Historically, the small forward position is one of the most loaded positions talent-wise that the NBA has to offer. LeBron James, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, Kevin Durant, and Elgin Baylor are just a few of the stars and NBA legends who called the small forward position theirs throughout their NBA careers. The decade of the 2010s was also one of the most exciting times for NBA fans and for small forwards as some of the most elite players from that time rose to the occasion and led their teams to championship glory.Â
Just as we counted down the greatest point guards and shooting guards from the 2010s decade, the small forwards are next. Eight out of the 10 Finals MVP awards during the 2010s were given to players who played at the small forward spot as well as four MVP awards. We watched some of the greatest two-way players in NBA history during the 2010s, which the elite members of the small forward spot led. It truly is one of the most talented groups of the last 30 years and perhaps even beyond.
These are the 10 greatest NBA small forwards of the 2010s.
10. Rudy Gay
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: N/A
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 17.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
At first glance, Rudy Gay’s resume doesn’t stack up to the legends of the game that have played at the small forward spot throughout NBA history. During the 2010s, Gay was one of the premier players at the small forward spot. Offensively, Gay was an explosive yet smooth scorer whose fluid and agile movements made him one of the most difficult defensive assignments in the league. This also allowed him to be a disruptive defender combined with his length, quickness, and ability to play both forward positions if asked.Â
With 10,835 points during the 2010s decade, Gay was the third-leading scorer among all small forwards. He spent time with the Grizzlies, Raptors, Kings, and Spurs during this stretch and made his presence felt everywhere he went. With Memphis, he was a 19.4 PPG scorer over three and a half seasons. With the Kings, he averaged 19.3 PPG from 2014 thru 2017. He ended the decade with San Antonio, where he averaged just 12.7 PPG while adapting to playing under Gregg Popovich. Gay is the perfect player to kick off this list as one of the more gifted small forwards of the 2010s.
9. Gordon Hayward
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 1x All-Star
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 15.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG
After leading Butler University to a near-Cinderella NCAA Championship run in 2010, Gordon Hayward put his name on the map. He was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. Hayward would spend the first seven seasons of his career with Utah, where he slowly developed into one of their top performers. Over his first six seasons, he averaged 14.6 PPG on 43.8% shooting, including back-to-back 19.0 PPG seasons in 2015 and 2016.
In his final season in Utah, Hayward earned himself a big-money contract heading into free agency as he averaged 21.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 1.2 SPG and became an All-Star for the first time. That offseason, Hayward signed with the Boston Celtics after signing a deal worth over $90 million. In his first moments on the court as a Celtic, disaster struck as Hayward gruesomely broke his leg, and his career changed forever. The injury would cost him 81 games in 2017-18, and he would finish the decade struggling to find his previous form. Hayward would sign one of the worst contracts in NBA history with the Hornets after being traded there from Boston just three years into his deal.
8. Luol Deng
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 2x All-Star, 1x All-Defensive Team Selection
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 14.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG
As the NBA turned toward the 2010s, the talent, and production coming from Luol Deng with the Chicago Bulls were undeniable. Deng was smooth, efficient, and extremely intelligent on the offensive side of the ball. He could take over the game as a scorer for stretches at a time but also possessed the other tools he needed to be considered one of the more well-rounded players at small forward in the NBA. His defensive effort sometimes was lacking, but when he was focused, he could change a game by being disruptive and active.
During the first two seasons of the 2010s, Deng averaged at least 17.0 PPG and 5.5 RPG for the Bulls. In back-to-back seasons in 2012 and 2013, Deng would become an All-Star averaging 16.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.1 SPG over those two seasons. Over the next six seasons, Deng would spend time with the Cavaliers, Heat, Lakers, and Timberwolves. Although he would suffer injuries and streaky play, Deng averaged 12.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 0.9 SPG and fleeced the Lakers for a ton of cash. Deng is remembered for that one contract that saw him get paid out through 2022, but he will also be forever known for being one of the best small forwards of the 2010s.
7. Paul Pierce
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 3x All-Star
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 14.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG
During the 2000s, Paul Pierce was much higher on the small forwards’ rankings as a former Finals MVP and premier player in the league. As the decade turned, Pierce was still just as effective, even leading Boston back to the NBA Finals in 2010. Pierce was an elite scorer from everywhere on the court, especially when the game got down to crunch time, and his team needed a bucket desperately. He was a leader and backed up some big talk with his game night in and night out.
For the first three seasons of the 2010s, Pierce was still in All-Star form. He made the All-Star game three straight seasons from 2010 thru 2012 and averaged 18.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.1 APG during this time. He would spend just four seasons in Boston during that time but could never return the franchise to the NBA Finals after their 2010 run. He would also spend seasons with the Nets, Wizards, and Clippers before retiring in 2017.
6. Andre Iguodala
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 1x Finals MVP, 1x All-Star, 2x All-Defensive Team Selection
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 10.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Andre Iguodala was one of the most exciting small forwards in the game during his earlier years with the Philadelphia 76ers. His athleticism and high basketball IQ allowed him to put on a show nightly for NBA fans. He is a selfless, team-first player whose defense and playmaking made him a valuable asset wherever he ended up taking his talents during his time in the league.
Iguodala earned the only All-Star selection of his career during the 2011-12 season with the 76ers. He averaged 12.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.5 APG, and 1.7 SPG that season which ended up being his final one in Philadelphia. Iguodala joined the Golden State Warriors for the 2013-14 season, and the following season would make the biggest impact of his career. Iguodala would capture the 2015 Finals MVP award in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers for his defensive effort on LeBron James and shutting him down in clutch moments down the stretch of close games. Iguodala would add two more NBA titles in the decade with the Warriors and another in 2022.
5. Carmelo Anthony
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 8x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 23.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Recently, NBA fans were hit in their nostalgic hearts when Carmelo Anthony announced his retirement from the game of basketball. During the 2010s, Carmelo hit his prime as one of the most talented three-level scorers in NBA history. He was still a strong and dominating presence working from the post as well as a mid-range expert with a developing three-point game. Although often cited for his lack of defensive effort and inconsistency, Carmelo still went out and performed on a superstar level for every team he played for during the decade.Â
As his career came to a semi-bitter end with the Denver Nuggets, Anthony was dealt to the Knicks in a move that reignited Madison Square Garden. Anthony would go on to be an All-Star over his first seven seasons in New York, averaging 24.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 1.0 SPG on 44.4% shooting during that time. He added a scoring title in 2013 with 28.7 PPG and three All-NBA Team selections in 2010, 2012, and 2013. Anthony finished the decade with the Thunder and Trail Blazers playing just 88 games and averaging 15.9 PPG on average in 2018 and 2019.
4. Paul George
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 1x Most Improved Player, 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Team Selection, 4x All-Defensive Team Selection
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 19.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG
When I mentioned some of the most elite two-way players in the NBA earlier, I specifically had Paul George’s name in mind. Throughout most of his career, George has been among the most talented offensive players in the game as well as one of the most debilitating perimeter defenders, and still is today. George is as smooth and elaborate as it gets with his shot creation, combining a beautiful mixture of handles and shot-making ability to become a significant three-level threat.
In 2011, George was made the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. Just two seasons later, he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player and led Indiana to an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. The following season, George had his first 20.0 PPG season of his career and led the Pacers back to the Conference Finals, where he went toe-to-toe with LeBron James and the Miami Heat but lost in six games. In 2019 with the Thunder, George closed out the decade when he finished top three for both the MVP award and Defensive Player of the Year averaging 28.0 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, and 2.2 SPG.
3. Kawhi Leonard
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 2x Finals MVP, 2x Defensive Player Of The Year, 3x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection, 5x All-Defensive Team Selection
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 17.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Kawhi Leonard was truly the elite of the elite two-way forwards in the game’s history during the 2010s. Leonard arrived quietly on the scene with the Spurs on draft night in 2011 when they made the greatest acquisition in franchise history by shipping George Hill to Indiana. Over his first two seasons, Leonard was under the radar as he adjusted and studied the NBA game, which moved at a much quicker pace than he was used to. After he figured it out, he was a nightmare for the league.
In 2014, Leonard was still a relatively unknown budding star for the Spurs but had appeared in back-to-back NBA Finals alongside dynastic duo Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Kawhi led the Spurs to an NBA championship in a five-game drubbing of the Miami Heat in which Leonard shut down LeBron James for the duration of the series. Over the next two seasons, Leonard would be an All-Star and the back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year. In 2019, Leonard had one of the most remarkable seasons in NBA history when he led the Toronto Raptors to their first-ever NBA championship. After hitting one of the craziest buzzer-beaters in NBA playoff history, Leonard won his second Finals MVP in a Finals win over the Golden State Warriors. He averaged 28.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 2.0 SPG to claim the Finals MVP and cement himself in the history books forever.
2. Kevin Durant
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 2x Finals MVP, 1x MVP, 10x All-Star, 2x All-Star Game MVP, 9x All-NBA Team Selection
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 28.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.2 BPG
During the 2010s, we watched as Kevin Durant was recognized as one of the all-time great offensive talents we have ever seen in the NBA. He was one of the NBA’s most beloved players for the majority of the 2010s until one decision made him the biggest villain in NBA history. During his early days with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant would win four scoring titles and lead the team to the NBA Finals in 2012. In 2014, he won the MVP award by averaging 32.0 PPG on over 50.0% shooting.Â
During this time, the Thunder never had what it took to get back to the NBA Finals after 2012, and in a shocking turn of events, Durant left the Thunder to join the already title-winning and record-setting Golden State Warriors. What proceeded was a dominant three-year stretch that saw Durant and Golden State advance to three NBA Finals while going 9-1 in 10 games over LeBron James and the Cavaliers in 2017 and 2018. Durant claimed both Finals MVP awards for his performances on the big stage. During the 2019 Finals, Durant would suffer an Achilles injury that would mark the end of his days at Golden State and the beginning of his next chapter.
1. LeBron James
2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 3x Finals MVP, 3x MVP, 10x All-Star, 1x All-Star Game MVP, 10x All-NBA Team Selection, 5x All-Defensive Team Selection
2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 26.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 7.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.7 BPG
When it comes to the discussion about the greatest small forwards in NBA history, it starts and ends with LeBron James. The 2010s belonged to James as he made the transition from a young man still seeking his first NBA championship into the league’s best superstar and all-around force to be reckoned with. James began the decade by announcing his departure from the Cavaliers to the Miami Heat, which sparked outrage and dismay among the NBA faithful. What proceeded was nothing short of remarkable as he led the Heat to four straight NBA Finals, back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013, and four Finals MVP and MVP awards combined.
James had displayed the greatest all-around play of his career during those four seasons averaging 26.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 6.7 APG, and 1.7 SPG during that time. James would go back to Cleveland with unfinished business and was determined to deliver on his promise of an NBA championship for his hometown. James would help the Cavaliers also advance to four straight NBA Finals from 2015 thru 2018. In 2016, however, would be James’ greatest accomplishment. Against the 73-9 Warriors and down 3-1 in the series, James led Cleveland to the greatest upset in NBA playoff history as they stormed back to win the series in seven games. James had fulfilled his promise but also etched his place onto the Mount Rushmore of NBA history alongside the greatest players to ever play the game.Â
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