All Decade Teams

[Split T]

Been working on a list of the greatest players of all time and chose to group it by decades.

The rules I made for myself:

1. Each player can only show up in 1 decade

2. Each player will only be considered in the decade they were most relevant. No flip flopping decades to get who I want on the list.

3. The players whole career will be considered, not just the said decade.

4. A big focus was MVP’s, top 3 MVP finishes, and 1st team All-NBA finishes. Of course there is definitely some subjectiveness, especially for the decades I was alive and watching(90’s on)

5. 2 guards, 2 forwards, 1 center per team. Though I did allow a little stretching of those boundaries.

1950:
1st Team
G. Bob Cousy and Bill Sherman
F. Paul Arizin and Dolph Schayes
C. Bob Pettit

2nd Team
G. Slater Martin and Jack Twyman
F. George Yardley and Neil Johnston
C. George Mikan

1960:
1st Team
G. Oscar Robertson and Jerry West
F. Elgin Baylor and Bill Russell
C. Wilt Chamberlain

2nd Team
G. Hal Greer and Lenny Wilkens
F. Sam Jones and Jerry Lucas
C. Willis Reed

1970:
1st Team
G. George Gervin and John Havlicek
F. Rick Barry and Julius Erving
C. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

2nd Team
G. Walt Frazier and Tiny Archibald
F. David Thompson and Elvin Hayes
C. Dave Cowens

1980:
1st Team
G. Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson
F. Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins
C. Moses Malone

2nd Team
G. Sidney Moncrief and Adrian Dantley
F. Bernard King and Kevin Mchale
C. Robert Parish

1990:
1st Team
G. John Stockton and Michael Jordan
F. Charles Barkley and Karl Malone
C. Hakeem Olajuwon

2nd Team
G. Gary Payton and Clyde Drexler
F. Scottie Pippen and Grant Hill
C. David Robinson

2000:
1st Team
G. Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant
F. Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan
C. Shaquille O’Neal

2nd Team
G. Steve Nash and Jason Kidd
F. Tracy McGrady and Dirk Nowitzki
C. Dwight Howard

2010:
1st Team
G. Steph Curry and James Harden
F. Lebron James and Kevin Durant
C. Anthony Davis

2nd Team
G. Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook
F. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
C. Blake Griffin

2020(Prediction):
1st Team
G. Cade Cunningham and Luka Doncic
F. Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo
C. Nikola Jokic

2nd Team
G. Ja Morant and Devin Booker
F. Emoni Bates and Zion Williamson
C. Bam Adebayo

Thoughts? Who did I miss? Where was I wrong? Especially for anything before the 90’s as I wasn’t alive.

[Indy]

[pet peeve] I want to provide comments, but I can't get over the use of an apostrophe at the end of the decade number. [/pet peeve]

[Split T]

Haha, my bad, grammar isn’t really my specialty. Fixed it for you.

[Indy]

Haha, my bad, grammar isn’t really my specialty. Fixed it for you.

I guess my argument would probably be less about the players and more about where they are placed.

For example, the 2 best forwards in the 90s might have been Chuck and Malone, but both played the PF position pretty exclusively. So I think you would have to put Scottie in that first team as the best SF in the game for the 90s.

And I would argue Chuck had an amazing 1992-93, but probably had his best years in the late 80s. I guess that is debatable. Suns fans probably say 90s, 76ers say 80s.

[Split T]

Haha, my bad, grammar isn’t really my specialty. Fixed it for you.

I guess my argument would probably be less about the players and more about where they are placed.

For example, the 2 best forwards in the 90s might have been Chuck and Malone, but both played the PF position pretty exclusively. So I think you would have to put Scottie in that first team as the best SF in the game for the 90s.

And I would argue Chuck had an amazing 1992-93, but probably had his best years in the late 80s. I guess that is debatable. Suns fans probably say 90s, 76ers say 80s.

Ya, there is definitely some very debatable ones...ultimately Barkley and Malone were better than Pippen in my mind, so I wasn’t really factoring in SF or PF, just F. Barkley also was very tough to choose between 80s and 90s. He might have made more sense in the 80s...then move Pippen to first team and Barkley takes Dominique’s spot on 1st team 80s.

[Indy]

My (likely unpopular) opinion is, when considering their entire career:

Pippen>Barkley≈Malone

[LazarusLong]

Nice list. A few observations.

• Great shoutout to “Pitchin’ Paul” Arizin, a very good, but somewhat forgotten player.
  
  Bill Russell was never a forward. I understand it would be difficult to pick between Wilt and Russell.
  
  Sam Jones was primarily a guard. He played some forward when Celtics played a shorter lineup.
  
  Tough to overlook Alex English for the ‘80s team.

[Split T]

Ya I cheated a bit on Russell and Sam Jones...but couldn’t bring myself to putting Russell or Wilt on the 2nd team.

And Alex English woulda been my next choice...I never watched basketball in the 80s...who would you drop from the 80s to put English in?

[LazarusLong]

It's a tough call, but English edges King out. English had a career VOPR of 38.2, King 27.0.
Also higher defensive and offensive ratings (but not by much).

Again, it's a fairly good list.
You might get a quibble that Duncan and Garnett were both PFs, but what the hell...

[The Bobster]

I'll go at it a little differently -

1936-37 to 1945-46 - C Leroy Edwards, F Charley Shipp, F Ben Stephens, G Bobby McDermott, G Johnny Wooden, coach Carl Bennett
1946-47 to 1955-56 - C George Mikan, F Joe Fulks, F Dolph Schayes, G Bob Cousy, G Bob Davies, coach John Kundla
1956-57 to 1965-66 - C Wilt Chamberlain, F Bob Pettit, F Elgin Baylor, G Oscar Robertson, G Sam Jones, coach Red Auerbach
1966-67 to 1975-76 - C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, F John Havlicek, F Elvin Hayes, G Walt Frazier, G Jerry West, coach Bill Sharman
1976-77 to 1985-86 - C Moses Malone, F Julius Erving, F Larry Bird, G George Gervin, G Magic Johnson, coach Pat Riley
1986-87 to 1995-96 - C Hakeem Olajuwon, F Karl Malone, F Charles Barkley, G Michael Jordan, G John Stockton, coach Chuck Daly
1996-97 to 2005-06 - C Shaquille O'Neal, F Dirk Nowitzki, F Kevin Garnett, G Kobe Bryant, G Steve Nash, coach Phil Jackson
2006-07 to 2015-16 - C Tim Duncan, F LeBron James, F Kevin Durant, G Chris Paul, G Stephen Curry, coach Gregg Popovich
2016-17 to 2025-26 - C Nikola Jokić, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, F Anthony Davis, G James Harden, G Damian Lillard, coach Steve Kerr


(Edited to add coaches)

[Split T]

Not bad...cleans up some of the timeline issues I ran into...

My only concerns:

1. No Bill Russell, but I assume you were following positions more strictly than me and went with Wilt.
2. No Steph Curry. I’d take him over Paul or Wade in the 06-16 era.
3. The 96-06 era is a little wonky. Shaq fits perfectly, but the guys who were headed to join him all kinda flamed out or got hurt. Chris Webber, Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway. All 4 guys you chose to include were great during that time, but you could make the case for them in 06-16. Nash won both his MVP’s by 06, so he fits. KG also won his, but his title was 08. Dirk won his mvp and title beyond 06. Kobe won his MVP and two non Shaq titles after 06 as well. I’m not sure I’d change anything, it’s just a weird era.

[Nodack]

[pet peeve] I want to provide comments, but I can't get over the use of an apostrophe at the end of the decade number. [/pet peeve]

Really?

[virtual9mm]

Generally agree but I think KJ > the Glove and Nash > Wade. But both cases are close.

[The Bobster]

Not bad...cleans up some of the timeline issues I ran into...

My only concerns:

1. No Bill Russell, but I assume you were following positions more strictly than me and went with Wilt.
2. No Steph Curry. I’d take him over Paul or Wade in the 06-16 era.
3. The 96-06 era is a little wonky. Shaq fits perfectly, but the guys who were headed to join him all kinda flamed out or got hurt. Chris Webber, Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway. All 4 guys you chose to include were great during that time, but you could make the case for them in 06-16. Nash won both his MVP’s by 06, so he fits. KG also won his, but his title was 08. Dirk won his mvp and title beyond 06. Kobe won his MVP and two non Shaq titles after 06 as well. I’m not sure I’d change anything, it’s just a weird era.

Totally forgot about Curry, and yes. So change made.

And yes, it came down to Wilt vs. Russell because I wanted to follow the positions they played as closely as I could.

[SunsRIt]

I’m not sure how you put Wade ahead of Nash. Nash had 2 MVPs. Wade had titles, but had a lot of help.

[LazarusLong]

A few more observations:

Earl Monroe had a great start to his career, but injuries and trade to the Knicks impacted his stats.
With the Knicks, he deferred more to teammates. But he was still "Black Jesus" on the court.

Pete Maravich was a magnificent offensive threat with mostly mediocre to bad teams. He needs at least an honorable mention--he could play in any era.

Spencer Haywood was a marvelous talent whose career was partially derailed by injuries and fondness for Peruvian marching powder.

Bob McAdoo had a brilliant start to his career, but then pinballed around the league for various reasons.

Adrian Dantley could score on most anybody. Also had a solid lowpost game for a player listed generously at 6-5.

[Indy]

[pet peeve] I want to provide comments, but I can't get over the use of an apostrophe at the end of the decade number. [/pet peeve]

Really?

Yep. I have 100's of pet peeves.

[Mori Chu]

100's of pet peeve's? Wow, your such a looser! It begs the question, do you get annoyed alot? I should of asked about this sooner but their's always too much todo.

[Indy]

100's of pet peeve's? Wow, your such a looser! It begs the question, do you get annoyed alot? I should of asked about this sooner but their's always too much todo.

I think you hit 19 of them.

[Superbone]

100's of pet peeve's? Wow, your such a looser! It begs the question, do you get annoyed alot? I should of asked about this sooner but their's always too much todo.

I think you hit 19 of them.

That was pretty good in four sentences.

"looser" is so common and drives me crazy.

But you missed an opportunity here, Marty:

"always too much"