The 5 Biggest Snubs from the NBA’s All-Decade Team
When the NBA released its 2010s All-Decade teams, there were some notable players missing, and fans wondered who created the list. Although the 15 players represented are all worthy of making the team, we think there were some outrageous snubs that should have been on the list without question. Let’s look at the five players should be angriest about not making the All-Decade team.
Kyrie Irving
- 22.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.7 APG
The first person that we didn’t see on the list that caught our attention was new Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving. Irving has been one of the games best point guards, and during the decade he has won an NBA championship and averaged over 22 points per game.
He’s also been selected to the All-Star team six times, made the All-NBA team twice, and had one of the most clutch shots in NBA history. Irving was instrumental in helping the Cavaliers come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a championship over the Golden State Warriors, and he deserves a spont on the NBA All-Decade team.
Klay Thompson
- 19.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.3 APG
Klay Thompson is one of the games most underrated defenders, but he is also arguably the second best shooter in NBA history. His shooting hot streaks helped the Golden State Warriors win three championships in five seasons. He’s been named to the All-Star team five times and has made the All-NBA team twice.
Damian Lillard
- 25.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.9 APG
Portland is one of the hottest teams in the NBA after having an excellent 2018 season, and Damian Lillard is the major reason behind the team’s turnaround. Drafted out of Weber State, no one expected Lillard to be as good as he has been in the NBA. Lillard has four All-Star game appearances and four All-NBA team selections to his name this decade.
He has averaged nearly 26 points per game, and the Trail Blazers have made the playoffs each of the last six seasons. We expect Lillard to be an All-Star starter this season.
Tim Duncan
- 14.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG
Yes, Tim Duncan’s game declined because of father time during the 2010 decade, but he still put up great numbers in his San Antonio Spurs uniform. During the decade the Spurs won a championship over the LeBron James led Miami Heat and Duncan made four All-Star teams.
Although the Spurs transitioned from Duncan to LaMarcus Aldridge, who made the third All-Decade team, we think flip-flopping the two would have been the better move based on Duncan’s body of work.
Dirk Nowitzki
- 17.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG
Dirk Nowitzki has had one of the best careers of any international player to step foot on an NBA floor. The 2010 decade saw him win his only NBA championship, and he made six All-Star teams. Dirk retired at the end of this past season, and we think the only reason he isn’t on the list is because of the lack of success the Dallas Mavericks have had the last half a decade.
The Mavericks haven’t made the playoffs since 2016, and a lot of that falls on the shoulders of the team’s leader — Nowitzki. We still think he would’ve been a worthy inclusion to the list and would have swapped him for someone such as LaMarcus Aldridge for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
