What is your All-NBA Team using only players in the 21st century?

Glorified KC

I'm feeling nostalgic given it's playoff time.  If you were to have a starting five and six man using only players in the 21st century who would they be.  One disclaimer, if you choose Michael Jordan you are choosing his two years as a Wizard, not in his prime with the Bulls.

1 - Steph Curry

2 - Kobe Bryant

3 - Lebron James

4 - Giannis Antetokounmpo

5 - Nikola Jokic

Sixth Man - Kevin Durant

(the numbers are positions, not rankings)

eeriepadave

Steph Curry

LeBron James

Kobe Bryant

Tim Duncan

Dirk Nowitski

Allen Iverson

Poncier

Going by position like the All NBA team does:
 First team:
PG: Steph Curry
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: LeBron James
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Shaquille O'Neal

2nd team:
PG: Allen Iverson
SG: Ray Allen
SF:  Kevin Durant
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Nikola Jokic

Ledbetterman10

Rather than go by the traditional positions (they're kinda meaningless these days anyway), I'm gonna just make my best possible starting five....

PG: LeBron James
SG: Steph Curry
SF: Kevin Durant 
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Shaq

I think this works. LeBron already does the point-forward thing that Pippen used to do. Durant is a "power forward" in height only. Otherwise he totally plays like a small forward. And they can list Steph as a point guard all they want, but nobody in league history should have "shooting" in their title more than he should. 

Poncier

PG: Ben Simmons
SG: Markelle Fultz
SF: Anthony Bennett
PF: Kwame Brown
C: Greg Oden

A team made up purely of #1 overall picks since 2000. Let's see any team beat that starting 5.

markymark550

Poncier said:

Going by position like the All NBA team does:
 First team:
PG: Steph Curry
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: LeBron James
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Shaquille O'Neal

2nd team:
PG: Allen Iverson
SG: Ray Allen
SF:  Kevin Durant
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Nikola Jokic

I have the same first team with Nowitzki as the 6th man.

Glorified KC

Poncier said:

PG: Ben Simmons
SG: Markelle Fultz
SF: Anthony Bennett
PF: Kwame Brown
C: Greg Oden

A team made up purely of #1 overall picks since 2000. Let's see any team beat that starting 5.

Andrew Bogut as the sixth man.  Man Ben Simmons has fallen.

tempo_n_groove

Poncier said:

PG: Ben Simmons
SG: Markelle Fultz
SF: Anthony Bennett
PF: Kwame Brown
C: Greg Oden

A team made up purely of #1 overall picks since 2000. Let's see any team beat that starting 5.

Oden is still the pick and Darko, that I scratch my head at.  Why on earth pick them when you know they have damaged parts?

tempo_n_groove

Ledbetterman10 said:

Rather than go by the traditional positions (they're kinda meaningless these days anyway), I'm gonna just make my best possible starting five....

PG: LeBron James
SG: Steph Curry
SF: Kevin Durant 
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Shaq

I think this works. LeBron already does the point-forward thing that Pippen used to do. Durant is a "power forward" in height only. Otherwise he totally plays like a small forward. And they can list Steph as a point guard all they want, but nobody in league history should have "shooting" in their title more than he should. 

I like your 4 but Shaq is a liability in todays game.

tempo_n_groove

Steph Curry
Lebron
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Kobe Bryant

6th Man Chris Paul

I want every one of my guys to D up.  I almost picked Kawhi too.

tempo_n_groove

Glorified KC said:

I'm feeling nostalgic given it's playoff time.  If you were to have a starting five and six man using only players in the 21st century who would they be.  One disclaimer, if you choose Michael Jordan you are choosing his two years as a Wizard, not in his prime with the Bulls.

1 - Steph Curry

2 - Kobe Bryant

3 - Lebron James

4 - Giannis Antetokounmpo

5 - Nikola Jokic

Sixth Man - Kevin Durant

(the numbers are positions, not rankings)

Solid list.

Glorified KC

tempo_n_groove said:

Steph Curry
Lebron
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Kobe Bryant

6th Man Chris Paul

I want every one of my guys to D up.  I almost picked Kawhi too.

If Kawhi wasn't hurt all of the time I would have considered him on my team, not just for his defense.

Wobbie

Glorified KC said:

Poncier said:

PG: Ben Simmons
SG: Markelle Fultz
SF: Anthony Bennett
PF: Kwame Brown
C: Greg Oden

A team made up purely of #1 overall picks since 2000. Let's see any team beat that starting 5.

Andrew Bogut as the sixth man.  Man Ben Simmons has fallen.

bogut was nowhere near the bust as those other dudes.

Glorified KC

Wobbie said:

Glorified KC said:

Poncier said:

PG: Ben Simmons
SG: Markelle Fultz
SF: Anthony Bennett
PF: Kwame Brown
C: Greg Oden

A team made up purely of #1 overall picks since 2000. Let's see any team beat that starting 5.

Andrew Bogut as the sixth man.  Man Ben Simmons has fallen.

bogut was nowhere near the bust as those other dudes.

Still not worth the #1 overall pick.

Wobbie

Glorified KC said:

Wobbie said:

Glorified KC said:

Poncier said:

PG: Ben Simmons
SG: Markelle Fultz
SF: Anthony Bennett
PF: Kwame Brown
C: Greg Oden

A team made up purely of #1 overall picks since 2000. Let's see any team beat that starting 5.

Andrew Bogut as the sixth man.  Man Ben Simmons has fallen.

bogut was nowhere near the bust as those other dudes.

Still not worth the #1 overall pick.

agree.

Ledbetterman10

tempo_n_groove said:

Ledbetterman10 said:

Rather than go by the traditional positions (they're kinda meaningless these days anyway), I'm gonna just make my best possible starting five....

PG: LeBron James
SG: Steph Curry
SF: Kevin Durant 
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Shaq

I think this works. LeBron already does the point-forward thing that Pippen used to do. Durant is a "power forward" in height only. Otherwise he totally plays like a small forward. And they can list Steph as a point guard all they want, but nobody in league history should have "shooting" in their title more than he should. 

I like your 4 but Shaq is a liability in todays game.

I actually think it's possible that he'd be more dominant now. Who even knows how to defend a guy in the low post these days? Even the guys that knew how to do it back in in the day (Mourning, Mutumbo, etc.) got dominated by Shaq regularly. 

I also just watched a four-part Shaq documentary on HBO Max so I'm just kinda in a Shaq "mood." Fun doc. Worth checking out. 

Shaq versus Jokic would be a fun match-up. Neither would have any clue how to guard the other. They'd probably both drop 50. 

Glorified KC

Ledbetterman10 said:

tempo_n_groove said:

Ledbetterman10 said:

Rather than go by the traditional positions (they're kinda meaningless these days anyway), I'm gonna just make my best possible starting five....

PG: LeBron James
SG: Steph Curry
SF: Kevin Durant 
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Shaq

I think this works. LeBron already does the point-forward thing that Pippen used to do. Durant is a "power forward" in height only. Otherwise he totally plays like a small forward. And they can list Steph as a point guard all they want, but nobody in league history should have "shooting" in their title more than he should. 

I like your 4 but Shaq is a liability in todays game.

I actually think it's possible that he'd be more dominant now. Who even knows how to defend a guy in the low post these days? Even the guys that knew how to do it back in in the day (Mourning, Mutumbo, etc.) got dominated by Shaq regularly. 

I also just watched a four-part Shaq documentary on HBO Max so I'm just kinda in a Shaq "mood." Fun doc. Worth checking out. 

Shaq versus Jokic would be a fun match-up. Neither would have any clue how to guard the other. They'd probably both drop 50. 

Shaq was throwing a lot of love at Jokic last night on Inside the NBA.  Shaq in the 90's may do all right in today's game.  He was young and extremely athletic.  He would also not have to deal with the "Hack a Shaq" strategy in the game as it currently is in all likelihood.

Poncier

Shaq with his size and athleticism would do fine in any era.
Anyone who thinks he wouldn't succeed in today's NBA is just forgetting (or maybe didn't witness) what a dominating presence he was in his prime.

Glorified KC

Poncier said:

Shaq with his size and athleticism would do fine in any era.
Anyone who thinks he wouldn't succeed in today's NBA is just forgetting (or maybe didn't witness) what a dominating presence he was in his prime.

It's more of the ball-handling aspect and inability to step into a jump shot or catch and shoot.  Would he get his inside?  Probably, but to have him constantly running up-and-down the court (like the Suns/Nugs game last night)?  I'm not so sure.  He's more effective in a half court game rather than in transition.

tempo_n_groove

Hack a Shaq would most definitely still be used.  He had like a 50% FT percentage.  I'd foul his ass all day and make him run up and down the court.

Shaq would absolutely dominate in the paint.  By all means go ahead and get your two as my team comes back down and shoots a 3.  I'll take 3 over 2 every day.

The game has changed as the traditional center isn't just clogging up the lane anymore.  They come out beyond the 3 point line and have way better handling skills. I remember coaches cringing when he would want to take the ball up court, lol.

It's not that he wouldn't be dominant it's to what point is he effective?  Teams don't scout these type of players anymore.

If you'd take Shaq you might as well take Wilt as he was a bigger freak of nature for athleticism.

Great conversation, keep em coming.

Poncier

tempo_n_groove said:

Shaq would absolutely dominate in the paint.  By all means go ahead and get your two as my team comes back down and shoots a 3.  I'll take 3 over 2 every day.

Of course he'd shoot like 65% from 2 while you shot 34% from 3 and he'd win out in the end.

Poncier

Glorified KC said:

Poncier said:

Shaq with his size and athleticism would do fine in any era.
Anyone who thinks he wouldn't succeed in today's NBA is just forgetting (or maybe didn't witness) what a dominating presence he was in his prime.

It's more of the ball-handling aspect and inability to step into a jump shot or catch and shoot.  Would he get his inside?  Probably, but to have him constantly running up-and-down the court (like the Suns/Nugs game last night)?  I'm not so sure.  He's more effective in a half court game rather than in transition.

Again I say folks are misremembering just how athletic Shaq was in his prime.

https://youtu.be/2I5q-IEh7Kg

Johnny Abruzzo

Glorified KC said:

Ledbetterman10 said:

tempo_n_groove said:

Ledbetterman10 said:

Rather than go by the traditional positions (they're kinda meaningless these days anyway), I'm gonna just make my best possible starting five....

PG: LeBron James
SG: Steph Curry
SF: Kevin Durant 
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Shaq

I think this works. LeBron already does the point-forward thing that Pippen used to do. Durant is a "power forward" in height only. Otherwise he totally plays like a small forward. And they can list Steph as a point guard all they want, but nobody in league history should have "shooting" in their title more than he should. 

I like your 4 but Shaq is a liability in todays game.

I actually think it's possible that he'd be more dominant now. Who even knows how to defend a guy in the low post these days? Even the guys that knew how to do it back in in the day (Mourning, Mutumbo, etc.) got dominated by Shaq regularly. 

I also just watched a four-part Shaq documentary on HBO Max so I'm just kinda in a Shaq "mood." Fun doc. Worth checking out. 

Shaq versus Jokic would be a fun match-up. Neither would have any clue how to guard the other. They'd probably both drop 50. 

Shaq was throwing a lot of love at Jokic last night on Inside the NBA.  Shaq in the 90's may do all right in today's game.  He was young and extremely athletic.  He would also not have to deal with the "Hack a Shaq" strategy in the game as it currently is in all likelihood.

The Hawks were playing Hack-a-Ben just 2 years ago, with (groaning) wild success.

Glorified KC

Poncier said:

Glorified KC said:

Poncier said:

Shaq with his size and athleticism would do fine in any era.
Anyone who thinks he wouldn't succeed in today's NBA is just forgetting (or maybe didn't witness) what a dominating presence he was in his prime.

It's more of the ball-handling aspect and inability to step into a jump shot or catch and shoot.  Would he get his inside?  Probably, but to have him constantly running up-and-down the court (like the Suns/Nugs game last night)?  I'm not so sure.  He's more effective in a half court game rather than in transition.

Again I say folks are misremembering just how athletic Shaq was in his prime.

https://youtu.be/2I5q-IEh7Kg

I'm not debating Shaq's athleticism, its his ball handle and shooting.  I didn't see one jump shot in that entire video.  If I was going to choose a player to play the 5 in today's game, I would take Giannis.  He's almost a modern-day Shaq with ball handling.  Not much of a jumper, but can finish as well as anyone around the rim.  He can provide better spacing since he is able to consistently bring the ball up the floor and can more consistently create his own shot/drive off of the dribble.  Shaq would be very successful still in 2023, but I don't think he could sustain having to run constantly throughout a game and you could take advantage of his defense by drawing up away from the basket with a Giannis or Jokic if he tried to guard them.

Poncier

That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.

Glorified KC

Poncier said:

That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.

Not as good of ball skills as the elite 4/5's in today's game (Jokic, Embiid, Giannis, KAT, AD)

Poncier

Glorified KC said:

Poncier said:

That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.

Not as good of ball skills as the elite 4/5's in today's game (Jokic, Embiid, Giannis, KAT, AD)

Probably not but certainly sufficient and much more physically imposing than any of the above.
I'd take prime Shaq over any of those others in a matchup 6 times out of 5.

Johnny Abruzzo

I love JoJo (and he can shoot free throws (watch that blow up in my face tonight)) but he ain't Shaq.

Glorified KC

Poncier said:

Glorified KC said:

Poncier said:

That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.

Not as good of ball skills as the elite 4/5's in today's game (Jokic, Embiid, Giannis, KAT, AD)

Probably not but certainly sufficient and much more physically imposing than any of the above.
I'd take prime Shaq over any of those others in a matchup 6 times out of 5.

I’ll take Giannis over prime Shaq in a one-on-one.

tempo_n_groove

Poncier said:

That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.

He had a long career and those were very rare occasions he did that.  I’m telling you his coaches cringed when he ran full floor w the ball because he wasn’t that good at it.

tempo_n_groove

Yeah, that doesn’t happen anywhere in the NBA today, sorry.