The foundation for 2000s NBA basketball was laid in the late 90s, when the Lakers traded for Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant and the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan. As Michael Jordan and the Bulls took their last dance, those two teams, on the backs of those three players, won five of the first six titles of this century, and together those three players have won a combined 14 titles.

Add in four each for LeBron James and Stephen Curry, and that's 22 championships over the last 25 years spread among just five players.

Sure, there's overlap in that number, but it illustrates just how dominant these guys were -- and in some cases still are -- as we take a look back at the NBA's top 25 players 25 years into the 21st century. Keep in mind, this ranking only accounts for basketball played after Ja

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