Let's Name The Starting Five For The Decade Of The 2010s

The 2020s are halfway through, and a new generation of stars is taking over the NBA. Before the likes of Victor Wembanyama complete their takeover of the league, it should be recognized that the time is ripe for recognizing the greatest players to have competed in the decade that has passed.

It’s time to talk about the ultimate starting five of the 2010s.

With the NBA’s 2010–2019 seasons firmly sealed in the record books, followers of the sport have been able to spend time reflecting on the most accomplished and impactful superstars of the past decade. There were several NBA players who left their imprint on the 2010s, but five athletes in particular set the tone for the league, reaped plenty of accolades, and (in the case of some) led a revolution.

With the advent of positionless basketball gaining traction in this decade, it made sense for this list to not be confined by the traditional guard-forward-center designations. As a matter of fact, there are no traditional centers on this list, as three forwards staked their claim as the most successful players in the era.

It’s only right that this list begins with Steph Curry, the man who has been (jokingly) accused of ruining basketball. There’s an argument to be made that the Golden State Warriors’ main man singlehandedly turned the three-pointer from a “terrible,” low-percentage shot to a highly sought-after thing of beauty. Few would dare dispute the outcomes that Curry’s playing style achieved in the 2010s: two league MVPs (one of them unanimous, at that) and three NBA title reigns that established the Golden State dynasty.

The argument against Curry revolutionizing the three-point shot by his lonesome is a gentleman named James Harden. After playing the role of sixth man in Oklahoma City, Harden blossomed into a franchise player when he took over the Houston Rockets in 2012. On the one hand, the Beard’s iso-heavy approach has been criticized as an eyesore on basketball. On the other hand, Harden helped his team become a playoff powerhouse in the Western Conference and scooped up multiple individual accolades along the way.

Kawhi Leonard’s name has been dragged through the mud this year because of his alleged involvement in the endorsement deal controversy. It should be recalled, though, that the Clippers eagerly pursued him in the first place because of the stardom he achieved in the 2010s. During the San Antonio Spurs’ 2014 title conquest, Leonard positioned himself as the future of the dynasty by winning Finals MVP in the presence of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. After parting ways with the Spurs, Leonard signed with the Toronto Raptors and led them to the NBA title in his lone year with the team. His second Finals MVP win (along with his All-NBA and All-Star selections) was validation of his greatness in the 2010s.

Few NBA players can claim to have had the league in their hands. When Kevin Durant was in Oklahoma City, the Thunder were a powerhouse that gave just about every other team a run for their money. Durant’s place in Thunder history is firmly cemented (MVP honors, scoring titles, and all), but he truly shook the foundations of the NBA when he decided to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Just like that, Durant accelerated the creation of a dynasty and set himself up to win two Finals MVP honors, along with two championship rings.

Of course, no 2010s player exemplifies groundbreaking moves more than LeBron James. With his televised “Decision” to join the Miami Heat, James shifted the balance of power to the Eastern Conference. Along with his friends Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, LBJ won two championships in South Beach while also bagging regular-season MVP and Finals MVP awards. Then, in the latter half of the decade, James fulfilled his longtime promise of bringing a championship to the city of Cleveland by leading the Cavaliers to the 2016 NBA championship. The NBA was LeBron James’ league in the 2010s, and there’s no going around it.