# The 19 Greatest NBA Perimeter Defenders of the 2000s

> 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.

*By YPB Team · Published October 23, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-19-greatest-nba-perimeter-defenders-of-the-2000s*

---

## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Kobe Bryant** — score 1000/1000
   Lakers star and a perennial All-Defensive First Team guard who took on the opponent's best scorer all decade.
2. **Gary Payton** — score 535/1000
   Hall of Fame point guard nicknamed The Glove, a lockdown defender who still made All-Defensive teams into the early 2000s.
3. **Andre Iguodala** — score 535/1000
   Athletic 76ers wing who guarded multiple positions and led a Philadelphia defence in the mid-to-late 2000s.
4. **Kirk Hinrich** — score 480/1000
   Bulls guard and All-Defensive Second Team selection known for toughness and hustle on the ball.
5. **Shawn Marion** — score 480/1000
   Versatile Suns forward who guarded every position from the wing to the post and posted big steal and block numbers.
6. **Tayshaun Prince** — score 480/1000
   Pistons forward whose chase-down block on Reggie Miller and length on the wing anchored Detroit's 2004 title defence.
7. **Bruce Bowen** — score 416/1000
   Spurs wing and five-time All-Defensive First Team pick who shadowed the league's top scorers on three title teams.
8. **Metta World Peace** — score 341/1000
   Then Ron Artest, the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year, a strong, physical wing who could guard four positions.
9. **Trevor Ariza** — score 341/1000
   Long-armed Lakers and Rockets wing who got steals and disrupted ball handlers from 2009 onward.
10. **Rajon Rondo** — score 341/1000
   Celtics point guard whose quick hands made him an All-Defensive First Team pick in 2009 and 2010.
11. **Andrei Kirilenko** — score 341/1000
   Jazz forward nicknamed AK-47, a rare wing who blocked shots and stole the ball, selected to the 2004 All-Defensive First Team.
12. **Chris Paul** — score 341/1000
   Hornets point guard who led the league in steals in 2008 and 2009 and made an All-Defensive First Team.
13. **Dwyane Wade** — score 250/1000
   Heat guard who piled up steals and blocks from the backcourt on the way to the 2006 championship.
14. **Gerald Wallace** — score 250/1000
   Bobcats forward who blocked shots and grabbed steals at a rate rare for a wing, making the 2010 All-Defensive Second Team.
15. **Scottie Pippen** — score 250/1000
   Bulls dynasty great who was still a quality defensive wing for Portland and Chicago at the start of the 2000s.
16. **Shane Battier** — score 250/1000
   Grizzlies and Rockets forward who earned a reputation for shutting down stars through film study and positioning.
17. **Jason Kidd** — score 250/1000
   Nets and Mavericks point guard whose anticipation and steals made him an All-Defensive First Team regular early in the decade.
18. **Raja Bell** — score 0/1000
   Suns and Jazz shooting guard who made the 2007 All-Defensive Second Team after famously stifling Kobe Bryant in the playoffs.
19. **LeBron James** — score 0/1000
   Cavaliers superstar who earned All-Defensive First Team honors from 2009 with his size, speed and strength.

Tags: 2000s, basketball, players, nba, defenders