In this series, I am recreating the All-American teams as they would have been if all (US-based) players went to college for 4 years. Part 1 and Part 2 focused on the 1970s/1980s and 1990s respectively. In Part 3, we’ll focus on the 2000s. During this decade, early entry (or skipping college altogether) continued to grow in popularity. While I don’t have a comprehensive list of players who turned pro early or skipped college altogether, one way to see the growth is to look at the number of NBA players under the age of 22, by season:
| Season | # of NBA Players Under Age 22 |
|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 3 |
| 1993-94 | 4 |
| 1994-95 | 6 |
| 1995-96 | 10 |
| 1996-97 | 15 |
| 1997-98 | 19 |
| 1998-99 | 22 |
| 1999-00 | 23 |
| 2000-01 | 31 |
| 2001-02 | 41 |
| 2002-03 | 34 |
| 2003-04 | 30 |
| 2004-05 | 39 |
| 2005-06 | 50 |
| 2006-07 | 47 |
| 2007-08 | 42 |
| 2008-09 | 39 |
The growing number of college age players in the NBA makes the task of reassessing the All-American teams that much harder. Each season, there are tens of players to consider. But I did my best. So here we go. I’m changing my color scheme a bit; in this post, NBA players in are red and Naismith Player of the Year Award winners are in bold.
1999-2000
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Chris Carrawell | Elton Brand |
| Marcus Fizer | Kobe Bryant |
| A. J. Guyton | Mike Bibby |
| Kenyon Martin | Kenyon Martin |
| Chris Mihm | Steve Francis |
| Troy Murphy | Richard Hamilton |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Courtney Alexander | Baron Davis |
| Shane Battier | A.J. Guyton |
| Mateen Cleaves | Marcus Fizer |
| Scoonie Penn | Lamar Odom |
| Morris Peterson | Ron Artest |
| Stromile Swift | Tracy McGrady |
Kobe, in his “senior” season, is a shoo-in for Player of the Year. Then you have Elton Brand, the year after he actually won National POY; Mike Bibby and Rip Hamilton, who were first teamers the year before; and Steve Francis, who was a second teamer the year before. Kenyon Martin stays on first team, Guyton and Carrawell get bumped to second team, and everybody else is bumped entirely. Second team features 4 twenty-year olds who were already solid NBA players in Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest/Metta World Peace, and Tracy McGrady. I just don’t see Carrawell, Murphy, or Chris Mihm making it over those guys.
2000-01
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Shane Battier | Shane Battier |
| Joseph Forte | Elton Brand |
| Casey Jacobsen | Tracy McGrady |
| Troy Murphy | Lamar Odom |
| Jason Williams | Baron Davis |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Troy Bell | Ron Artest |
| Michael Bradley | Chris Mihm |
| Tayshaun Prince | Marcus Fizer |
| Jason Richardson | Jason Williams |
| Jamaal Tinsley | Larry Hughes |
The first thing to say here is that if Brand had actually been playing in this his “senior” year, that Duke team would have been the greatest team of all time. Battier won National POY and I kept him on First Team, joined by Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, McGrady, and Brand, all “seniors” except for the junior Odom. TMac gets the nod as POY. Chris Mihm and Marcus Fizer get some love after getting bumped last year, and Larry Hughes sneaks onto Second Team. Joseph Forte, sorry dude, you had a whale of a year but I don’t see you making it as a sophomore over these seniors.
2001-02
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Dan Dickau | Lamar Odom |
| Juan Dixon | Juan Dixon |
| Drew Gooden | Drew Gooden |
| Steve Logan | Troy Murphy |
| Jason Williams | Jason Williams |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Sam Clancy | Joseph Forte |
| Mike Dunleavy, Jr. | Stromile Swift |
| Casey Jacobsen | Mike Miller |
| Jared Jeffries | Jason Richardson |
| David West | Rashard Lewis |
2002 and 2003 represent a bit of a lull in the incredible young talent in the NBA. It’s the period between Kobe/TMac and LeBron/Carmelo. So in 2002, I kept three of the first teamers in place. Jason Williams loses his POY to Lamar Odom, and Troy Murphy finally gets a well-deserved spot on First Team. Second Team is a clean sweep of NBA players, including Forte, with some redemption from getting bumped the year before.
2002-03
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Nick Collison | Joseph Forte |
| T. J. Ford | Gilbert Arenas |
| Josh Howard | Jay Williams |
| Dwayne Wade | Drew Gooden |
| David West | Jason Richardson |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Carmelo Anthony | T.J. Ford |
| Troy Bell | David West |
| Jason Gardner | Josh Howard |
| Kyle Korver | Dwayne Wade |
| Hollis Price | Mike Dunleavy |
Jay Williams finally gets that National POY award. He is joined on First Team by four other NBA players. Most of the actual First Teamers get bumped to Second Team.
2003-04
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Andre Emmett | Carmelo Anthony |
| Ryan Gomes | Dwayne Wade |
| Jameer Nelson | Jameer Nelson |
| Emeka Okafor | Emeka Okafor |
| Lawrence Roberts | LeBron James |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Josh Childress | Chris Bosh |
| Devin Harris | Chris Kaman |
| Julius Hodge | T.J. Ford |
| Luke Jackson | Lawrence Roberts |
| Blake Stepp | Zach Randolph |
LeBron is here. I was tempted to give him National POY four times, but I think senior Dwayne Wade was better than freshman LeBron. Sophomore Carmelo is on First Team as well, along with two college players who stayed in Jameer Nelson and Emeka Okafor.
2004-05
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Andrew Bogut | Andrew Bogut |
| Dee Brown | Carmelo Anthony |
| Chris Paul | Emeka Okafor |
| J. J. Redick | Tyson Chandler |
| Wayne Simien | Dwight Howard |
| Hakim Warrick | LeBron James |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Ike Diogu | Chris Paul |
| Luther Head | J. J. Redick |
| Sean May | Wayne Simien |
| Salim Stoudamire | Luol Deng |
| Deron Williams | T.J. Ford |
I think this might be my favorite team. LeBron, Tyson Chandler, Dwight Howard, Emeka Okafor, Carmelo, and Andrew Bogut. It sounds like an NBA All-Star Team. Poor Dee Brown and Hakim Warrick never had a chance.
2005-06
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Randy Foye | Carmelo Anthony |
| Adam Morrison | LeBron James |
| J. J. Redick | Chris Bosh |
| Brandon Roy | Dwight Howard |
| Shelden Williams | Chris Paul |
Second Team
| Dee Brown | Andrew Bogut |
| Rodney Carney | Luol Deng |
| Rudy Gay | J. J. Redick |
| Tyler Hansbrough | Adam Morrison |
| Leon Powe | Sean May |
| Allan Ray | Ike Diogu |
| P. J. Tucker | Deron Williams |
No, I take it back, I think THIS is my favorite team. I couldn’t even find a spot for Andrew Bogut.
2006-07
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Arron Afflalo | Chris Paul |
| Kevin Durant | Kevin Durant |
| Tyler Hansbrough | LeBron James |
| Acie Law IV | Dwight Howard |
| Alando Tucker | Andrew Bogut |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Jared Dudley | Adam Morrison |
| Nick Fazekas | Luol Deng |
| Chris Lofton | Al Jefferson |
| Joakim Noah | LaMarcus Aldridge |
| Greg Oden | Alando Tucker |
Bosh and Carmelo have finally “graduated” and are replaced by Bogut and Kevin Durant. LeBron wins his third straight National POY Award. Luol Deng, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Al Jefferson round out the Second Team, with Alando Tucker managing to hang on to a spot.
2007-08
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| D. J. Augustin | LaMarcus Aldridge |
| Michael Beasley | Kevin Durant |
| Chris Douglas-Roberts | Dwight Howard |
| Tyler Hansbrough | Tyler Hansbrough |
| Kevin Love | Chris Paul |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | Monta Ellis |
| Shan Foster | Rudy Gay |
| Luke Harangody | Arron Afflalo |
| Roy Hibbert | Michael Beasley |
| Chris Lofton | Joakim Noah |
| D. J. White | Al Jefferson |
Player of the Year was a tough call here, but I had to go with Chris Paul as a senior. He was already a stud in the NBA. Also, Tyler Hansbrough stays on First Team; looking at the guys who made Second Team, I don’t see a good reason to rank any of them over Hansbrough. Rudy Gay, Arron Afflalo, and Joakim Noah reappear on Second Team, a year or two after they actually made it.
2008-09
First Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| DeJuan Blair | Michael Beasley |
| Stephen Curry | Kevin Durant |
| Blake Griffin | Blake Griffin |
| Tyler Hansbrough | Tyler Hansbrough |
| James Harden | Kevin Love |
Second Team
| Actual | Modified |
|---|---|
| Sherron Collins | Rudy Gay |
| Luke Harangody | James Harden |
| Ty Lawson | Stephen Curry |
| Jodie Meeks | Brook Lopez |
| Jeff Teague | Derrick Rose |
| Hasheem Thabeet | DJ Augustin |
I had to go with the “junior” Durant as Player of the Year. Kevin Love edges out James Harden for the last spot on First Team.