GOAT Rank · 28

Greatest Basketball athletes of the 2000s

This ranking uses verified career records and GOAT Rank's published model. Every listed athlete clears the data eligibility threshold.

#AthleteGOAT Score

1

95.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2003–active
Country: 🇺🇸 USA

Peak: 95.0
Dominance: 94.0
Statistics: 98.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 100.0

Athlete: LeBron James

4

94.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2004–2025
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 93.0
Dominance: 94.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 94.0
Longevity: 96.0

Athlete: Diana Taurasi

9

91.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2002–2022
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 96.0

Athlete: Sue Bird

23

90.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2009–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 93.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 91.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Stephen Curry

32

88.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2007–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 87.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Kevin Durant

49

88.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2008–2022
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Sylvia Fowles

77

Tamika Catchings

85.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2001–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Tamika Catchings

81

85.7

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2002–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Swin Cash

87

85.4

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2005–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Chris Paul

91

85.3

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2003–2019
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Dwyane Wade

102

85.0

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2008–2023
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Candace Parker

106

Seimone Augustus

84.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2006–2020
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Seimone Augustus

111

84.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2004–2022
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Dwight Howard

124

84.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2004–2018
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Lindsay Whalen

134

83.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2009–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: James Harden

137

Russell Westbrook

83.7

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2008–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Russell Westbrook

143

Cappie Pondexter

83.5

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2006–2018
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Cappie Pondexter

169

Angel McCoughtry

82.4

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2009–2022
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Angel McCoughtry

184

81.7

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2009–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 72.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: DeMar DeRozan

186

81.7

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2005–2024
Country: 🇪🇸 Spain

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Ricky Rubio

201

LaMarcus Aldridge

81.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2006–2021
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: LaMarcus Aldridge

212

80.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2008–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Kevin Love

215

80.6

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2003–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Chris Bosh

221

80.4

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2008–2023
Country: 🇸🇮 Slovenia

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Goran Dragić

225

Carmelo Anthony

80.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2003–2022
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Carmelo Anthony

234

79.5

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2004–2019
Country: 🇬🇧 Great Britain

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Luol Deng

243

78.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2009–2023
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Blake Griffin

250

Amar'e Stoudemire

78.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2002–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Amar'e Stoudemire

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
1	LeBron James	Basketball	🇺🇸 USA	2003–—	95.6
4	Diana Taurasi	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2004–2025	94.2
9	Sue Bird	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2002–2022	91.2
23	Stephen Curry	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2009–—	90
32	Kevin Durant	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2007–—	88.8
49	Sylvia Fowles	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2008–2022	88
77	Tamika Catchings	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2001–2016	85.8
81	Swin Cash	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2002–2016	85.7
87	Chris Paul	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2005–—	85.4
91	Dwyane Wade	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2003–2019	85.3
102	Candace Parker	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2008–2023	85
106	Seimone Augustus	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2006–2020	84.9
111	Dwight Howard	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2004–2022	84.6
124	Lindsay Whalen	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2004–2018	84.1
134	James Harden	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2009–—	83.8
137	Russell Westbrook	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2008–—	83.7
143	Cappie Pondexter	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2006–2018	83.5
169	Angel McCoughtry	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2009–2022	82.4
184	DeMar DeRozan	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2009–—	81.7
186	Ricky Rubio	Basketball	🇪🇸 Spain	2005–2024	81.7
201	LaMarcus Aldridge	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2006–2021	81.2
212	Kevin Love	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2008–—	80.8
215	Chris Bosh	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2003–2016	80.6
221	Goran Dragić	Basketball	🇸🇮 Slovenia	2008–2023	80.4
225	Carmelo Anthony	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2003–2022	80.2
234	Luol Deng	Basketball	🇬🇧 Great Britain	2004–2019	79.5
243	Blake Griffin	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2009–2023	78.9
250	Amar'e Stoudemire	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2002–2016	78.2

Compare the leaders

LeBron James vs Diana Taurasi

Read the full methodology

Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.

Read the full methodology

Frequently asked questions

How is this ranking calculated?

Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Who is included?

Only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible.

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