Great NBA role players certainly help teams win championships. Even if the spotlight focuses on the superstars, there is no doubt that role players can be game changers that can give opposing teams too much to handle. Besides, basketball is indeed a team sport.
More often than not, role players usually come off the bench as they act as spark plugs that enable coaches to rest their superstars. However, there are times when starters are considered role players given that they possess a valuable specialty that compliments the team’s superstars and helps the team’s championship hopes.
Throughout NBA history, we have seen multiple role players who have did their job well whether it was three point shooting, rebounding, or defense. For this piece, let’s take a look at the Top 10 role players in the past decade that have helped their teams succeed.
Honorable Mention
The players who barely made the cut are former Lakers guard Derek Fisher, former Miami Heat swingman Mike Miller, and three time NBA champion Shaun Livingston.
10. Alex Caruso
Career stats: 5.7 points, 2.2 assists, 2.0 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 0.3 blocks
Awards: 1x NBA Champion
Alex Caruso is certainly a big fan favorite. Although he isn’t a superstar that can take a franchise to new heights, he is a reliable guard that can sway the momentum in favor of his team every time he sets foot on the court. The Lakers guard thrived playing alongside the team’s dynamic duo of superstars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis during the recently concluded season. His defense, energy, and streaky scoring gave Lakers opponents an additional problem to solve.
In the recent championship conquest of the Lakers this year, Caruso was instrumental in coming off the bench. With his ability to cut through open lanes and to run the fastbreak, Caruso showed no fear in finishing strong at the rim. During the Lakers’ playoff run, he averaged 6.5 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per outing in just 24 minutes of action per game. Although these numbers aren’t great, his relentless hustle and emphatic defense played a big role in the Lakers’ success this year.
9. Serge Ibaka
Career stats: 12.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 2.1 blocks, 0.4 steals
Awards: 1x NBA Champion, 3x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 2x League Leader in Blocks
Defense, rebounding, and blocks are important aspects in basketball that enable teams to achieve championships. Because of this, Serge Ibaka is no doubt one of the best big men who dominated those categories during the past decade. The Congolese big man has found himself playing alongside various superstars throughout his career including the likes of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden in Oklahoma City. He also played with Kawhi Leonard with the Toronto Raptors. Given that these players were high scoring machines, Ibaka complimented them well with his ability to anchor the team on defense.
In the past decade, Ibaka has been stellar on defense as he led the league in blocks for two straight seasons. Furthermore, he was named to the All-Defensive team for three straight years. With his achievements, there’s no doubt he should be one of the best role players. It was even worth noting that Ibaka helped the Thunder make an appearance in the 2012 NBA Finals. In the 2012 NBA Playoffs, Ibaka registered 9.8 pints, 5.8 rebounds, and a terrific 3.0 blocks per game. Although they didn’t win the championship that year, Ibaka was able to win his lone championship ring with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
Ibaka was huge for the Raptors during their title run. The 7’0 big man put up 11.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per outing against the Golden State Warriors including a 20 point explosion in Game 2 where the Raptors took a 2-0 lead. Ibaka shot nine of this 12 attempts, which certainly helped the Raptors dethrone the heavily favored Warriors who were led by Stephen Curry.
8. Boris Diaw
Career stats: 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks
Awards: 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Most Improved Player
The Spurs are known to involve majority of their players and have found success in doing so. Boris Diaw is one of those Spurs role players that has stepped up during championship moments. After spending some time with the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, and the Charlotte Bobcats, the French forward found himself under Coach Gregg Popovich. Although Diaw’s numbers aren’t that great, his versatility is what makes him a great role player. His size allows him to post up opposing players and drive to the paint. And despite his size, Diaw’s playmaking skills were top notch. In other words, Diaw was a formidable point forward and even Chris Bosh said it himself.
According to Bleacher Report, the former Heat All-Star said “He’s difficult, you never know what he’s going to do. You don’t know if he’s going to shoot it, you don’t know if he’s going to drive it, pass it, shoot it again, you don;t know what he’s going to do. I think his ability to do everything in that point forward kind of position makes it difficult…”
Despite coming off the bench almost all season long, Diaw was utilized in the 2014 NBA Finals as he started in the last three games of the NBA Finals. In the Finals, he averaged an all-around effort putting up 6.2 points, 8.6 boards, and 5.8 assists per outing. His contributions were so impressive that fans wanted him to be declared as the Finals MVP.
Although Diaw wasn’t named the Finals MVP, as it went to Kawhi Leonard, his unselfish all-around effort certainly made the Spurs successful during that year against the Miami Heat. With the Spurs system that preaches ball-movement, Diaw was the perfect role player that the Heat’s Big Three never stopped, as the 6’8 forward often created mismatches. As a result, he should be part of this list.
7. Shane Battier
Career stats: 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.9 blocks
Awards: 2x NBA Champion, 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 1x NBA All-Rookie First Team, 1x NBA Teammate of the Year
3-and-D players are no doubt a valuable asset in the modern game. With all eyes focused on the Miami Heat’s Big Three in earlier part of the past decade, the team needed some role players who would compliment the immense talent of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Of course one of the key players that stepped up in the Heat’s two championship conquests was Shane Battier. Throughout his career, Battier was known for his hardwork and streaky shooting. The hustle and energy that he puts on the floor make him an ideal player to compliment a team’s superstars.
As a seasoned veteran, Battier was a reliable spot up shooter from deep, while also contributing some elite wing defense that was crucial in the Heat’s two straight championship conquests. One of his best games in a Heat uniform saw him put up 18 points off the bench spiked by six three point shots in a crucial Game 7 in the 2013 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. His three point shooting certainly spaced the floor for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade who had 37 and 23 points respectively.
Despite misfiring during the most part of the Heat’s campaign, Battier certainly stepped up when it mattered the most. As a role player, you can’t really ask for more especially when he just can’t seem to miss. Heat star Wade would attest to that.
According to USA Today, Wade said “Shane ain’t hit a shot since I don’t know when, but tonight he was unconscious… He’s just a big-time player. You want that for Shane so bad. You wanted to see those shots go in for him because of everything he stands for, Shane, he’s going to go down as one of my favorite teammates of all time just because of the guy that he is.”
6. Patty Mills
Career stats: 8.7 points, 2.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks
Awards: 1x NBA Champion
Shooting off the bench certainly comes in handy, especially if a team is making a deep run in the playoffs. It not only reduces the scoring load of the team’s star players, but it also gives opposing teams another threat to their defenses. In a shooting oriented offensive system like the Spurs, Mills certainly fits the bill. The 6’1 guard has been phenomenal off the bench for the Spurs.
Mills had his best season with the Spurs in 2013-2014, where he put up 10.2 points per game in less than 20 minutes per outing. Furthermore, he would cap that season with an NBA championships, where he was a critical piece in Popovich’s offense that denied the Miami Heat of a three peat. In that 2014 NBA Finals series, Mills emerged as the fifth leading scorer of the team, where he registered 10.2 points per outing and shot an efficient 54.3% overall and 56.5% from deep.
During the past decade, Popovich has utilized Mills’ talents. Despite not being a role player, the Australian guard has emerged as a fan favorite for San Antonio. In fact during the recently concluded 2019-2020 season, Mills proved that he was a valuable asset off the bench by logging in 11.6 points per outing. Although the Spurs are now trying to hone their young guns, Mills proved that he still has a lot left in the tank. We would love to see Mills go off again in the just like how he lit up defenses during the past decade.
5. Danny Green
Career stats: 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks
Awards: 3x NBA Champion, 1x NBA All-Defensive Second Team
Danny Green makes a case to be the best role player of all time, given how many teams he has helped win a championship. After three seasons in the NBA, Green has helped three different teams win the NBA Championship. Although he isn’t a star player who spearheaded these teams to a title like his teammate LeBron James nor is he a role player that just rode the bench to a ring, he was a crucial piece that stayed focus on his role as a 3-and-D player.
For the past decade, Green has continued to become an elite wing defender that can lockdown the best forwards in the league. Furthermore, his ability to space the floor with his long range shooting makes him the ideal player to play alongside superstars like Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, as all of them love to do some damage in the shaded area. Throughout his career, he has shot 40% from deep, making him a reliable player to be the receiving end of kick out passes and a counter-attack to a zone defense.
Green has been a great role player especially come playoff time, a major reason why he has three NBA rings under his belt. In his stint with the Spurs during the 2013 NBA Finals, he made seven three point shots and currently comes in second as the record holder for most three point shot makes in a NBA Finals series with 27. His stint with the Raptors also saw him explode for 18 points in Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors during the 2019 NBA Finals.
Although Green didn’t really have a great Finals series from deep in his first stint with the Lakers so far, given that he only shot 28.9% from rainbow country and missed a potential game winner in Game 6, his defense certainly played a role in limiting one of the Heat’s talented players in Tyler Herro.
Winning three NBA Championships with three different franchises isn’t an easy feat, especially when you have the responsibility of locking down the opposing team’s best wing players and shooting the deep ball at a consistent clip. As a result, Green should be in the top five best role players we’ve seen in the past decade.
4. Rajon Rondo
Career stats: 10.2 points, 8.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 0.1 blocks
Awards: 2x NBA Champion, 4x NBA All-Star, 1x All-NBA Third Team, 2x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 3x League Leader in Assists, 1x League Leader in Steals, 1x NBA All-Rookie Second Team
Rajon Rondo has been a legitimate starting guard ever since his sophomore year in the league. In fact, he’s one of the best All-Star guards in the earlier part of the decade as he played productive seasons with the Boston Celtics. However due to injuries and a tragic stint with the Dallas Mavericks, Rondo has since bounced around the league before suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers as a role player.
As a role player, Rondo showed flashes of his greatness which actually earned him a Top five spot in this list. His knack for loose balls and perfect passes made him arguably the best role player during the 2020 NBA Bubble. Despite playing off the bench, Rondo emerged to become a great stabilizer for the Lakers during their successful championship conquest. In fact during the championship clinching game, Rondo was one of the catalysts that finished off the Miami Heat in Game 6, where he logged in 19 points. Even if he isn’t known to be a great shooter, the 6’1 guard actually managed to make three shots from rainbow country. Furthermore, he also added four assists and four rebounds to his name.
The veteran guard may have moved from being an all-star to a role player. However, Rondo seems to have adjusted with ease and has flourished in doing so. With him helping the Lakers winning the title this year, he just became the second player in league history to capture a championship with two of the most decorated franchises in the league with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. If taking on a more limited role means more success, I’m sure Rondo wouldn’t mind. Besides, he now makes a case to be one of the best role players during the past decade.
3. Jason Terry
Career stats: 13.4 points, 3.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.2 blocks
Awards: 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 1x NBA All-Rookie Second Team
When it comes to role players, there’s not a lot that comes ahead of Jason Terry. Dubbed as The Jet, Terry was a force to be reckoned with for the Dallas Mavericks, especially in 2011. Entering the past decade, he was the reigning Sixth Man of the Year and he was certainly a great scorer off the bench that complimented the duo of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd.
However, Terry was arguably the most phenomenal during the 2011 NBA Finals against the heavily favored Miami Heat. Despite coming in as the underdogs, Terry showed no fear in scoring against the Heat’s Big Three. Coming off the bench, Terry emerged as the second leading scorer of his team, just behind Nowitzki. The Jet logged in 18.0 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.0 boards per outing including a 27 point outburst during the championship clinching game.
It is rare to see role players rise during big moments. However, Terry showed everyone he wasn’t afraid of the bright lights of the NBA Finals stage, as he was one of the catalysts that pulled an upset against a star studded team that had LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. There’s no doubt, Terry is also one of the greatest role players in NBA history.
2. Ray Allen
Career stats: 18.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.2 blocks
Awards: 2x NBA Champion, 10x NBA All-Star, 1x All-NBA Second Team, 1x All-NBA Third Team, 1x NBA Sportsmanship Award, 1x NBA Three Point Shooting Contest Champion, 1x NBA All-Rookie Second Team
Some people may be surprised to see Ray Allen in this list, given that he was a star player during his times with the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle Supersonics, and Boston Celtics. The 10 time All-Star was capable of dropping superstar numbers. However, he makes it part of this since Allen served as a role player during his last years in the league with the Miami Heat. Aside from the previously mentioned Shane Battier, the team was also able to lure another hot shooting veteran in Ray Allen to compliment their Big Three.
Although Allen was limited to being a role player, given that the team had a surplus of guards that already had Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers, and James Jones, Allen was terrific for Miami. With Allen around, the Big Three had a reliable shooter from deep. Of course the former NBA Three Point Leader benefitted from the presence of James, Wade, and Bosh, as defenses turned their attention on the stars which gave Allen perfect opportunities to punish opponents from deep. The 6’5 hot shooting guard shot 41.9% from deep during his first year in Miami off the bench.
His best game came at Game 6 during the 2013 NBA Finals, which escalated him to become one of the best role players of the decade. During the final seconds, Allen nailed a game tying three point shot from the corner to assure the Heat of an overtime period, which would lead to a Game 7 that led to the Big Three’s second straight championship. Without Allen, it was highly probable that the Heat wouldn’t have won that championship, as the Spurs were one win away from another franchise title. Nevertheless, Allen proved to everyone that not only he had something left in the tank, but he also proved that being a role player need not shy away from the big moments. As a result, Allen deserves to be on the second spot in this list.
1. Andre Iguodala
Career stats: 12.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks
Awards: 3x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 1x NBA All-Star, 1x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 1x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 1x NBA All-Rookie First Team
When it comes to role players of the past decade, only Andre Iguodala has been named the Finals MVP alongside three NBA championships. As a result, he ranks on top of everyone in this list.
Despite hardly making an impact for the Warriors for the most part of the 2014-2015 season, Iguodala surprised everyone when the Warriors utilized him during the 2015 NBA Finals. Pitted against the LeBron James led Cleveland Cavaliers, the 6’6’s role was simple, which was to limit LeBron James and Iguodala did a fantastic job in doing that. Although James still managed to average 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game, however, when Iguodala was defending The King, James only shot a measly 33% from the field. This only goes to show that Iguodala was doing a great job in his role on defense.
Aside from defending James, Iguodala also managed to score in the series which actually saw him become the second leading scorer for the Warriors. In the Finals that year, Iggy averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per outing behind only Stephen Curry’s 26.0 points per game.
As a role player, Iguodala found a lot of team success as his contributions certainly complimented the hot shooting of his teammates in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Furthermore, it also allowed the Warriors to have an elite defender that locked down the likes of LeBron James, Damien Lillard, and James Harden. Because of this, Iguodala is certainly the top player of this list.
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