Number 9 – Carlos Boozer, 2002, 34th pick

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He was Jay Williams and Mike Dunleavy Jr. teammate at Duke, but while the first two got picked in the top 5, Boozer dropped deep into the second round after three years in the ACC. He does have a knack of getting injured, but otherwise, he is one of the best power forwards in the league, making two all-star games (2007-2008) and constantly among the top 10 rebounders in the league.

Stat Line – 510 games, 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds per game, 2 NBA All-Star Games

Number 8 – Gilbert Arenas, 2001, 30th pick

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Arenas didn’t stay in college too long, and after two good seasons in Arizona bolted to the NBA. He wasn’t picked in the first round, but a made a lot of teams sorry after a solid rookie campaign he had an even better 2002-2003 season for the Golden State Warriors, winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. He signed with the Wizards, immediately becoming a star player for the team and one of the best offensive guards in the league. In the last few years, injuries and the famous gun in the locker room incident have turned him into one of the most hated players in sports.

Stat Line – 465 games, 22.7 points, 5.6 assists, 3 All-Star Games

Number 7 – Rajon Rondo, 2006, 21st pick

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Only four years in the league – if it wasn’t clear during his first two seasons how big of a steal Rondo is, now everybody knows. He’s become the Celtics best player, and the one that they count on the most to preform. His last two playoffs have been fantastic, averaging 16.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 9.5 assists, leading the Celtics to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years this season, including a title in 2008. He also led the league in steals with 2.3 per game in 2009-2010, becoming one of the best point guards in the league.

Stat Line – 316 games ,10.7 points, 6.8 assists, 1.7 steals, one NBA title, one All-Star

Number 6 – Latrell Sprewell, 1992, 24th pick

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After only two years with Alabama (ahhh, the old days, when players stayed more than a year in college) Sprewell decided he’s good enough to go pro, and had to wait until the 24th pick by the Golden State Warriors. Sprewell came into the finest offensive machine in basketball, with Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway and had a very strong rookie season, scoring nearly 16 points per game. He continued to improve despite the Warriors’ lack of success, averaging more than 20 points per game in four of the next five seasons. Then came the choking incident with P.J. Carlesimo, “Spree” got suspended and eventually traded to the Knicks. He led the Knicks to the NBA finals in 1999, and later on helped the Timberwolves reach their first Western Conference Finals. After 2005, Sprewell decided that 7 million a year isn’t enough for him, quoted “I have a family to feed”. He hasn’t played in the NBA since, and has apparently lost all his money.

Stat Line – 913 games, 18.3 points per game, 4 All-Star games

Number 5 – Tony Parker, 2001, 28th pick

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Only 19 when picked in the NBA draft, who would believe that the skinny French point guard from Racing Paris would become one of the cornerstones to the Spurs’ odd years dynasty, winning three NBA titles alongside Duncan and Manu, winning the 2007 Finals MVP, averaging 24.5 points as the Spurs swept the Cavs. He had a rough 2009-2010 after a record 2008-2009, averaging 22 points per game, leading the Spurs while Duncan and Ginobili battled with age and injuries. It was the opposite this season, as Parker missed nearly 30 games while Duncan and Manu held the team, especially late in the season.

Stat Line – 668 games, 16.6 points, 5.6 assists, 3 NBA titles, one Finals MVP, 3 All-Star games

Number 4 – Sam Cassell, 1993, 24th pick

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“Sam I am” Or Gollum, as described by Charles Barkley, Cassell played for seven different teams during his 16 year career, winning three NBA titles – two with the Houston Rockets during his rookie and sophomore seasons and one with the Celtics in 2008, giving Rondo some rest during the playoffs. He never stayed too long with any team, but always made an impact with his offensive ability and leadership, making the playoffs 11 times, despite not always playing with the strongest teams.

Stat Line – 993 games, 15.7 points, 6 assists, 3 NBA titles, one All-Star game

Number 3 – Manu Ginobili, 1999, 57th pick

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He was picked late in the 1999 second round, but wanted to conquer Italy and Europe with Kinder Bologna. When he came to the NBA, at the age of 25, he was an established basketball star outside the United States, and didn’t have a hard time adjusting if it wasn’t for injuries. Sometimes a sixth man, sometimes a starter, when healthy, Ginobili is one of the most exciting players to watch, with his ability to penetrate and make impossible shots. Oh, and there’s also the flopping and the bat snatching. Above everything, is the three titles with the Spurs in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Stat Line – 553 games, 27.8 minutes, 15.0 points, 3 NBA titles, one All-Star, one time 6th man of the year

Number 2 – Steve Nash, 1996, 15th pick

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Picked 15th in the loaded draft of 1996, the soccer loving Canadian took his time before becoming a star in the league. He finally became a full time and healthy starter in the 2000-2001 season for the Mavericks, scoring nearly 18 points per game while shooting over 40% from three. Cuban didn’t want to give him more money, so Nash left for Phoenix, where he has been maybe the best point guard in the league for the last six seasons, leading the league in assists four times while still being one of the more dangerous shooters in the league. He has also led the Suns to three conference finals and cemented his place as one of the greatest point guard of all time.

Stat Line – 1015 games, 14.6 points, 8.3 assists, 2 MVP’s, 7 All-Star games

Number 1 – Kobe Bryant, 1996, 13th pick

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“One more than Shaq. You can take that to the bank.” The man that never gets tired and is never tired of winning titles, Bryant won’t rest until he’s considered the best ever, better than Michael. I’m not sure that will happen, but Bryant will go down eventually as one of the greatest ever, right along Michael, Magic, Bird. Better than Shaq. He can be too self absorbing, costing his team a win, but there have been few better scorers and clutch players in the history of the game and continues to prove that despite LeBron and Wade, there’s no one better to have on your side if you’re gunning for a title. Getting Pau Gasol for peanuts isn’t bad, too. 13th Isn’t that low, but doesn’t matter who got picked ahead of him (Iverson, Camby, Abdur-Rahim, Marbury, Ray Allen, Antoine Walker, Lorenzen Wright, Kerry Kittles, Samaki Walker, Erick Dampier, Todd Fuller, Vitaly Potapenko).

Stat Line – 1021 games, 24.8 points, 5 NBA titles, one MVP, two Finals MVP, 12 All-Star games

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BTW – No Centers on this list… just goes to show you how disappointed I am in Dwight Howard so far this season, despite his impressive rebounding numbers.

Number 10 – Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

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Sick of him yet? Nowitzki, 2nd in our best foreign players this season so far has been doing what we’ve gotten used to see him do over the last decade, scoring 25.4 points with 8 rebounds per game, leading the Mavs to the second place in the west, looking like potential title challengers at times and far from it on other occasions, despite Nowitzki’s best efforts.

Number 9 – Deron Williams, Utah Jazz

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D-Will seems to be getting better and better and I apologize to him for not putting him in my pre-season top 5 point guards in the league. His numbers – 19.4 points and 9.6 assists (3rd in the league), as the Jazz are currently just short of the 8th spot in the West. Utah are on a decline since their peak 2 seasons ago but Williams just keeps improving all aspects of his game.

Number 8 – Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns

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Another member of our best foreign players list from a couple of days ago, Nash is back to his 05-07 form, leading the run&gun Suns to the 6th spot in the West (24-18), with 18.7 points per game and 11.1 assists per game (2nd in the league). He is also 5th in the league in double-doubles.

Number 7 – Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat

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As usual, Dwyane Wade is doing everything on a mediocre Heat team (at best), with 27.1 points (5th in the league), 4.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists (10th), 1.8 steals (6th) and 1.2 blocks. The Heat are 6th in the East (20-19) and would probably be somewhere between Philly and the Nets if it weren’t for Flash, who is on his final contract year, if you didn’t know. Total rebuild time in Miami or will Wade stay? Getting passed the first round in the playoffs might convince him that there’s a solid foundation for the future.

Number 6 – Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors

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Bosh is enjoying the best season of his career so far in 2009-2010, with career highs in points (23.8, 8th in the league), rebounds (11.2, 6th in the league) and FG% (52.2). He also leads the league alongside Dwight Howard in double-doubles with 29 (out of 41 games) and like Wade is also in the final year of his contract, currently 7th in the East with the much improved from last year Toronto Raptors.

Number 5 – Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets

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Carmelo, like others on this list, is having the best season of his career, building on his strong 2009 playoff performance. He is leading the league in scoring with 30 per game, adding 6.3 rebounds and a much improved field goal percentage compared to last year, with 47.6% compared to 2008-2009’s 44.3%. Grown-up? Mature? Maybe this is the season Carmelo joins Wade and LeBron in the highest levels of NBA players, being more than an All-Star.

Number 4 – Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets

Last year he finished fifth in the MVP ballots. A place higher in 2009-2010? The Hornets, unlike Paul, had a pretty horrible start to the season and then CP3 went down, but things turned around for the team and since his return in December the Hornets are 14-8, putting them 1.5 games behind the 8th spot in the Western conference. He is leading the league in assists with 11.2 and is third in steals (2.28), adding 19.4 points per game and 4.5 rebounds. He is one of only six players this season in the entire league to record a triple double. The West is tough as always, but if Paul stays healthy, the Hornets will make the playoffs. Having the best point guard in the league usually comes in handy.

Number 3 – Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

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This is Durant’s third season, and he has truly established himself as one of the best players in the league, improving in a monstrous rate from the previous season, leading his Thunder to a very surprising (to some) playoff chase (currently 8th, 23-18). Durant is scoring 29.1 points per game (3rd in the league), grabbing 7.1 rebounds with an improved field goal percentage (48.4%). Durant is a legitimate MVP candidate this season and although he probably won’t win, he’s certainly proved he’ll be one of the major forces in the NBA for at least the coming decade.

Number 2 – Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

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The toughest question in the NBA – LeBron or Kobe? Well… Kobe is second on our list, but having the league’s best record and looking like the big favorites to win the title again this year, I’m sure Kobe won’t mind losing in the MVP race, or will he? Kobe is amazing as usual, if it’s the numbers (28.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists) or the game winning shots (3 and counting) or playing with a broken finger, you name it. His three point percentage is a bit down from last year, but when he and his team are dominating, who cares? One does have to wonder, by the way, when is Kobe going to start slowing down. He’s been playing over 100 games a season not counting the Olympics since 2007, and his body has got to start wearing down sometime. Maybe this season, maybe not. Maybe he won’t rest until he makes the seemingly impossible happen – be considered greater than MJ.

Mid Season MVP – LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

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He doesn’t have the best bunch of players around him like Kobe does, but he’s leading the Cavs to a East best 31-11 record and looking like the premier contender the (second consecutive) MVP award. Championship ring? It’s hard to say… Cleveland don’t look like the best team, maybe not even in the East, but with LeBron on your side, who knows? 29.6 points (2nd), 7.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists (7th), 1.5 steals and 1 block per game, racking up two triple doubles along the way (only player with multiple TD games this season), never ceasing to amaze while the question of will he stay or will he leave Cleveland when the season ends looms over.

Number 10 – Samuel Dalembert, Philadelphia 76ers, Canadian, born in Haiti

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The Haiti born Canadian isn’t among the flashiest or versatile centers in the league, but he’s a solid rebounder, fantastic shot blocker and so far in 2010 has played on a much improved level, averaging 12.4 points and 13 rebounds, including a 20-20 outing against Washington and another 21 rebound game against the Knicks a few days ago. Dalembert has been pushed into the spotlight this past week due to tragic circumstances with the tragic earthquake in Haiti.

Number 9 – Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors, Italian

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Bargnani continues to improve, and in his fourth season as an NBA player, a no.1 draft pick if you forgot, he’s posting the best numbers of his career – 17.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Probably the big improvement in his game is his consistency, or more of it compared to prior seasons (only 5 games this season with less than 10 points).

Number 8 – Luis Scola, Houston Rockets, Argentina

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The Gold Medalist from the 2004 Olympics in Athens is 29 despite this being only his third NBA season (was drafted by the Spurs back in 2002, but stayed in Europe). His numbers? Keep getting better, well at least his scoring is, averaging 14.7 points with 8.6 rebounds in 30 minutes per night, with 16 double-double nights so far, almost half his games.

Number 7 – Loul Deng, Chicago Bulls, British born in Sudan

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Should the Bulls have traded Deng to the Lakers for Kobe? Yes, probably. Whatever they felt his potential is, that was a bad decision to leave things as they were. The Bulls had a bad season in 2007-2008 but rebounded last year, while Deng had his worst season since his rookie year. This season? He’s back to his better form while the Bulls struggle to find consistency (currently 8th in the East, 18-20). His defense is better than before, with his numbers showing – 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, both career highs, along with 1 steal per game, while his scoring is back to 17.6 per game after scoring 14 per game last year. Deng is a 40% three point shooter, so maybe he should start taking more than one shot per game.

Number 6 – Nene, Denver Nuggets, Brazil

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Ever since Nene got treated for cancer, he’s been playing the best basketball of his career, and his 2009-2010 form is on par with 08-09, maybe even better. The Brazilian center is averaging 14.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1 block per game while shooting over 57% from the field, 5th in the league (he finished with 60.4% last season), helping Denver to the third best record in the West (25-14).

Number 5 – Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Dominican

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Al Horford continues to improve with his team, posting career highs in points (13.7), rebounds (9.8) and field goal percentage (58.5%, 4th in the league), helping the Hawks rank third in the East (26-13). Horford’s best game of the season came against Indiana a day after Christmas, scoring 25 points, grabbing 19 rebounds and also 5 blocks as the Hawks beat the Pacers 110-98.

Number 4 – Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, Spain

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Maybe he’s not a superstar like his older brother, but Marc Gasol has developed pretty quickly into one of the better Centers in the league, being an integral part of the Grizzlies surprising playoff-spot contention this season, with a 21-18 record so far this season. Gasol, in his second season in the league, is scoring 14.7 points and grabbing 9.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 61.4% from the field, second best in the league.

Number 3 – Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns, Canadian

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After it seemed age has caught up with Steve Nash last season, having his worst season since his return to Phoenix, 2009-2010 shows us it was probably more a Shaq thing than an age thing. Although the Suns have cooled down a bit after their super-hot start, Nash is playing like the Nash from three years ago, averaging 18.7 points with 11 assists per game (2nd in the league), shooting over 50% from the field and 40% from the three AND leading the league in free throw shooting with 94.9%. The Suns right now are 6th in the West but it’s way too early and way too tight over there to actually say right now who’s safe and who’s not, but Nash is definitely looking like one of the best point guards in the league, maybe the best on certain nights (two 30+ points and 10+ assists games this month).

Number 2 – Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, Germany

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What else can we say about this guy? Leading the Mavs to the second best record in the West with 25.2 points per game (7th in the league) and 8 rebounds per game, in yet another attempt to lead his team towards a deep playoff run and maybe, maybe, finally get him and Jason Kidd the title that’s eluded them in the past. Favorites? Definitely not, but the Mavericks are looking very good most of the time. The problem is these Lakers, and besides Kobe Bryant, the guy coming up next.

Number 1 – Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers, Spain

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Yes, he’s missed 17 games this season, but when he’s in the line up, the Lakers are the best team in the league. Of course they have Kobe, but Pau is the league’s best Robin to Kobe’s Batman, averaging 17 points and 11.3 rebounds, with 14 double doubles in 23 games. He is also shooting over 54% from the field this season, helping the Lakers, when he’s healthy, to the best record in the league so far (31-9), en route to a predicted third straight NBA final and favorites to win a second straight NBA title. Remember, the consecutive finals began only after Gasol arrived in that ridiculous trade from Memphis.

Charles Barkley

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Barkley won his MVP award in the 1992-1993 season with the Phoenix Suns. He was traded there from the Philadelphia 76′ers after 8 seasons with the team in which they never got past the Eastern Conference Finals and missing out on the playoffs in the 1991-92 season.

Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns after gradually showing more and more discontent with the situation in Philly, not having enough pieces around him to make a run deep into the playoffs like he wanted. His move to Phoenix seemed to work like a charm. Barkley immediately became the leader of the team, scoring 25.6 points, grabbing 12.2 rebounds and dishing out 5.1 assists, winning him the regular season MVP award and helping the Suns to a league best record, 62-20. Barkley proclaimed that it was “destiny” for the Suns to win the title. Michael Jordan didn’t listen, and the Phoenix Suns lost in the Finals to the Chicago Bulls 4-2 despite having home court advantage.

Barkley continued with the Suns for 3 more seasons, later to be traded to the Houston Rockets for another 3 seasons but never got past the Conference Finals. Barkley retired after 14 seasons, with over 20′000 points and 10′000 rebounds. He averaged 22.1 points and 11.7 rebounds for his career, playing in 1073 games, participating in 11 all star games, selected All-NBA first team 5 times, inducted into the hall of fame in 2006, chosen as one of the 50 greatest NBA Players of all time and is one of only four player to retire with 20′000 points, 10′000 rebounds and 4′000 assists. He has one MVP and one Finals appearance.

Karl Malone

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The “Mailman”, as in “the mailman always delivers”, like Barkley would probably be on another list if there was no Michael Jordan in the world. Karl Malone won the MVP twice, in the 1996-97 season and the 1998-1999 season and reached the NBA finals three times. His attempt at the ring was thwarted three times, two by Michael Jordan and once, in his final season, by the Detroit Pistons while Malone was playing for the Lakers.

Malone teamed up with John Stockton for his entire Utah Jazz career, forming maybe the best 1-2 combo in the history of the game. Statistically at least. The title was always out of grasp for them. Karl Malone reached the conference finals in 1992, 1994 and 1996, losing all three times there and of course in the 1997 and 1998 playoffs, in which they reached the NBA finals only to face and lose to the Chicago Bulls.

In the 2003-2004 season Malone signed with the Lakers in an attempt to win the title with a team that won three times in a row between 2000-2002, hoping that with him and Gary Payton added to the mix as role players the Lakers would be unstoppable. The Lakers reached the Finals but were shocked by the Detroit Pistons in 5 games, as Malone played 4 before succumbing to injury and missed game 5. He retired shortly after that season even though he was a highly touted free agent by many title seeking teams.

Karl Malone is regarded as one of the greatest Power Forwards to play the game. He is ranked second on the all-time scoring list, with 36′928 points, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the only one ahead of him. He went to 13 NBA All-Star games and was a All NBA first team member 11 times. He was selected as one of the 50 greatest players of all time and will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame next year. He finished with 25 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, playing 1476 games. Malone played 80+ games in all but two seasons in his career, a proof of his consistency and strength that distinguished him throughout his career.

Dirk Nowitzki

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We’re getting into the Active players section. Nowitzki has just completed his 11th NBA season, and at age 31 and a pretty much free of injury career he still has a few years very good years to give in him. The question is, is there a title in the future? My bet is no.

Nowitzki won the MVP in the 2006-2007 season, averaging 24.6 points and grabbing 8.9 rebounds per game during that season. He has had better numbers before and since, like this season for example, but his team won 67 games in that season, a league best, something that probably worked in his favor. He was also knocked out in the first round in one of the greatest playoff upsets of all time, as the 8 seeds, the Golden State Warriors knocked off the Dallas Mavericks, a year after the Mavs reached the NBA Finals.

Nowitzki has had his shot at the title once. 2006 NBA finals against the Miami Heat. Dallas lead 2-0 after the first two in Dallas. They went on to lose the series 4-2, something that some say hasn’t really gotten out of the heads of Dallas players still on the team.

Championship ring or not, Nowitzki is the best European to play in the NBA, no doubt. He’s an amazing mis-match type player, 7′0 but plays as a Small Forward or Power, but he likes it outside anyways. He has a 37.8% from the three in his career. Amazing. Nowitzki is a future hall of famer, so far averaging 22.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in 839 career games, 11 seasons so far. He has been selected to the All-Star game 8 times, the All-NBA first team 4 times and is the Dallas Mavericks’ all-time leader in points, rebounds, field goals, field goal attempts, 3-pointers, 3-point attempts, free throws, and free-throw attempts.

Allen Iverson

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One of the greatest scorers in the history of the game, and certainly the smallest out of the greatest scorers. One MVP award, one NBA Finals, both in the same season. He’s still active, finishing the worst season in his career with the Detroit Pistons, Iverson’s window of winning a title seems to be closing, at least as a marquee player on a team.

Iverson has never had too much talent around him but that has never bothered him much, and in the 2000-2001 one season everything seemed to click. Iverson averaged 31.1 points per game with 4.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game, leading the Philadelphia 76′ers to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1983. There they met the Shaq-Kobe Los Angeles Lakers, and lost in 5 games. Iverson scored 48 points in game 1, getting the amazing upset win but that was it for Phily against the Lakers.

Iverson never went on to reach the NBA Finals again, and actually never got passed a conference Semi Final since. He was traded to the Denver Nuggets where he enjoyed individual success but never went passed the first round in the playoffs. This season he was traded to the Detroit Pistons but they were knocked out by Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 4 game sweep.

Allen Iverson has just finished his 13th NBA season. He holds career averages of 27.1 points, 6.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. His scoring average is fifth best all-time. He has one MVP award, 10 All-Star appearances, 3 All-NBA first team selections and 4 NBA scoring titles. He is undoubtedly a future hall of fame member.

Steve Nash

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Steve Nash, 2 time NBA MVP? A lot of people never agreed to those votes, but the history of the game will always say the Canadian Point Guard has won two MVP’s. Kobe Bryant only has one, right now. Some say Shaq should have gotten it in 2004-2005, some say Kobe should have gotten it in 2005-2006. But Nash did. Right or Wrong? Doesn’t really matter.

Nash, unlike the rest of the players on this list has never made it to the NBA Finals. He has reached the Western Conference Finals 3 times, once with Dallas (2003 Playoffs) and twice with the Phoenix Suns (2005, 2006). He was chosen by the suns in the 1996 draft but never really got it going there during his 3 seasons. Only after going to Dallas and teaming up with Dirk Nowitzki did Nash start being a recognizable player. After he left to Phoenix in 2004, Nash really kicked it into overdrive, teaming up with Mike D’antoni, fitting perfectly into his run n’ gun type of basketball, winning the MVP two years in a row but failing to make it into the finals.

Although it’s arguable, I find it hard to believe Nash won’t find himself in the Hall of Fame. He’ll be inducted eventually. In 14 NBA seasons so far Nash has played 934 games, never going under 70 in his last 9 seasons but there have been obvious signs of him slowing down in the past two. He has averaged up until now 14.4 points and 8 assists per game. He has been to 6 All-Star games and a 3 time All-NBA first team member.

Lebron James

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It took some time before I made the decision about putting Lebron in the list. Yes he has won the MVP but missed the title again. He is beginning his seventh season in the league and he isn’t 25 yet. But the whole reason for this list is him – He didn’t win it this year, despite entering the playoffs with the best record in the NBA.

Lebron entered the league with the weight of the promise and expectations to revive a dying basketball program, and has delivered. He has reached the NBA finals once already in the 2006-2007 season, and lost in the Conference Finals to the Orlando Magic last season. Is the roster around him still not good enough to help him win his first title? We’ll see.

In six years so far Lebron has played 472 games, never playing less that 75 games a season. He has averaged 27.5 points, 7 rebounds and 6.7 assists up until now, making the All-Star game 5 times and the All-NBA first team 3 times and owning one scoring title (2007-2008 season) with a lot of years of dominating the league up ahead.

Number 5 – Steve Nash, 1996 – still active

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The Phoenix Suns point guard, the best Canadian basketball player ever has been with us since 1996. Being a star at Santa Clara University didn’t Steve Nash an immediate starter both with Phoenix who drafted him at 15th overall in the 1996 draft, one of the best and deepest draft classes in history (Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Ray Allen as the prime examples). He was traded to Dallas and in his third season there suddenly became one of the best point guards in the league, improving with the rising Dallas Mavericks under Don Nelson. Nash pretty soon reached all star status but wasn’t re signed with the Mavericks as their Owner, Mark Cuban, felt it wasn’t safe giving him a long term contract.

Nash returned to Phoenix, getting a 63 million for six years deal with the Suns and jumped even another level, becoming the best point guard in the league for a few years, winning two MVP’s (2005, 2006) and reaching the Western Conference final twice. Maybe his greatest achievement was in 2005-2006, winning his second MVP, averaging 18.8 points and 10.5 assists per game, but more impressively, helping seven of his teammates to post career highs in scoring.

Nash is one of nine players in the league’s history to win back to back MVP’s, second best all time in free throw shooting (90%), fifth best in three point shooting (43.2%) and ninth on the all time total assists list.

Number 4 – Gary Payton, 1990 – 2007

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The Glove, the second pick in the 1990 NBA draft out of Oregon State will always be remembered as probably the best defending point guard ever, and one of the best point guards of all time. It took him two-three years to really breakout, but in his fourth season Payton became an all star and for the next ten years was one of the best players in the league.

Payton won the defensive player of the year award in 1996, and was on the NBA’s first defensive team for a record nine consecutive seasons (1994-2002). He led the Seattle Supersonics along with Shawn Kemp to the NBA finals in 1996, but lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games, despite Payton doing a fantastic job on Michael Jordan, limiting him to Jordan’s lowest ever scoring average in a finals series (27.3).

Payton won the title with Miami Heat in 2006 but more as a complementary player. He is the only point guard to win the defensive player of the year award in the leagues history, 21st on the all time scoring list, 7th in total assists and 3rd in total steals.

Number 3 – Allen Iverson, 1996 – still active

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Allen Iverson is hard to define by position, but behind all the shooting and scoring and scoring titles, Iverson is a point guard who just shoots first and passes later. Iverson has won the 2001 MVP award and led the league in scoring four times, and still has a career average of 6.2 assists per game while scoring 27.1 points per game in his career, fifth best all time. He actually isn’t signed with any team yet, entertaining offers from the Clippers and even Greek team Olympiakos among others, but that doesn’t change the fact that he has been one of the best players and most exiting players in the league since he joined in 1996.

He reached the finals with Philadelphia 76ers in 2001 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. He has played also with Denver and Detroit but is still waiting for another shot at the league title. It seems though that teams aren’t keen on giving him another shot, or at least a shot for the money and playing time he’s asking for.

Number 2 – Jason Kidd, 1994 – still active

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Like Steve Nash, Kidd is currently playing with the team that drafted him after grazing in foreign fields for a decade. Jason Kidd was the number two pick in the 1994 draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Kidd was co-rookie of the year award winner along with Grant Hill and in the last 15 years established himself as one of the greatest passers in the games history. Despite his scoring numbers dropping in recent years and especially in the last two seasons since returning to Texas, and never being a shoot first type of player Kidd has a career average of almost 14 points per game to go with his 9.2 assists per game average.

He hasn’t won a league title, reaching the finals twice with the New Jersey Nets (2002-2003), losing once to the Lakers and once to the San Antonio Spurs but has been consistently one of the best players in the league, with five All-NBA first team selections and four all defensive first team selections. He led the league in assists per game five times in his career and is ranked third all time in total assists and sixth in assists per game average. He is also 7th all time in total steals and maybe the most impressive out of all those is being third all time in career triple double games (103).

Number 1 – John Stockton, 1984 – 2003

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Don’t let the nonathletic frame, short shorts and good boy look fool you. Stockton was a fierce competitor, a fantastic defender and although not a flamboyant player but did his job better than anyone else in the last twenty years. He doesn’t have a title and an MVP award but he did everything he could to make Karl Malone a two time MVP and bring the Jazz as close as possible to a title, twice.Too bad there’s a Michael Jordan in life.

Stockton missed only 22 games in his 19 year career, missing only four in his first 13 seasons. He is the all time leader in total assists and steals by a huge margin, and it’s very unlikely to be reached by anyone anytime soon. Stockton is also part of the NBA’s 50th anniversary All-Time team, but there’s no doubt that his 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals in his career are his most impressive individual achievement.

Steve Nash, Canada

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A man of many international touches – Nash was born in South Africa to a Welsh mother and an English father and then moved to Canada. Nash, since moving back to Phoenix in 2004 has become one of the best players in the league, winning the MVP twice in 2005 and 2006. Nash is ninth all time in total assists, fifth in three point percentage and second all time in free throw percentage. He will be starting his sixth straight season with the Phoenix Suns this year.

Tony Parker, France

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You don’t get to be on the cover of NBA LIVE if you aren’t good, and Tony Parker, especially in the last 3 seasons, has become very good. He’s not the best point guard in the league but he’s the one with the most titles. Parker, as part of the Duncan-Ginobili-Duncan trio of the San Antonio Spurs has one three NBA titles (2003,2005,2007) and in 2007 he got the Finals MVP award. This last season Parker recorded career-best averages in scoring (22 ppg) and assists (6.9). Like Nash, heritage is from all over – He was born in Belgium, to an American father and a Dutch mother.

Hedo Turkoglu, Turkey.

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Turkoglu made quite a few zigs and zags this summer, but the Turkish player who will be starting his 10th NBA season this fall/winter (depends on where you are in the world) as a Tornto Raptors player. Turkoglu Has really started blooming only in th last two season, playing with the Orlando Magic and being a major part in last season’s run to the NBA finals for only the second time in the franchises history. He averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists last season.

Dirk Nowitzki, Germany

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The 2007 NBA regular season MVP is the first European-born player to win that award and so far the only one to do that. Dirk Nowitzki is in my eyes the best European ever to play in the NBA, although the league title has not been achieved by him, yet.

Nowitzki is the Dallas Mavericks all time leader in points, rebounds, field goals, three pointers and free throws made. He has played for the Dallas Mavericks since 1998 and reached the NBA finals once in his career, 2006, losing to the Miami Heat 4-2 after leading 2-0.

Pau Gasol, Spain

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Although only 21 when he came to the NBA, Gasol was already considered one of the biggest talents in Europe and he didn’t need any adapting time, winning the Rookie of the year award in 2002, playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. Gasol enjoyed seven successful seasons with the Grizzlies, at least personally. He did reach the playoffs three times with the team, but failed to win a game in the post season. The trade that sent him to the Lakers in 2008 changed that for him. He reached the NBA finals in 2008, losing to the Celtics and won it last year against the Orlando Magic.

Gasol has career averages of 18.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and is still the Grizzlies all time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, games and minutes played.

Ray Allen, Boston Celtics

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I think Ray was a HOF lock without the title in 2008, but him being part of the trio that won the NBA title in 2008 with the Boston Celtics hushed any doubters he might of had. Allen was an All-American at UCONN, played 6.5 season with the Bucks, 4.5 with the Seattle SuperSonics and has played the last two with the Boston Celtics. He’s a nine time All-Star and has averaged 20.9 points per game in the regular season and 20.5 in the playoffs. He’s also just below 40% from three point land and just below 90% in his career from the line.

Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics

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It took Garnett 13 years to reach the promised land, to win a title he deserved after being stuck in Minnesota for so long, he needed that trade that sent him to Boston and Ray Allen and Paul Pierce around him to win that 2008 title and cement his place in history. Garnett is averaging 20.2 points per game in his career in the regular season and 21.6 in the playoffs. He’s also averaged 11.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. He’s a 12 time All-Star and won the MVP in 2004.

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

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Pierce, like Allen, needed the 2008 historic Boston Celtics Championship to cement his place in history. Suddenly, everybody understood how great he was on a crappy team before Garnett and Allen arrived. Pierce has played his entire career with the Boston Celtics, averaging 22.9 points per game in the regular season and 22.2 in the playoffs. He’s also a 36% career three point shooter and has been to 7 all star games.

Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets

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It took Billups some time to really find his place as a dominant starter in the league, but ever since his move to the Detroit Pistons in 2002 he has become one of the best point guards in the league and also won the title with the Pistons in 2004. He reached the Finals again a year later but lost with his team to the San Antonio Spurs in seven games. Billups is averaging 15.1 points in the regular season and 17.7 in the playoffs. He’s also a 38.8% three point shooter and just below 90% from the line in his career.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

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Kobe Bryant is one of those who could just let his career stats do the talking, but he’s also got tons of achievements to go with them. He’s a four time NBA Champion and six time finalist, one time MVP (2008) and finals MVP (2009), a two time scoring champion and an 11 time all star. He’s averaging 25.1 points in the regular season and 25 in the playoffs.

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

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Tim Duncan is another no brainer, and he maybe the greatest Power Forward to play the game, yes greater than Barkley and Karl Malone. He was great from the first moment, and he didn’t go number one in the draft just because of slim pickings. Duncan is a four time NBA Champion, two time NBA MVP, three time Finals MVP, an 11 time all star and averages 21.4 points and 11.4 rebounds in the regular season in his career. His Playoff numbers are even better, with 23.3 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.

Allen Iverson, Free Agent

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From the looks of things, Iverson may very well retire without an NBA title. He’ll make the hall of fame anyways despite this last season leaving a bad impression, it won’t damage his career body of work. Another no.1 draft pick, Iverson was rookie of the year (1997), MVP (2001), including reaching the finals that year with a very limited Philadelphia 76ers team. He is a 10 time all star and a four time scoring champion. His regular season scoring average is 27.1, fifth best all time. His Playoff average is 29.7 points per game.

Jason Kidd, Free Agent

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One of the greatest point guards and passers in the game’s history, Kidd is currently juggling offers from the Knicks and the Mavericks, and maybe other teams. Not a scoring threat like almost everyone else on this list, but his all around game more than made up for it in his career. No title in two NBA finals with the New Jersey Nets and a nine time all star, Kidd’s career averages are 13.8 points and 9.2 assists per game in the regular season and 15.2 points and 8.9 assists in the playoffs. His third all time in regular season triple-doubles with 103 and second in the playoffs with 11.

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

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The only European on this list and probably the greatest European to play in the NBA. Nowitzki didn’t look very impressive as a rookie but has blossomed into one of the best in the league since. He has reached the finals once and lost, he won one MVP (2007), is an eight time all star and has career averages of 22.7 points and 8.6 rebounds, including 37.8% from three point. In the playoffs he’s averaging 25.5 points and 11 rebounds per game.

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns

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Some would debate this, but Nash will probably end up in the hall of fame, and Mike D’antoni’s run&gun years in Phoenix are the main reason for that. They didn’t win a championship for the Suns and Nash, but they did make him a two time MVP and the Suns the most fun to watch team in the league. Nash is a six time all star and has averaged 14.4 points and 8 assists in his career, while shooting 43.2% from three and 90% from the line. In the playoffs he’s averaging 17.3 points and 8.7 assists.

Shaquille O’neal, Cleveland Cavaliers

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Shaquille has a knack of moving from East to West on each trade he’s involved in and the last one that sent him from Phoenix to Cleveland was no different. Shaq is one of the top three players of the last decade, along with Kobe and Tim Duncan. He has won 4 NBA titles, three with the Lakers and Kobe and one with the Miami Heat. He is a one time MVP and a three time Finals MVP, two time scoring champion and a 15 time all star. His career averages are 24.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in the regular season and 25.2 points and 12.1 rebounds in the playoffs.

No. 10 – Maurice Cheeks

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Although mostly known now as a coach, coaching the Portland Trail Blazers and the Philadelphia 76ers in between 2001-2008, Cheeks was one of the better Point Guards in the NBA during the 1980’s and maybe the best of them on defense.

Cheeks recorded 7392 assists in 1101 career games, averaging 6.7 assists per game in his career, good for 24th all time. He was fifth best all time when he retired. Cheeks spent 15 seasons in the NBA – his first 11 with the 76ers and later moved around between the Spurs, Knicks, Hawks and Nets. He won the NBA title with Philly in 1982-1983 and played in the All Star game four times, all as a Sixer. His #10 was retired by the 76ers.

No. 9 – Steve Nash

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Steve Nash is the first active player on this list, and there’s another one coming up. He completed his 13th NBA season this past year and is currently 9th on the all time assist leaders list. He has 7505 in 934 games, averaging 8 per game. He led the league in assists for three straight seasons between 2004-2007, his first three season in Phoenix. He is 10th all time in Assist Per Game average.

Nash spent his first two seasons in the league at Phoenix before moving to Dallas. In Dallas he became a starter, and after six seasons with the Mavs and not getting re-signed moved back to the Suns, this time as one of the best Point Guards in the league.He won the league MVP in his first two years with the Suns and although has shown signs of age and fatigue this past year is still one of the better PG’s in the league and maybe still the best passer. He has averaged over 10 assists per game four times, all with Phoenix, between 2004-2008. His best was 11.6 in 2006-2007. He has appeared six times in the All Star game and three times in the All NBA first team.

No. 8 – Rod Strickland

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It’s hard to tag a team to Rod Strickland as the Bronx born player has moved around quite a lot in his 17 year career, playing from 1988-2005. Strickland is one of those “would’ve been much greater” types, playing like the best point guard in the league at times and like one of the most exciting players in the league at his prime while sometimes he looked like someone way over his head.

Strickland is 8th in the All time assist list with 7987 in 1094 games, averaging 7.3 assists per game in his career which is 19th best all time. He led the league in Assists one time, during the 1997-1998 season as a Washington Wizards player, averaging 10.5 assists per game. He averaged over 9 assists per game three more times but that was his only double-double season.

Strickland played for nine teams during his NBA career with Portland and Washington being the two teams he spent the most time with (4 and a bit seasons with each team).

No. 7 – Gary Payton

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Even though Gary Payton was much more than assists this is the all time assists leaders, so we’ll focus on that. Payton is one of the best defenders all time (nicknamed “the glove”) and one of the best point guards of all time, and he’s also 7th on the all time assist list. 8966 Assists in 1335 games, averaging 6.7 per game, with the numbers really dropping when Payton spent his last two seasons with the Miami Heat.

Gary Payton never led the league in assists but between 1994-2003 never averaged fewer than 7.1 per game, with his best coming in the 2001-2002 season, averaging 9 per game. He is the only player in the league’s history with over 20,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, 8,000 assists and 2,000 steals in his career. He’s one of three players, Stockton and Kidd being the others to have 8,000 assists and 2,000 steals.

Gary Payton won one NBA title, with the Miami Heat in 2006, played in nine all star games, was All NBA first team twice and won defensive player of the year in 1996.

No. 6 – Isiah Thomas

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Forget about everything that happened with Thomas after he retired – The Toronto Raptors, the CBA, the Knicks debacle… I hope he finds himself and his place in basketball again now that he’s coaching FIU in the NCAA. The past decade tarnished a bit the memory of one of the greatest players in the NBA’s history, elected to the 50 greatest players in 1996 and number six on the all time assist list.

Thomas finished his 14 year career with 9061 assists, 9.3 assists per game. His average is fourth best all time. Thomas is considered by few to be the greatest passer in the history of the game, if you consider he had less to work with than let’s say, Magic, who’s widely considered the best passer ever. Thomas led the league in assists only once, in the 1984-1985 season, averaging 13.9 assists per game. He topped the 10 assists per game mark four times, all between 1983-1987 and he also never averaged less than 6.9 assists per game, which also came in his retirement year.

Isiah won two NBA championship titles, back to back, in 1988-1990. He spent his entire career with the Detroit Pistons and was the leader and the best player during the “Bad Boys” years. Thomas played in 12 All star games, was in the first All NBA team three times only (blame Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson for that), a finals MVP once (1990) and was inducted into the NBA hall of fame in 2000.

No. 5 – Oscar Robertson

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This is the proof the Oscar Robertson being probably the most versatile player in the history of the game, as he’s also 9th on the all time scorers list. Robertson is 5th on the all time assist leaders list with 9887 assists, an average of 9.5 assists per game, the third best all time.

Robertson played 14 years in the league, 10 win Cincinnati and four with Milwaukee, leading the league in assists six times. He averaged more than 10 assists five times and over 11 four times, with 11.5 assists per game his best (1964-1965). All his great numbers came while he was averaging over 30 points per game in those years, including the famous triple double average season (1961-1962).

Oscar won one NBA title in 1971 with the Bucks. He won one MVP in 1964, took part in 12 All star games and was selected to the All NBA first team nine times. He was also elected to the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996.

No. 4 – Earvin Magic Johnson

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He’s fourth on the all time assist list, but he was the best at it, 95% of NBA fans will tell you that. The greatest point guard and until Michael Jordan came along, was probably the greatest player of all times.

Magic Johnson played in the league for 12 seasons until discovering he was an HIV carrier. He retired from the league but returned for 32 games in 1996, still performing in a high level.

Magic is fourth on the all time assist leaders list with 10,141 assists, the first man ever to reach that milestone. His average, 11.2 assists per game, is the highest ever and probably won’t be beaten in a long time. He led the league in assists four times and between 1982-1991 never averaged less than 10.5 assists per game in a season, with his best coming in the 1983-1984 season with 13.1. He averaged over 12 assists per game six times, over 11 eight times and nine times over ten assists per game. Mind you, if there was no John Stockton/Karl Malone rising in the late 80’s, Magic would be assist king a few more times.His lowest average in one season, not including the 1996 stint, 7.3(!!!).The amazing thing about that number that it came in his rookie season, when he didn’t even play point guard for the Lakers.

Magic retired with 5 NBA titles, three NBA MVP’s, 3 finals MVP, 12 All star appearances, 9 times in the All NBA first team and of course part of the 50 greatest players of all time list.

No. 3 – Jason Kidd

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Number three on the all time assist leaders list and the leader among active players. Kidd was fifth in the beginning of the year but leaped over Magic and Oscar with 702 assists. He has 10,199 assists and will probably be number two all time very early next season. He’s averaging 9.2 assists per game so far in his career, which has spanned 1107 games over 15 seasons so far.

Jason Kidd led the league in assists five times, three with the Phoenix Suns and two with the New Jersey Nets. His best came in the 1998-1999 season, playing for the Phoenix Suns, averaging 10.8 assists per game. He averaged over 10 assists per game three times in his career, including in 2007-2008, the year he was traded from the Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, the team he started his NBA career with back in 1994.

Kidd has yet to win an NBA title (lost twice in the finals) or the MVP award, and probably won’t win both by the time he retires but who knows. He is a nine time All star and five time All NBA first team member.

N0. 2 – Mark Jackson

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The most surprising name on the list. When I looked and saw Jackson was second, I said “What the F…?” But then I remembered how good he was playing for the Pacers and for the Clippers and even for the Knicks, in his fist tenure there back when just started out in the league. Plus, Jackson rarely missed games and he did play for 17 seasons.

Jackson had 10,334 assists, with an average of 8 per game. That’s the lowest average out of the Top six on this list. Jackson led the league in assists one time, in a season he played for both Indiana and the Denver Nuggets back in 1996-1997, averaging 11.4 assists. Jackson had only one more 10+ assists per game season, back in 1988 when he was a rookie playing for the Knicks, averaging 10.6 assists per game.

Mark Jackson’s only other accolades in his career are his 1988 Rookie of the Year award and his all star appearance in 1989.

No. 1 – John Stockton

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It’s risky saying about a record it’ll never be broken cause you never know, but John Stockton’s 15,806 assists in his career is going to be very very very hard to break. The active players leader, Jason Kidd, is 5000 assists behind him, and he’s 36. Even if he keeps up dishing out 700 assists per season like he did last year, it’ll still take him almost seven seasons to pass Stockton. Very Unlikely.

John Stockton’s name is synonymous with Karl Malone, Utah Jazz and Assists. From the moment he got to be a full time starter for the Utah Jazz in the 1987-1988 season, Stockton took over the Assist King place. He led the league in assists for nine consecutive seasons, averaging 14.5 assists per game during the 1989-1990 season, his career best. He averaged 14+ twice, 13+ five times, 12+ eight times and 10+ ten times. His lowest number came in his rookie season, 5.1 per game but he only played 18 minutes per game that season.

Stockton maybe didn’t do it with flair and flashiness like Magic did, or even Jason Kidd and a few others, but he was more efficient, and just better than most of them. And he had Karl Malone. Well, they had each other, with Karl Malone finishing his career second on the all time scorers list, and Stockton first on the all time assist list, with 10.5 assists per game in his career. Stockton hardly missed games, playing 82 games in 16 of his 19 seasons.

He never won the NBA title (lost twice in the finals) and never won the MVP, but you can say that he has a lot to do with Malone winning the MVP twice. He played in 10 all star games and was an All NBA first team member twice, and also part of the 50 greatest players of all time list.