Top 10 NBA Players for 2009-2010 Season

The scenery has definitely changed in the NBA. Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett are surprisingly nowhere to be found on my list this year.

Here are my Top 10 players for the 2009-2010 NBA season.

10). Tim Duncan, 33, San Antonio Spurs. Although tendentious hampered his knee, the NBA's best power forward of all time kept grinding it out last year. Rising stars like Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose didn't make the cut this time because The Big Fundamental hungers to be first in his race with Kobe and Shaq for a fifth championship ring.

9). Brandon Roy, 25, Portland Trailblazers. B-Roy possesses the all-around skill set to quickly creep inside my list of Top 5 current NBA players in the game. He can do it all on the floor and loves being the go-to-guy in tough, pressure situations. Playing in Portland thankfully hasn't dimmed the spotlight on his rapid climb to the top of the league.

8). Chris Bosh, 25, Toronto Raptors. Like LeBron and D. Wade, Bosh is another big name free agent who should be available next offseason. He averaged 22.7 points and 10 boards a night in '08-'09, but a more defining year as that "franchise player" would do wonders for his marketability. The agile, lanky Bosh epitomizes the evolution of the NBA big man with his crisp inside as well as outside game.

7). Carmelo Anthony, 25, Denver Nuggets. Melo still displays the smoothest game in the NBA today. Everything he does on the court looks so natural and effortless. The addition of veteran PG Chauncey Billups to the Nuggets last season will only further enhance his overall game in '09-'10.

6). Chris Paul, 24, New Orleans Hornets. Forget Kobe and LeBron, Paul's the most exciting player to watch in the NBA right now. Hornets head coach Byron Scott may be forced to release the reins on his young squad if he hopes to contend with the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets in the West. That would be nothing but sweet music for CP3 fans.

5). Deron Williams, 25, Utah Jazz. Yes, Williams gets the slight nod over Paul from a pure physical standpoint. Both young, cagey PGs seemingly have eyes in the back of their heads and are exceptional floor generals. But at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, D-Will is the overall better defender and offensive threat.

4). Dwight Howard, 24, Orlando Magic. The best big man in the game desperately needs to improve his free-throw shooting. He shot a Shaq-like 59 percent last season. Otherwise, Superman's simply unstoppable down in the paint and with the helping hand of Vince Carter this season he could wind up hoisting his first NBA trophy.

3). Dwyane Wade, 27, Miami Heat. D. Wade's a lot closer to the No. 2 spot than most may realize. Last season was his best to date, coincidentally coming in 3rd in the Most Valuable Player voting. His teammates must contribute big early in the season, so Wade can save his heroics for down the stretch.

2). LeBron James, 24, Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron's physically the best player in the game. His defensive prowess and outside shooting touch has tremendously improved since his rookie campaign. Shaquille O'Neal's arrival in town couldn't have come at a better time to buffer King James' already brilliant career.

1). Kobe Bryant, 31, Los Angeles Lakers. He's closing in on my list of Top 10 NBA players of all time. A fifth championship ring this season would cement him for sure. Some say Kobe's slowing down. I say he's conserving energy for crunch time.

Also, you can check out my Top 10 NBA Teams for the 2009-2010 season.