Lockdown wings, ball-hawking guards and a few forwards who could cover anyone. The stoppers of that decade rarely got the headlines their scoring peers did.
1Kobe BryantLakers star and a perennial All-Defensive First Team guard who took on the opponent's best scorer all decade.1000pts
2Gary PaytonHall of Fame point guard nicknamed The Glove, a lockdown defender who still made All-Defensive teams into the early 2000s.535pts
3Andre IguodalaAthletic 76ers wing who guarded multiple positions and led a Philadelphia defence in the mid-to-late 2000s.535pts
4Kirk HinrichBulls guard and All-Defensive Second Team selection known for toughness and hustle on the ball.480pts
5Shawn MarionVersatile Suns forward who guarded every position from the wing to the post and posted big steal and block numbers.480pts
6Tayshaun PrincePistons forward whose chase-down block on Reggie Miller and length on the wing anchored Detroit's 2004 title defence.480pts
7Bruce BowenSpurs wing and five-time All-Defensive First Team pick who shadowed the league's top scorers on three title teams.416pts
8Metta World PeaceThen Ron Artest, the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year, a strong, physical wing who could guard four positions.341pts
9Trevor ArizaLong-armed Lakers and Rockets wing who got steals and disrupted ball handlers from 2009 onward.341pts
10Rajon RondoCeltics point guard whose quick hands made him an All-Defensive First Team pick in 2009 and 2010.341pts
11Andrei KirilenkoJazz forward nicknamed AK-47, a rare wing who blocked shots and stole the ball, selected to the 2004 All-Defensive First Team.341pts
12Chris PaulHornets point guard who led the league in steals in 2008 and 2009 and made an All-Defensive First Team.341pts
13Dwyane WadeHeat guard who piled up steals and blocks from the backcourt on the way to the 2006 championship.250pts
14Gerald WallaceBobcats forward who blocked shots and grabbed steals at a rate rare for a wing, making the 2010 All-Defensive Second Team.250pts
15Scottie PippenBulls dynasty great who was still a quality defensive wing for Portland and Chicago at the start of the 2000s.250pts
16Shane BattierGrizzlies and Rockets forward who earned a reputation for shutting down stars through film study and positioning.250pts
17Jason KiddNets and Mavericks point guard whose anticipation and steals made him an All-Defensive First Team regular early in the decade.250pts
18Raja BellSuns and Jazz shooting guard who made the 2007 All-Defensive Second Team after famously stifling Kobe Bryant in the playoffs.0pts
19LeBron JamesCavaliers superstar who earned All-Defensive First Team honors from 2009 with his size, speed and strength.0pts
Photo credits
- Kobe Bryant — Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gary Payton — Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Andre Iguodala — Chrishmt0423, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kirk Hinrich — Jauerback, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shawn Marion — Danny Bollinger, CC BY 2.0
- Tayshaun Prince — Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Metta World Peace — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Trevor Ariza — Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
- Rajon Rondo — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Andrei Kirilenko — Svklimkin, CC BY 4.0
- Chris Paul — Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
- Dwyane Wade — Flickr user Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gerald Wallace — Knightwell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Scottie Pippen — Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shane Battier — Collision Conf, CC BY 2.0
- Jason Kidd — Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Raja Bell — Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0
- LeBron James — Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
