Rookie of the Decade

Blake Griffin - Los Angeles Clippers

'The Star who jumps over cars' as TNT's Ernie Johnson once so excitedly referred to him, took the NBA by storm during his 2010/11 rookie campaign. The world eagerly awaited Griffin's debut a year earlier, but – in an eerily similar scenario to this seasons star high-flying #1 pick – a knee injury in his last preseason game put things on hold for a year.

Once Griffin took to the floor, he was well worth the wait. The counting stats (22.5 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 3.8 apg) are fantastic for any rookie, but they tell only a fraction of the story.

Griffin was a walking highlight reel as soon as he stepped on to an NBA floor. The closest thing many had seen to Dominique Wilkins in his ability to attack off the dribble as a big man and finish through – and over – traffic, Griffin was captivating.

Playing in all 82 games – sadly, the only season to date he's been able to do so – he wasn't able to lead the Clips to the playoffs, winning only 32 games. You can blame the inept ownership/front office set up for a large part of that. This was the season that the team traded away Baron Davis for cap relief (in fairness, they opened up playing time for fellow rook Eric Bledsoe), attaching the draft pick that became Kyrie Irving. In a sliding doors moment, can you imagine Kyrie and Blake teaming up through this decade? Oh my!

There was legitimate debate as to Griffin being the best NBA rookie since a certain Michel Jordan, which was a touch absurd, but goes to show the impact the former high-flyer had at the time.

Apologies: Luka Doncic, Karl Anthony Towns.

All Decade 3rd Team

Dwyane Wade

Championships: 2     MVP's: 0     All NBA: 4     All Star: 8     All Defense: 1

Notable Statistics: PPG 20.1     RPG: 4.6     APG: 4.7

Wade, the 2010 All-Star game MVP, straddles the decades somewhat. Whilst it's undoubted that most of his personal prime was late in the previous decade, the bulk of his team success took place early this decade. If there was a 2005-15 awards period, Wade is without question a first teamer.

Wade was instrumental in sewing the seeds that grew into the Heatles, leading to his 2nd and 3rd championships. Wade's contribution to those teams can get lost amongst the phenomenon that is LeBron James, but through the 2012 playoffs, Wade put up 22.8 points, 5.2 boards, 4.3 assists and his customary 3 stocks as he helped LeBron finally get used to that winning feeling. If Miami had won the 2011 finals, Wade was the likely Finals MVP.

Wade eventually adapted to his declining athleticism by picking his moments, becoming a facilitator and expanding his range. The only shame to late career Wade was his ill fated excursions to the Bulls and Cavs. It was jarring to see him in anything other than Miami black.

Klay Thompson

Championships: 3    MVP's: 0    All NBA: 2    All Star: 5    All Defense: 1

Other notable achievements: All Rookie in 2012

Notable Statistics: PPG 19.5     3PFG: 2.9     3P%: 41.9%

Klay Thompson both benefits and suffers from being a member of one of the greatest teams of all time.

Thompson, one of the best catch and shoot proponents in NBA history, gets as many open 3's as he can handle, feeding off the scraps of Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. But therein lies the conundrum – he's the 3rd option on one of the greatest teams of all time. Is his individual success due to the team, or does the team succeed because of Klay? The truth is, it's a bit of both.

Thompson has never had the chance to be the main man of offense, so we don't truly know if he could be the creative hub of a team. His handle has tightened considerably through his career and it's not inconceivable he could have been prime Ray Allen-esque in the right setting.

On defense, the team definitely benefits from Klay covering for his back court partner. Thompson is a lock down defender, who seemingly never bites on pump fakes and uses brilliant anticipation to block a high number of shots for a guard. His microwave qualities are well documented.