolades. He made a controversial jump from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010 to form a super team with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, and would win two titles with them. James then decided to return to Cleveland, where he delivered the franchise its first NBA Championship in an epic 3-1 comeback over the Golden State Warriors.
Altogether, James would lead his teams to eight straight NBA Finals appearances, averaging 27 points per game over the decade.
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is arguably the most prolific scorer in NBA history, and the 2010s saw him assert himself as the benchmark for efficiency.
Durant scored nearly 30 points per game over the 10-year stretch, capturing the 2014 NBA MVP Award in the process. While he found a great deal of success with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his controversial move to the Golden State Warriors would finally deliver him two rings, earning MVP honors in each of those NBA Finals. KD led the NBA four times in scoring from 2010 to 2019, and punched his ticket to Springfield as a result.
Stephen Curry
Durant’s championship success doesn’t occur without Steph Curry, quite frankly.
Curry was an unlikely scoring prodigy out of Davidson at the end of the 2000s, but blossomed into the greatest pure shooter the sport has ever seen during the 2010s. He never shot below 41% from beyond the arc, and established the Golden State Warriors as the team of the decade with three NBA Finals wins. He took home two league MVPs, including a unanimous win in 2016.
Steph averaged 26 points per game in the decade, but his emphasis on prolific shooting would change the way the sport was played.
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard quietly emerged out of the era of Tim Duncan, but very quickly became one of the faces of the NBA. He’d win a championship in the twilight of Duncan’s run, but it was his contributions afterward that would make him a true star.
Leonard’s trade to the Toronto Raptors ahead of the 2018-2019 season would see one of the greatest single-season efforts by a superstar ever, as he led the Raptors to the first title in franchise history. His series-winning shot over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals is widely viewed as one of the greatest playoff shots in history. Leonard would also be named Defensive Player of the Year twice.
James Harden
James Harden’s accolades on the court alone earn him inclusion on this list, and his epic beard only aids his candidacy.
Harden was a three-time NBA scoring leader during the 2010s, capturing the 2018 MVP after averaging 30.4 points per game. He’d follow that up by averaging 36.1 points the following year, as he defined an entire era of isolation scoring.
Though he failed to win a championship in the decade, few scorers in NBA history have managed to match what Harden accomplished.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis’ emergence into superstardom is one of the most unlikely paths the game has ever seen. Even so, his dominance in the second half of the 2010s would put his potential on full display for players around the globe.
“The Greek Freak” would capture two NBA MVPs by age 25, along with a Defensive Player of the Year nod in 2019-2020. He established himself as one of the most versatile two-way players this generation has ever seen, averaging nearly 30 points and 13 rebounds per game by the end of the 2010s. Giannis is far from done, and the Milwaukee Bucks may have more rings in their future with him leading the way.
Chris Paul
A star of the 2000s, Chris Paul drove himself into the conversation of best point guards in NBA history through his play in the decade that followed.
Paul was an All-Star eight times, was selected All-NBA eight times, and was awarded six All-Defensive Team selections. His runs with the Clippers and Rockets saw him average nearly nine assists per game, earning the reputation as an elite ball distributor. Though he didn’t win an NBA Championship (and still hasn’t to this day), Paul has a clear path to the Hall of Fame as a result of his play in the 2010s.
Dirk Nowitzki
By the time the 2010s began, Dirk Nowitzki was already viewed as an elite big-man shooter. However, he didn’t have a ring to show for his skill set.
That would change due to an epic run in 2011, when Nowitzki would lead the Dallas Mavericks past the LeBron James-led Miami Heat to a shocking upset win in the NBA Finals. Dirk would win series MVP by averaging 26 points per game and logging 40.4 minutes per contest. He’d make six All-Star Game appearances by the decade’s end, finishing his career as the greatest German star to ever play.
Russell Westbrook
In terms of sheer versatility, Russell Westbrook likely is the most well-rounded player of the 2010s, even if he doesn’t have a championship to show for his output.
The back half of the decade saw the UCLA product put up numbers few ever have, averaging a triple-double for three consecutive seasons from 2017 through 2019. His 2016-2017 campaign earned him NBA MVP honors, averaging 31.6 points, 10.4 assists, and 10.7 rebounds per game, a remarkable stat line for a point guard.
Westbrook’s play earned comparisons to Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson, hardly bad company.
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade may get overshadowed on the Miami Heat dynasty run thanks to the play of LeBron James, Ray Allen, and Chris Bosh, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t exceptional during the 2010s.
Wade won two NBA Championships during the decade, and averaged over or near 20 points per game for much of that time. He’d make appearances in eight All-Star Games, and was viewed as the leader for a Heat team that had the entire NBA chasing it.