The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2000s, ranked
By Cal Durrett
![Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3000,h_1687,x_0,y_91/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/307/01hw5q1p4ggbf0kxkjkf.jpg)
12) Ray Allen
Hall of Famer Ray Allen's career largely went under the radar up until he was traded to the Boston Celtics after playing with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Seattle Supersonics from 1996 through most of the 2000s. Nevertheless, he was one of the most decorated players of the era, making nine all-star teams and two all-NBA teams in one decade.
That puts him in rare company with few players making nine all-star appearances, let alone all in a 10-year span. He also logged more than 725 games while averaging 22.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Better yet, he was one of the greatest shooters of the decade, drilling 40.3% of his 6.7 3-point attempts per game and shooting 90% from the free throw line, with only Peja Stojakovic putting up comparable numbers.
Once he was dealt to Boston, he took a back seat to fellow Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Nevertheless, his sharpshooting made him the perfect third option and helped the Celtics win a championship in 2008.
That championship capped a terrific decade and he managed to stay relevant into the 2010s, even winning another championship as a member of the Miami Heat, capping an outstanding career.