NBA 10 Years Later: Where Are They Now?

The landscape of the NBA changes from season to season. The accomplishments of some teams and players are a flash in the pan, while others achieve long-standing success. Take a look back 10 years ago to the end of the 2004-05 season to see who was dominating and where they are now.

NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs

Then: The Spurs defeated the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals. A 28-year-old Tim Duncan won Finals MVP, averaging 20.6 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. He had a supporting cast of Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Robert Horry.

Now: Duncan agreed to re-sign with the Spurs for his 19th NBA season. He has won another two titles since 2005, bringing his championship total to five. Ginobili also signed a new deal with the Spurs and Parker is still under contract with the team. Horry retired after the 2007-08 season. San Antonio remains an elite team.

Most Valuable Player: Steve Nash

Then: Nash won the regular season award while playing for the Phoenix Suns. That season, he led the NBA in assists (11.5 per game) in addition to averaging 15.5 points and 3.3 rebounds.

Now: Nash won the MVP again the following season. Following 10 seasons with the Suns, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012. Nash retired in March after being sidelined by a string of injuries. He ranks third overall with total assists by an NBA player (10,335).

Rookie of the Year: Emeka Okafor

Then: Okafor, the second overall pick in 2004, beat out first pick Dwight Howard for the honors. Okafor averaged 15.1 points and 10.9 rebounds his rookie campaign with the Charlotte Bobcats, compared to Howard’s 12 points and 10 boards.

Now: Okafor is an unrestricted free agent. He last suited up during the 2012-13 season for the Washington Wizards, when he posted 9.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Okafor has not played since suffering a herniated disk in his neck. Howard continues to be one of the NBA’s more productive centers.

Scoring Title: Allen Iverson

Then: Iverson won his fourth scoring title that season, leading the league with 30.7 points per game for the Philadelphia 76ers. He beat out Kobe Bryant (27.6) and LeBron James (27.2).

Now: Iverson retired in 2013 with a career average of 26.7 points per game. He has been in the headlines since then discussing his life after basketball.

Sixth Man of the Year: Ben Gordon

Then: In 2005, Gordon became the first rookie to win the award. That season he averaged 15.1 points for the Chicago Bulls, coming off the bench in all but three games.

Now: At 32, Gordon now fills the veteran presence role. He played for the Orlando Magic last season, appearing in 56 games, but was waived in late June. He remains an unrestricted free agent.

Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Wallace

Then: Wallace won his third of four Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2005. He averaged 9.7 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks that season.

Now: Wallace hung up his sneakers after 16 NBA seasons. He last played during the 2011-12 season for the Detroit Pistons. Wallace is ranked 15th all-time in blocks (2,137) and 34th in rebounds (10,482).

Most Improved Player of the Year: Bobby Simmons

Then: Simmons more than doubled his scoring average and improved his rebounding to win the award as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. Averaging 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists – up from 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists the previous season – Simmons dominated the voting. He was also the first player with D-League experience to win an NBA award.

Now: Simmons last played in the NBA in the 2011-12 season. He is an owner of Bryson Milan, an upscale clothing boutique in Chicago.

Coach of the Year: Mike D’Antoni

Then: D’Antoni improved the Phoenix Suns’ record by 33 games in his first full season as head coach. The Suns finished 62-20 with a league-best 31-10 road record. That season, they reached the Western Conference Finals.

Now: Following his tenure with the Suns, D’Antoni went on to coach the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. This summer he reportedly interviewed for the Denver Nuggets coaching position, which was filled by Mike Malone.