The Detroit Pistons will be without guard Luke Kennard for at least two weeks due to bilateral knee tendinitis, the team announced Thursday.

Kennard, who is averaging 15.8 points, 4.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game, had already missed Monday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Pistons said Kennard will be re-evaluated on Jan. 7.

That timeline will rule Kennard out for at least six games.

This is the latest knee injury to affect the Pistons (11-20) this season. Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose and Christian Wood are among the team's players to recently deal with knee-related issues.

COSTA MESA, Calif. – MotoAmerica is looking for racers and/or owners of vintage motorcycles to participate in its new Heritage Cup events at Road America, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Owners/racers of 1986 and older Superbikes, as well as other racing motorcycles, two-stroke or four-stroke, GP or Production, can apply to participate by sending a rider resume, photos and the motorcycle’s historical data to [email protected].

Priority will be given to those motorcycles with a racing pedigree. Anticipated classes will be Vintage Superbike alongside an Open Exhibition category.

The Road America event will be held in conjunction with round four of the 2020 MotoAmerica Series in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, May 29-31; the WeatherTech Laguna Seca Heritage Cup will be run with round six of the series in Monterey, California, July 10-12; and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway event will take place Aug. 21-23 in Indianapolis, Indiana, as part of the eighth round of the series.

“We’re looking forward to bringing some of our road racing history to three of our events this year,” said MotoAmerica’s Chuck Aksland. “Celebrating the heritage of the MotoAmerica Series with vintage Superbikes will be exciting, coupled with the Open category should bring some very special sights and sounds to our events.”

Before he won the Stanley Cup, before he became one of the NHL's most productive defensemen on an annual basis and before he entered the Norris Trophy discussion, John Carlson was just another 19-year-old hockey player trying his best to prove he belonged with the big club.

A 2008 first-round draft choice of the Washington Capitals, Carlson was assigned to the team's AHL affiliate Hershey Bears to start the 2009-10 season. He had earned a call-up and appeared in three NHL games, but the Capitals decided he could get some valuable experience as a member of Team USA at the 2010 World Junior Championship. Little did Carlson or the Caps know at the time that that decision would lead to their No. 1 prospect becoming an overnight folk hero in American hockey circles.

The Americans rolled through the preliminary round, winning three games and losing the fourth in a shootout to Canada. Big victories over Finland and Sweden put Team USA in the gold-medal game on Jan. 5, 2010 ... against Canada once again. The Americans had won only one gold over the 33 years the tournament had existed, while Canada had won gold in each of the previous five World Junior Championships, and had the added benefit of playing this tournament on home soil in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The 2010 final will live on as one of the wildest in a tournament with a history of crazy finishes. The game included 11 total goals, a total of four different goaltenders seeing time, numerous momentum swings, a late comeback and ultimately one unforgettable finish. ESPN caught up with Carlson and a number of his U.S. teammates currently in the NHL (with some Team Canada player quotes from 2010) to recap what happened on the night the current Norris Trophy front-runner announced his presence to the greater hockey world and helped bring the tournament into the mainstream for American hockey fans with one flick of the wrist.

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After trading punches for most of the game, the U.S. held a 5-3 lead late in the third period when Jordan Eberle, the hero of Canada's gold-medal run in 2009, scored twice in the final three minutes of regulation to send the game to overtime. A raucous, sold-out crowd was whipped into a frenzy, with the American team reeling from a late collapse.

Derek Stepan, USA center: When we first got into the locker room, it was still so loud. We still could hear the fans. I mean, it felt like probably 10 minutes but it was probably only a minute of us hearing them cheering as we were sitting in the locker room. It was loud, but our room was pretty quiet.

Jason Zucker, USA left wing: I was actually surprised at how quiet it was. It was almost a deafening silence of sorts.

Chris Kreider, USA left wing: I think everyone was a little deflated in between periods, but we had this one song that we'd walk out to. I remember the room was real quiet, and then John Ramage went up and put the song on and everyone re-focused.

John Ramage, USA defenseman: I remember coming into the locker room and I just said, "Guys, we've been outplaying them all game. All it takes is one shift, one shot, and we can win this thing." I don't know why I was so confident back then, but I just had a feeling we were going to get the job done.

Jordan Eberle, Canada right wing, in 2010: It was almost tough going into the dressing room before overtime because we were on such a high and we wanted to stay out there and play.

John Carlson, USA defenseman: By the time we got back onto the ice, we washed away all those bad emotions and started playing hockey again.

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The U.S. and Canada traded chances throughout the early going of the overtime period. Just 4 minutes, 10 seconds into the extra frame, Canada had a partial odd-man break with Nazem Kadri leading the charge. Though the U.S. evened things up thanks to a quick Kreider backcheck, Alex Pietrangelo trailed the play and had a clear look at the net.

Ramage: It was almost like a 3-on-1, it was close. And [Kadri] had the puck and was coming down my left side.

Kreider: I remember I caught up to Pietrangelo. We had all come back hard so we had numbers back.

Ramage: They dropped it back to Pietrangelo, and I remember this vividly: Pietrangelo wound up for the slapper and ripped it. It was a bomb. I was playing on the other side to take away the pass, and he ripped the slapper, and I turned and was like, "Uh oh."

Stepan: I was coming on the ice as they were going by us, so I had a behind-the-play view. I could see pretty much the exact angle to [USA goalie] Jack Campbell, and I was watching [Pietrangelo] wind up.

Ramage: Jacko made a huge save, a big pad save, and the rebound just kicked out right to me.

Kreider: [The Canadians] kind of sold out on that play, and we turn around to go the other way. From our own zone up the ice, we all had a step on our guy.

Ramage: Next thing I know, I turn around and we had numbers going the other way. I looked up and John Carlson was almost to our blue line, so I just passed it up to him.

Carlson: When I received the puck, I already had a good head of steam.

Zucker: I was looking right at Chris Kreider because I was supposed to be the next guy up, and Kreider was flying down the left side behind Carlson. I was seeing if he was going to change or not.

Kreider: There was zero chance [I was changing].

Stepan: Because I came on late, that's what allowed me and John Carlson to have the 2-on-1.

Carlson: Usually I'm not much of a shooter, so I was thinking to pass the whole time, and I had Stepan on the other side. The D played more towards him, and I didn't want to try to waste a pass into his skates or his stick and kill the momentum.

Kreider: [Carlson] opens up and I'm coming as the third guy, I'm high-stepping, I'm cocked, I'm ready for the puck to come to me. Steps is driving back door.

Stepan: I joke with people all the time that the whole time I was like, "Don't pass it to me, don't pass it to me," but I wasn't really thinking that. I knew we had a golden opportunity to end the game.

Kreider: [Carlson] fooled everyone in the building. He put the puck in a position where you don't expect him to shoot.

Stepan: It was a subtle little play, but that little movement to open his hips up froze the goalie [Martin Jones] for a second, and it allowed him to have that lane to the net.

Carlson: At the last second I decided to shoot it.

Kreider: He just rolled his hands over and obviously the goalie didn't expected him to shoot because he didn't even flinch.

Carlson: I'm more used to joining the attack versus leading it. In that situation, it was almost like I was waiting too long to make a play, and that's kind of the reason it worked out so great. Obviously it was a good feeling after that.

Quick heads up... World Juniors. pic.twitter.com/T1BcHONJmt

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) December 26, 2019

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Carlson's shot snuck inside the left post behind a stunned Jones, giving the U.S. a 6-5 victory just 4:21 into overtime and its first gold medal since 2004. It was Carlson's second tally of the night.

Kreider: It was pure elation. I thought he was going to make the play to Step, but it was an unbelievable play by John. The whole building went quiet, and our bench was going nuts, and then I saw Jason Zucker come flying over at a million miles an hour, nearly knocking Carlson unconscious.

Carlson: There was a lot going on, but I do remember getting hammered -- I didn't know it was Zucker -- but I do remember that someone really hammered me against the glass right by the penalty boxes.

Zucker: I was ready for Kreider to change, so I was well ready to jump. I was jumping no matter what. [Carlson] went down on one knee and was fist-pumping and it was just pure joy. I'm a pretty small guy compared to him. That was probably my first- or second-biggest hit of the tournament.

Stepan: I was so pumped, I just remember screaming. I was already going to the net, so I was going the other way [from Carlson after he scored] and I was one of the last guys to the pile. We were such a close-knit group. It was such a fun moment that we were all right there and enjoying it.

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Prior to 2010, the United States had earned five total medals. In the nine tournaments since, Team USA has earned six total medals, including two golds (2013, 2017), and is currently on an unprecedented medal streak of four consecutive tournaments (a gold, silver and two bronze over that span).

Stepan: I'm not so sure that we had something to do with that. I think a big part of it is USA Hockey's players have gotten a lot better. USA Hockey has grown so much. I think that's what has allowed the tournament to grow here. We're getting more talent at a younger age, where I think Canada used to have the upper hand there for the most part. Seeing us win might have started it, but the growth of the game is a big part of it, too.

Kreider: There was a ton of pride and no one takes that for granted. That's probably the biggest stage outside of the Olympics to represent your country. I could not have enjoyed that process more.

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Canada had entered the game undefeated in the 2010 tournament and was trying to win the World Juniors for a record sixth consecutive time. The Canadians have won two gold medals since, their 16th (2015) and 17th (2018) titles.

Team Canada's roster in 2010 included 13 future regulars in the NHL, 10 first-round draft picks and even an MVP winner (Taylor Hall). And Pietrangelo, who unleashed the slap shot scoring opportunity right before the Americans' goal, would end up scoring the eventual game winner in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup final for the St. Louis Blues. He is one of four Stanley Cup winners from that 2010 roster.

Eberle, in 2010: Overtime, anything can happen. A bounce here and they get a 3-on-1 and obviously it was a great shot.

Ryan Ellis, Canada defenseman, in 2010: It's tough, especially coming back the way we did. We shot ourselves in the foot a bit [early on].

Taylor Hall, Canada left wing, in 2010: It's unfortunate we didn't get to make history.

Ellis, in 2010: We got so close and it didn't happen for us.

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Where are they now?

The Americans rostered nine future NHLers, and seven players were first-round picks.

Jason Zucker was Team USA's youngest player. He scored two goals in the tournament and was drafted the following summer by the Minnesota Wild 59th overall. Over nine NHL seasons, all with the Wild, Zucker has appeared in 445 games and has scored 130 goals.

Zucker: It's good for anyone at any age to know how to win, whether you're a key part like Carlson or Stepan, or you're playing more of a smaller role like I was in that tournament. It's good to know and learn what it takes to win. Winning in any league at any time is hard to do. It was great to be able to follow those guys' lead and learn to win and just to know how hard it was to do that. I think that's huge. The other part for me personally, it made me realize where I was at in my career. I wasn't NHL-ready. That tournament helped me know that I needed to go to college to get better and get stronger.

John Ramage felt he was a bit of a long shot to make Team USA, let alone be a relied-upon shutdown defenseman. He had three assists in the tournament, none bigger than his last. A fourth-round pick of the Calgary Flames, Ramage appeared in two NHL games, but has enjoyed a long pro career, primarily in the AHL. Ramage recently made the jump to Europe, where he is playing for one of the top teams in Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), Eisbaren Berlin.

Ramage: It's a life experience, and I can't believe it's been 10 years. I think it's definitely helped me throughout my career, going through college and pro hockey and dealing with different situations.

Chris Kreider was one of seven first-round draft picks to play for Team USA in 2010 and tied for the team lead with six goals in the tournament. He returned to the WJC in 2011 and helped USA win bronze on home ice. He is also a two-time NCAA national champion with Boston College and has played all eight seasons of his NHL career with the New York Rangers, recording four 20-goal seasons.

Kreider: There was total and complete buy-in from everyone on that team. There were guys who were the go-to guy on their team who normally didn't play a defensive or penalty-killing role doing an unbelievable job on the penalty kill. The way we wanted to play 5-on-5, we were a hard team to play against with an unbelievable D corps. We had a lot of depth looking back on it. I didn't really know Step at the time, but what a leader he was. The character he displayed every night, he played a key role. It was a really special experience. Outside of the [2014] Stanley Cup run, the most fun I've had playing hockey.

Derek Stepan was Team USA's captain and leading scorer with 14 points in seven games. It is the fourth-highest point total by an American in the tournament's history. He has played over 700 games spanning 10 NHL seasons with the Rangers and Arizona Coyotes.

Stepan: That tournament is really what kick-started everything for me. I was drafted in the second round to the Rangers, but I wasn't really on many radars. I don't believe I was on a fast track to get to the NHL still. Then I had a really good tournament, a lot of GMs and scouts. And so for me, that tournament is something I'll always lean on as the kick-starter of my career.

Every year around Christmastime, I just enjoy watching it. We just had [Coyotes rookie] Barrett Hayton, who's been with us all year, he just got told he can go play [for Canada] and I just told him, "I'm so jealous. Go have fun and you're on a really cool stage." It's just a cool tournament and fun to watch.

Ten days after scoring the golden goal, Carlson was recalled by the Capitals. He appeared in 19 regular-season games upon his return and was part of the team's playoff roster that season. In the 10 years since his World Junior heroics, Carlson has become one of the league's best defensemen. He won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018, registering 20 points in 24 games during Washington's unforgettable run. This season, Carlson is producing at a per-game rate double his career numbers and appears to be the front-runner for his first Norris Trophy after finishing top five in the voting in three previous seasons.

Carlson: Obviously my goal when I got to the tournament was to win the tournament, but bigger picture [at the time] I was trying to solidify myself as an NHL player, find a role and find a jersey every night to wear. That was my big picture at that time.

I'm a pretty confident player as it is, but I think going into the tournament I felt very confident having played games in the NHL and in the American league against older guys. Certainly coming out of it, that was a big time in my career. There was a lot going on with the call-ups and the travel. I think the [World Juniors] helped spring my confidence in my game to a point where I really started playing my best hockey directly after that. So it's a memory that's right at the top of any achievement or championship that I have won. And certainly with playing for your country and beating Canada on their own soil, it was a pretty special moment.

The 2020 World Junior Championship is deep in talent. And this year's tournament of the world's best hockey players under the age of 20 is of particular interest to those looking forward to the 2020 NHL draft.

Canada has four draft-eligible players on the roster, two of Sweden's very best forwards and Russia's most talented goalie are 17, and Germany and the Czech Republic will be leaning big-time on 2002-born players. And while the Americans don't have any first-year draft-eligible players, they're taking a group that will be heavy on 18-year-olds. The idea that the World Juniors is a 19-year-old's tournament will be put to the test in a fairly significant way.

Here's a look at all 10 teams -- listed alphabetically within tiers of 2020 expectations -- and top prospects to watch. Let's dig in, starting with Canada.

Jump to:
CAN | RUS | USA | FIN | SWE
CZE | SVK | SUI | GER | KAZ

GOLD MEDAL THREATS

Canada

2019 finish: Sixth

After a massive disappointment on home ice that ended with a quarterfinal overtime loss to eventual champion Finland, Canada is back with a vengeance and a young roster packed with skill and speed. All eyes will be on draft-eligible forwards Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfield, who will likely be No. 1 and No. 2 in June's draft, but the perennial favorites have a whole lot more where that came from.

Recent first-rounders Dylan Cozens (Buffalo Sabres) and Connor McMichael (Washington Capitals) have wheels for days and are in the middle of truly incredible draft-plus-one seasons. On top of that, the Canadians got a nice boost from the NHL with Barrett Hayton loaned by the Arizona Coyotes after NHL time this season. You can bet Canada will be fast-paced, highly skilled and incredibly entertaining.

There are some question marks in goal, as seems to be the case often unless Carter Hart has any eligibility left (he doesn't). That's why the defensive corps is so important, and even though the Canadians won't get Noah Dobson back from the New York Islanders, they have a group of exceptional puck movers highlighted by 2019 No. 4 pick Bowen Byram (Colorado Avalanche) and returnee Ty Smith (New Jersey Devils). As skilled as the Canadians are, they're a fairly young team in comparison to some of their more recent clubs.

Prospect spotlight: Quinton Byfield, C/W (2020 draft-eligible). With Lafreniere returning and Byfield making the Canadian team, draft enthusiasts will want to watch Team Canada. Byfield is a big man with terrific speed and quick hands. Some scouts I've spoken with in recent weeks still feel like he can threaten Lafreniere for first overall in June.

Other prospects to watch: Dylan Cozens (Buffalo Sabres), Alexis Lafreniere (2020 draft-eligible), Bowen Byram (Colorado Avalanche)

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Russia

2019 finish: Bronze

Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs underwent surgery Wednesday, according to posts on his Instagram story.

Jacobs, who has missed two of the Raiders' past three games with a fractured right shoulder, wrote "Surgery went great fastest surgery ever." He also posted a photo with his lower leg wrapped in bandages.

The rookie running back ranks eighth in the NFL this season with 1,150 yards despite playing in only 13 games.

The surgery comes ahead of the final week of the regular season in which the Raiders are still alive for the postseason but need a lot of help.

For the Raiders (7-8) to gain an unlikely berth into the playoffs as the AFC's No. 6 seed, they have to beat the Broncos in Denver on Sunday and have the Indianapolis Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tennessee Titans lose to the Houston Texans, and the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Baltimore Ravens. In addition, the Raiders need a victory from one of four teams -- the New England Patriots (vs. Miami Dolphins), Chicago Bears (vs. Minnesota Vikings), Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Kansas City Chiefs) and Detroit Lions (vs. Green Bay Packers) -- to gain a strength-of-victory tiebreaker over the Steelers.

ATLANTA -- Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a no-show for No. 1 LSU at Thursday's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl media day, and coach Ed Orgeron said he isn't sure if the running back will be able to play in Saturday's College Football Playoff semifinal against No. 4 Oklahoma at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

LSU officials told ESPN that Edwards-Helaire was receiving treatment on his injured hamstring on Thursday morning, which is why he didn't appear at media day at the College Football Hall of Fame. The CFP requires every player from participating teams to appear at media day.

Orgeron said Edwards-Helaire, an All-SEC first-team selection this season, hasn't yet practiced this week.

"Clyde has not practiced yet," Orgeron said. "He ran a little bit [on Wednesday] straight ahead. Medically, I hope he's cleared today to practice. I don't know if he will. I think he may try something today, I'm not sure. I think it's going to be a game-time situation.

"Knowing Clyde, if he can play, he's going to try. Do I want him to play? Yes. Do I expect him to try to play? Yes. How much he can play, I don't know."

Edwards-Helaire has been a big part of LSU's record-setting offense this season, rushing for 1,290 yards with 16 touchdowns. The 5-foot-8 junior from Baton Rouge also caught 50 passes for 399 yards and a touchdown.

Orgeron said LSU's three backup tailbacks -- redshirt freshman Chris Curry (99 rushing yards) and freshmen Tyrion Davis-Price (270 yards with six touchdowns) and John Emery Jr. (182 yards with three scores) -- received work in practice last week in case Edwards-Helaire isn't able to play in the Peach Bowl (4 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App).

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow is the Tigers' second leading rusher with 289 yards with three scores.

Oklahoma's defense ranked 33rd among FBS teams in run defense, allowing 132.08 yards per game. OU coach Lincoln Riley confirmed earlier this week that starting defensive end Ronnie Perkins is suspended, and starting safety Delarrin Turner-Yell has a broken collarbone. Turner-Yell is OU's second leading tackler with 75 tackles this season.

IN SEPTEMBER, the team owners of the National Basketball League gathered on a three-story, 37-meter yacht named "Vegas" for their annual excursion off the coast of Australia. Vegas belongs to Larry Kestelman, the Melbourne entrepreneur widely regarded as the individual most responsible for resuscitating professional basketball in Australia and New Zealand.

Three years after purchasing the Melbourne Tigers in 2012, Kestelman bought a majority stake in the NBL and began pouring tens of millions of dollars into rebuilding a league that had fallen into disrepair. He is the NBL's uber-authority, which means that when a team owner wants to air a grievance, it gets fired in his direction.

As the owners downed their pre-dinner drinks while gliding atop the turquoise waters between Hamilton Island and Queensland, the conversation grew more spirited.

One owner wanted to know when the NBL would start seeing more substantial broadcast revenue. Another pushed back on Kestelman's insistence that the teams were in a phase where financial investment was vital.

A couple of drinks in, Kestelman had heard enough. A virile, imposing man of 53 with a shaved head, Kestelman put the attendees on notice:

"If you're selling, I'm buying," Kestelman told them.

Kestelman challenged any owner on the yacht who had buyer's remorse or an irreconcilable issue with his vision: I'll cash you out. And when the team appreciates, I'll gladly profit.

No one took Kestelman's offer that day -- it was largely rhetorical anyway. Instead, this new wave of owners made deep investments in infrastructure and marketing, steadily building the NBL's global audience. They're attracting some of the best basketball prospects in the world onto their courts, while also enticing NBA stars past and present to buy in.

In past years, retired NBA players who generated wealth might have joined an ownership bid for a domestic franchise. These days, that money doesn't go as far.

"You have to be a billionaire to own an NBA team," said Kevin Martin, who retired in 2016 after playing 12 seasons and earning $83 million in salary with five NBA teams. "And none of us are billionaires."

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THE NBL IS enjoying a moment.

The league set an average attendance record last season of 6,348 and is up another 9% this season. Franchises that couldn't find buyers less than a decade ago now trade at a valuation of $9 million. More Aussies than ever play NCAA basketball, with many returning to compete in their home league.

"It's a must-see league with talent that isn't going away," said Tony Ronzone, a veteran international scout now with the Dallas Mavericks.

Fans all over the world have been watching LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton from afar as they ready themselves in the NBL for the 2020 NBA draft. Both top prospects are part of the NBL's Next Stars initiative to lure elite North American high school players away from a year in the NCAA in favor of a season in Oceania as first-year pros.

When Ball and Hampton faced off in late October, nearly 2 million viewers across the globe watched on Facebook. Last month, more than 17,500 fans packed Qudos Bank Arena to watch Ball's Illawarra Hawks play the Sydney Kings. But it isn't just Next Stars who are committing to the NBL.

In the past year, Martin has purchased the majority of the Brisbane Bullets with former NBA exec and agent Jason Levien. Retired players Zach Randolph, Al Harrington and Josh Childress, as well as current Cleveland Cavaliers guard and Melbourne native Dante Exum, joined an investment group led by entrepreneur Romie Chaudhari to head up the expansion SE Melbourne Phoenix. Early in 2018, former Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion joined a group led by Matt Walsh -- who played briefly for the Miami Heat -- to acquire the New Zealand Breakers. In Sydney, longtime Golden State Warriors veteran Andrew Bogut now starts at center for the Kings, and he will have an option to vest in the franchise upon his retirement.

Prior to Martin coming into Brisbane, Kevin Durant flirted with purchasing the team. He and his manager, Rich Kleiman, were in lengthy discussions to buy the Bullets.

Ultimately, Durant decided geographical distance would prevent him from being any more than an absentee owner in a league that wanted him to be very visible. The NBL privately acknowledges that it could have made the negotiations a bit easier for Durant, who, sources say, hasn't ruled out giving the NBL another look in the future.

VIRTUALLY EVERYONE WHO has an ownership stake in the NBL cites the product's NBA feel as one of its positive attributes. At a recent showdown between the Kings and Melbourne United in Sydney that drew 9,512 in attendance, the texture and mood of the venue was very NBA -- from the corporate hospitality to game operations (right down to the kiss cam).

For former players who are looking for a sweet spot that connects their entrepreneurial ambitions with their area of expertise, the NBL offers the ultimate perks: affordability and opportunity.

"The next 10 to 15 years, there are going to be a lot of players who retire with 50 to 100 million dollars," Walsh said. "You're not getting [an NBA] team for less than $1.5 billion. But being an assistant coach or scout for an NBA team, living that grind lifestyle, doesn't appeal to them."

During the past three decades, the average NBA player salary has multiplied more than seven times. Marion racked up salary earnings of $134 million over his 16-year career. Ten years ago, less than $100 million in cash might buy an individual controlling interest in an NBA franchise. Today, if a retired player of Marion's wealth wants in on a deal, he is likely to be one of more than a dozen minority owners with a nominal percentage of the team -- a glorified season-ticket holder with virtually no say in the operation.

Martin and Levien bought controlling stake of the Bullets based on a valuation of $9 million to $10 million, a boon for a league that could barely give away a franchise seven years ago. Martin plans to spend a full month in Australia in early 2020, and he anticipates spending a third of his time in Brisbane each year, immersing himself in his education of the Australian market.

"It was a whirlwind, but it felt right," Martin said. "I saw the way they ran the league -- the production quality, paying players on time, and the fan base is into it. The players, coaches, facilities, trainers, marketing -- it really felt like a small-scale NBA."

The autonomy of being an owner-operator was a key part of the sales pitch for Martin. This is a feature that Martin, Marion and Kestelman emphasize: The NBL is a nice starter home for any NBA player.

The Bullets will hire an executive to head up the organization's business operations, but Martin expects to lead the front office and oversee decision-making on the basketball side. He said he is singularly focused on his new NBL venture and eager to absorb the economics of a professional sports team. He can imagine a future as a CEO of an NBA team once he has the requisite knowledge of the business.

"I look at it as a matchbox car," Kestelman said. "You want to play with a big car, first you play with the little car. It's not dissimilar. We're nothing like an NBA club by resources, but in some ways that's good because you get to actually get your hands dirty and get involved with everything that needs to be done around a club."

The NBL would happily welcome more Kevin Martins.

The league has watched franchise valuations grow from below $1 million to $5 million, and Kestelman believes an NBL franchise will never again trade for less than $10 million. His preferred ownership model: a partnership between sophisticated businesspeople who are equally passionate about the business of team ownership and willing to spend, and former NBA players who have a sincere interest in serving as active owners and proselytizers for the NBL.

In the case of Martin, the NBL got both.

"Australia is a gem," he said. "And the NBL is intriguing for someone in their mid-30s to own and run a team in professional sports."

ZACH RANDOLPH HADN'T been on a professional basketball court since he was waived by the Mavericks in February. But there he was, soaking wet in street clothes, on the floor at Melbourne Arena an hour after watching his new holding -- the Phoenix -- get nipped by a point by Melbourne United.

Randolph wasn't playing, but he was shagging balls for Phoenix guard Ben Madgen.

"Extra work! Extra work!" Randolph yelled at Madgen as he fed him passes and dissected the game he just witnessed as a spectator.

"I saw him out there working and getting shots up, it brought me back," Randolph said. "But it got hot, and I'm chasing down rebounds in street clothes. I sweat easily, so the next thing you know, I take off my hoodie and my T-shirt."

As the layers peeled off the two-time NBA All-Star, Madgen tried to put a 1 for 10 night behind him. He moved through his shooting routine, with Randolph playing the role of cameo assistant coach.

"He was gassing me up a little bit," Madgen said. "After 20 minutes, I'm thinking, 'Zach Randolph is rebounding for me.' It was surreal. There aren't many franchises where an owner will get on the court and rebound for a player."

Randolph owns a small percentage of the Phoenix, and like the other NBA players who have bought into the NBL, he has entered into a mutually beneficial arrangement by investing with a friend in a franchise. The players buy proximity to the nerve center of a professional sports team, and the franchise gets an association with a brand-name NBA player.

"It gives you confidence that you are on the right track and that there are others who share your vision who have done it before," said Craig Hutchison, chairman of Melbourne United.

Marion flew down in October for the start of the NBL season to watch the Breakers' first three games. Like Randolph, he made the rounds at the arenas, to the delight of Australia's rabid basketball fans, and did a slew of media hits on behalf of the Breakers and the NBL.

"There was a coolness aspect of having 'The Matrix' as part of our ownership group," Walsh said. "You can always find someone to write a check [to join an ownership group], but how many are walking around with NBA championship rings?"

Since retiring from the NBA in 2015 -- four years after winning a title with Dallas -- Marion had been itching to move into an ownership role in pro sports. He considered joining a group to bid on an MLB team, and another for an MLS franchise, but both deals fell through.

Basketball is still Marion's true love, the sport he intuitively knows and the one in which he can imagine playing the most central role post-retirement. When the chance to join Walsh presented itself, Marion jumped.

"I didn't know anything about the NBL," Marion said. "But it was a winning situation. Now that I've been, I would say that the way we have it set up over there, it's the closest thing to NBA ball. That's the thing I was in awe of."

Picking a 2010s all-decade team is fun, and everyone has been doing that. You know what's even more fun? Picking an all-decade team for every decade since 1900!

What goes into an all-decade team? It's some amorphous mix of decade-long value, peak-level dominance and iconic status. Some might factor in postseason performance or World Series titles, and some might consider that irrelevant, focusing only on regular-season numbers.

Here were my rules: I picked nine position players -- one for each position, including at least one outfielder who must be a center fielder, plus a utility/DH role that can be any position. I picked five starting pitchers, plus a relief ace for each decade since the 1940s. All WAR totals listed are from Baseball-Reference.com, and only numbers compiled from within the given decade were considered -- some all-time greats might not fit neatly in a specific decade; a few were great enough for long enough to make more than one all-decade team.

One general note: WAR doesn't make any timeline adjustment, something to keep in mind as you compare players across eras. As the quality of play improves over time, it becomes more difficult to post big numbers. In other words, my take is that an 8.0-WAR season is more impressive in 2019 than it was in 1929.

So let's get to it, starting with an in-depth look at the 2010s and then comparing our just-ended decade to the previous 10.

All-decade teams: 2000s | 1990s | 1980s | 1970s | 1960s | 1950s | 1940s | 1930s | 1920s | 1910s | 1900s

The 2010s all-decade team

Catcher: Buster Posey (128 OPS+, 42.2 WAR)
Others considered: Yadier Molina
Why it's Posey: Posey has a sizable edge in WAR (42.2 to 31.9) -- an even bigger one at FanGraphs, which attempts to incorporate catcher framing into its WAR (53.0 to 41.7) -- and three World Series titles in the decade to one for Molina. Molina's big edge is he played 1,291 games behind the plate to just 980 for Posey. I put this vote to some ESPN baseball scribes and editors, and Posey was the unanimous choice.

First base: Joey Votto (152 OPS+, 52.1 WAR)
Others considered: Miguel Cabrera, Paul Goldschmidt
Why it's Votto: He led all batters in the decade in runs created and on-base percentage, ranked third in WAR, won an MVP and matched Cabrera in wRC+ (while being a much better fielder).

Second base: Robinson Cano (132 OPS+, 54.2 WAR)
Others considered: Jose Altuve, Ian Kinsler
Why it's Cano: Yes, Altuve is better right now and a lot more fun, but we forget how great Cano was from 2010 to 2017, hitting .303/.362/.503 and averaging 27 home runs and 99 RBIs per year. He trails only Mike Trout in WAR for the decade and has a big lead over Altuve (54.2 to 38.5). Even if we look at each player's best seasons, Cano has five of the seven best seasons between the two.

Shortstop: Francisco Lindor (119 OPS+, 28.6 WAR)
Others considered: Andrelton Simmons, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Correa
Why it's Lindor: Tulo was great the first half of the decade, while Lindor and Correa were great the second half. Simmons has the Ozzie Smith-like defense and leads in WAR but has a sub-.700 OPS. Lindor's high peak gives him the edge.

Third base: Adrian Beltre (130 OPS+, 51.0 WAR)
Others considered: Josh Donaldson, Evan Longoria, Nolan Arenado
Why it's Beltre: His all-around excellence for the first seven years of the decade, when he averaged 6.5 WAR per season and had five top-10 MVP finishes, makes him the clear choice over Donaldson.

Outfield: Mike Trout (176 OPS+, 72.5 WAR), Mookie Betts (134, 42.0), Andrew McCutchen (135, 41.2)
Others considered: Giancarlo Stanton
Why these three: It wasn't an especially strong decade for outfielders. Trout, of course, was the best player of the decade. Mookie makes it on his terrific half-decade of excellence, and McCutchen had a dominant run from 2011 to 2015, averaging 6.2 WAR with four top-five MVP finishes (including a win in 2013).

DH/utility: Miguel Cabrera (153 OPS+, 43.5 WAR)
Others considered: Donaldson, Goldschmidt, Nelson Cruz, David Ortiz
Why it's Cabrera: One of the best hitters of the decade, plus an iconic figure with four batting titles, two MVP awards and the Triple Crown in 2012.

Starting pitchers: Clayton Kershaw (164 ERA+, 59.3 WAR), Justin Verlander (136, 56.2), Max Scherzer (134, 56.1), Madison Bumgarner (120, 32.2), Chris Sale (140, 45.4)
Others considered: Zack Greinke, David Price, Cole Hamels, Jon Lester
Why these five: The first three are easy choices, but then it turns into a good debate for the final two spots. I put this one to a vote, and Bumgarner got the edge as the fourth guy on the list, even though he was just 13th in the decade in WAR and lacks the peak of even guys like Corey Kluber or Jacob deGrom; his postseason heroics put him over the top. You could make a similar argument for Lester, who trails Bumgarner in WAR but had 148 wins in the decade. Greinke and Sale tied for the fifth spot in the voting, but I went with Sale's more dominant peak (140 ERA+ to 128 for Greinke, who won 155 games in the decade with 44.0 WAR). If you want to argue Greinke, I won't disagree, but Sale received Cy Young votes in seven different seasons compared to four for Greinke.

Relief pitcher: Craig Kimbrel (195 ERA+, 19.6 WAR)
Others considered: Kenley Jansen, Aroldis Chapman
Why it's Kimbrel: He led in saves with 346 (Jansen was second with 301), had a lower ERA than Jansen or Chapman and matched Chapman with a 41.1% strikeout rate.

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2000s

People consider the 1990s and early 2000s as the PEDs era, but offensive numbers actually remained pretty high through 2007. There were 4.80 runs scored per team per game in 2007 compared to 4.79 in 1998, the year Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa broke the home run record. That leads to some tough calls in our lineup. Nine players drove in 1,000 runs in the decade, and only two of them make the all-decade team.

C Jorge Posada: 129 OPS+, 37.5 WAR
1B Albert Pujols: 172 OPS+, 73.8 WAR
2B Chase Utley: 130 OPS+, 42.2 WAR
3B Alex Rodriguez: 153 OPS+, 77.7 WAR
SS Derek Jeter: 121 OPS+, 44.1 WAR
OF Barry Bonds: 221 OPS+, 59.1 WAR
OF Carlos Beltran: 122 OPS+, 51.4 WAR
OF Ichiro Suzuki: 118 OPS+, 51.1 WAR
DH Chipper Jones: 147 OPS+, 50.6 WAR

SP Randy Johnson: 137 ERA+, 51.3 WAR
SP Johan Santana: 143 ERA+, 46.2 WAR
SP Curt Schilling: 132 ERA+, 46.2 WAR
SP Pedro Martinez: 152 ERA+, 45.6 WAR
SP Roy Halladay: 134 ERA+, 45.4 WAR
RP Mariano Rivera: 217 ERA+, 33.0 WAR

Hitting: Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols duke it out for player-of-the-decade honors. A-Rod led in home runs, RBIs, runs and WAR, but Pujols played one fewer season. Both won three MVP awards and one World Series. ... Catcher is a debate between Jorge Posada and Joe Mauer. Mauer's first full season was 2005, and he won three batting titles and an MVP award. He was worth 25.9 WAR in those five seasons. In Posada's five best seasons, he was worth 25.2 WAR. Given his additional seasons, I have to go with Posada. ... Chase Utley is the easy call at second base, averaging 7.9 WAR from 2005 to 2009. ... Derek Jeter isn't quite a slam dunk at shortstop, as Miguel Tejada was close in WAR and had 1,046 RBIs. ... Barry Bonds broke baseball when he won four straight MVP awards from 2001 to 2004, hitting an incredible .349/.559/.809. ... Carlos Beltran and Ichiro Suzuki make it for their all-around brilliance, beating out Manny Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero and Lance Berkman. ... Todd Helton ranked fourth in the decade in WAR (53.1), but I'm going with Chipper Jones as the DH/utility guy.

Pitching: Randy Johnson began the decade with three straight Cy Young Awards (after also winning in 1999) and ranked second in the decade in wins. ... After that, it gets dicey, with 10 pitchers ranging between 38 and 46 WAR and 112 to 139 wins. I ended up going with the highest peak performers in Johan Santana, Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez. ... Schilling didn't win a Cy Young but finished second three times, and his playoff performances for Arizona and Boston stand out. ... Roy Halladay edges out Roy Oswalt (43.1 WAR, 134 ERA+) for the final spot. ... Andy Pettitte (32.0 WAR) led the decade in wins but lacks the peak of the other top pitchers, and Tim Hudson, CC Sabathia and Mark Buehrle also deserve consideration. ... Mariano Rivera? Of course.

2000s vs. 2010s: With Bonds, Pujols and Rodriguez, the lineup edge goes to the 2000s, plus you have Beltran and Ichiro running everything down in the outfield. The starting rotation edge probably goes to the 2010s group, with the outstanding trio of Kershaw, Verlander and Scherzer, plus big-game MadBum. Johnson and Martinez had some great years for the 2000s team, but the decade also contains their decline years. Winner: 2010s.

1990s

C Mike Piazza: 156 OPS+, 41.6 WAR
1B Jeff Bagwell: 160 OPS+, 56.9 WAR
2B Roberto Alomar: 122 OPS+, 45.6 WAR
3B Robin Ventura: 119 OPS+, 46.1 WAR
SS Barry Larkin: 126 OPS+, 52.6 WAR
OF Barry Bonds: 179 OPS+, 80.2 WAR
OF Ken Griffey Jr.: 152 OPS+, 67.5 WAR
OF Larry Walker: 143 OPS+, 47.8 WAR
DH Frank Thomas: 169 OPS+, 52.8 WAR

SP Greg Maddux: 162 ERA+, 65.4 WAR
SP Roger Clemens: 151 ERA+, 68.1 WAR
SP Randy Johnson: 140 ERA+ 52.1 WAR
SP David Cone: 135 ERA+, 52.9 WAR
SP Tom Glavine: 129 ERA+, 52.9 WAR
RP John Wetteland: 166 ERA+, 17.9 WAR

Hitting: Some difficult choices here, starting with Mike Piazza over Ivan Rodriguez. Pudge won eight Gold Gloves and the 1999 MVP award, but Piazza led in WAR and had the greatest offensive decade ever for a catcher. ... Jeff Bagwell's all-around brilliance gives him the nod over Mark McGwire, who did lead the decade with 405 home runs, but also had some injury issues and poor seasons early in the decade. ... Craig Biggio had the higher WAR and was certainly the most underrated player of the decade, but Roberto Alomar was a defining player and won two rings with Toronto (and his below-average defensive metrics don't match the eye test). ... At third base, I could cheat and put Edgar Martinez, but he spent only a few seasons there, so we'll go with Robin Ventura over Matt Williams. Both were outstanding defenders, and I'll take Ventura's OBP over Williams' edge in power. ... It's easy to forget that Larry Walker was a great player in Montreal before putting up ridiculous numbers at Coors Field. He edges out Kenny Lofton (47.5 WAR) and Albert Belle (39.5 WAR, huge peak) as the third outfielder behind Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. For the DH/utility spot, it's Frank Thomas and his two MVP awards over Edgar.

Pitching: Our five starting pitchers accounted for 12 of the decade's 20 Cy Young Awards, including four in a row from Greg Maddux from 1992 to 1995. I'd give him the nod over Roger Clemens as the pitcher of the decade due to more wins, lower ERA and all the playoff trips. ... Randy Johnson started the decade as a wild flame-throwing lefty and ended it as the most dominant strikeout pitcher baseball had ever seen. ... David Cone was the hired gun of the decade but won four rings with the Blue Jays (one) and Yankees (three). ... Tom Glavine is my fifth starter over Kevin Brown and the underrated Kevin Appier, although those two had a slight edge in WAR. Glavine was part of the iconic Atlanta rotation and won two Cy Young Awards. ... John Wetteland had two more saves than Dennis Eckersley and also had the lower ERA (2.66 to 3.18).

1990s vs. 2010s: The PED decade that kicked in rather suddenly in 1993-94 (a livelier ball certainly helped) featured some remarkable offensive performances -- we saw 40 seasons when a player hit .300 with 40 home runs compared to just 13 in the just-completed 2010s -- but maybe the most remarkable aspect to this team is its two-way brilliance. Other than Piazza, the other seven position players were terrific defenders, combining for 40 Gold Gloves in the decade (not including Maddux's 10 at pitcher). Despite the big home run numbers, we also saw the peak performances of some of the greatest pitchers of all time. Can any decade match the offense, defense and starting pitching of this team? For what it's worth, the 1990s team leads in total combined WAR. Winner: 1990s.

1980s

C Gary Carter: 118 OPS+, 44.9 WAR
1B Eddie Murray: 141 OPS+, 45.9 WAR
2B Ryne Sandberg: 112 OPS+, 37.7 WAR
3B Mike Schmidt: 153 OPS+, 56.6 WAR
SS Cal Ripken: 123 OPS+, 50.2 WAR
OF Rickey Henderson: 137 OPS+, 71.1 WAR
OF Robin Yount: 135 OPS+, 55.3 WAR
OF Dale Murphy: 132 OPS+, 47.1 WAR
DH Wade Boggs: 150 OPS+, 60.2 WAR

SP Dave Stieb: 126 ERA+, 48.0 WAR
SP Roger Clemens: 139 ERA+, 35.5 WAR
SP Jack Morris: 109 ERA+, 30.2 WAR
SP Fernando Valenzuela: 111 ERA+, 33.1 WAR
SP Orel Hershiser: 132 ERA+, 47.1 WAR
RP Dan Quisenberry: 151 ERA+, 24.8 WAR

Hitting: Rickey Henderson was the best player of the 1980s, with 11 more WAR than Wade Boggs. He didn't win an MVP award in the decade (his win came in 1990), but he led AL hitters in WAR in 1985 and 1989 and ranked second in 1980 and 1981. ... Robin Yount spent the first five seasons of the decade at shortstop before moving to center field, and his 1982 MVP season ranks as the best of the decade (10.5 WAR). He won a second MVP in 1989. ... Two-time MVP Dale Murphy ranked second in home runs and RBIs and earns the nod over Andre Dawson, Tim Raines and Dwight Evans. ... Gary Carter was arguably the best player of the first half of the decade, ranking fourth in WAR over that span behind Mike Schmidt, Yount and Henderson. ... Schmidt, who won three MVPs, is my third baseman, pushing Boggs to our utility spot. Sadly, there is no room for George Brett (47.7 WAR) on the team. ... Lou Whitaker actually led Ryne Sandberg in WAR, although Sandberg played two fewer seasons. Sandberg won an MVP and had power and speed. ... Steady Eddie Murray was third in home runs and first in RBIs and beats out Keith Hernandez. ... Shortstop is a three-way coin flip between Cal Ripken, Ozzie Smith (52.2 WAR) and Alan Trammell (52.9 WAR). Ozzie was my initial pick, but Ripken had two fewer seasons and the higher peak, plus he was the '83 AL MVP.

Pitching: Good luck picking five starting pitchers from the 1980s. Dave Stieb was the only hurler to top 40 WAR -- 10 would do it in both the 1990s and 2000s, as pitchers in the '80s had trouble staying healthy. ... Jack Morris ranked just 12th in WAR (which is why he was such a heated Hall of Fame debate), but he was the one guy who did manage to stay healthy for 10 years, and he led in wins and innings. ... Roger Clemens debuted in 1984 and had a dominant run from 1986 to 1989, including an MVP and two Cy Young Awards. ... Fernandomania in 1981 was one of the biggest stories of the decade, and he was brilliant until Tommy Lasorda broke him from heavy usage. He gets the edge over Dodgers teammate Bob Welch (35.2 WAR) and Bert Blyleven (38.1 WAR). ... For my fifth spot, I'm going with Orel Hershiser over other half-decade greats Bret Saberhagen and Dwight Gooden. His 1988 season, with his consecutive-scoreless-innings streak and postseason heroics, is one of the defining seasons of the decade. ... Dan Quisenberry was every bit the pitcher that Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter was and deserved more Hall of Fame consideration.

1980s vs. 2010s: The 1980s provided us with perhaps the most diverse decade in style of play, with an exciting blend of power and speed -- stolen bases peaked in 1987 for the highest total since the dead ball era in 1919. No wonder attendance increased 28 percent from 1980 to 1989. Eight of the nine position players are in the Hall of Fame, but the lack of decade-long dominant pitchers hurt the 1980s in our make-believe showdown. Winner: 2010s.

1970s

C Johnny Bench: 132 OPS+, 58.9 WAR
1B Tony Perez: 130 OPS+, 36.2 WAR
2B Joe Morgan: 140 OPS+, 67.0 WAR
3B Mike Schmidt: 141 OPS+, 50.3 WAR
SS Dave Concepcion: 93 OPS+, 30.1 WAR
OF Pete Rose: 128 OPS+, 50.6 WAR
OF Cesar Cedeno: 128 OPS+, 44.2 WAR
OF Reggie Jackson: 148 OPS+, 51.3 WAR
DH Rod Carew: 142 OPS+, 56.3 WAR

SP Tom Seaver: 138 ERA+, 67.1 WAR
SP Jim Palmer: 137 ERA+, 54.1 WAR
SP Gaylord Perry: 125 ERA+, 59.0 WAR
SP Bert Blyleven: 130 ERA+, 57.8 WAR
SP Phil Niekro: 122 ERA+, 64.5 WAR
RP Rollie Fingers: 118 ERA+, 16.1 WAR

Hitting: It was, indeed, the Big Red Machine. Five members of the Cincinnati Reds make the all-decade team as the National League dominates with seven of the nine position players. ... Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan both won two MVP awards in the decade and would duke it out for player-of-the-decade honors. ... Pete Rose, who led in hits and runs, started in right field, left field, third base and first base. He won his MVP in 1973 while playing left field, so we'll put him in the outfield. ... Tony Perez and Dave Concepcion get the nod at weak positions. First base was especially soft, with Perez the only player to top 30 WAR. Steve Garvey would be his main competition. The '70s was the decade of weak-hitting middle infielders. I picked Concepcion over Bert Campaneris and great-field, no-hit Mark Belanger. ... Graig Nettles (54.5) tops Schmidt in WAR, but Schmidt played fewer seasons and was much more dominant at the plate. ... Reggie Jackson ranked second in home runs to Willie Stargell and fourth in RBIs (Bench was first) and is no surprise in the outfield, but Cesar Cedeno? He's viewed as one of the great "what if" stories in baseball history, a player who was a star at 21 (8.0 WAR) and 22 (7.4) but never reached those heights again. Still, he had a strong decade, with his offensive value masked by the Astrodome. He's our center fielder over Amos Otis and half-decade star Fred Lynn. ... Rod Carew split the decade between second base and first base and won six batting titles, so he's our utility guy.

Pitching: The best pitchers in the 1970s tossed ungodly amounts of innings, routinely topping 300 innings on an annual basis, especially in the first half of the decade. Tom Seaver and Jim Palmer both won three Cy Young Awards, and Seaver has a case as the player of the decade over Bench and Morgan. ... Gaylord Perry's workload the first six years of the decade was incredible, averaging 321 innings per season through 1975. He won two Cy Youngs (although he didn't really deserve the 1978 award with the Padres). ... Bert Blyleven was not appreciated in his own time because of that 148-128 win-loss record, but modern analysis shows he was one of the best. ... For the final spot, I initially had Nolan Ryan (41.4 WAR) for his iconic status and strikeout records, but Phil Niekro deserves the spot, trouncing Ryan in WAR and adjusted ERA. ... Steve Carlton (44.6 WAR) and Fergie Jenkins (52.6) also have arguments, but Carlton was inconsistent, and two of his four Cy Youngs came in the 1980s.

1970s vs. 2010s: How good is this pitching staff? It leads all decades in total WAR. Some of that is tied to the timing, as all six of our pitchers were around for the entire decade, but longevity and excellence were the mark of the best of this generation. The offense, however, isn't nearly as good, with relative weak spots at first base, shortstop and center field. In Bench, Morgan and Schmidt, you have arguably the three best ever at their positions, but the 2010s squad has a pitching staff that was perhaps even more dominant relative to the league and the better lineup. Winner: 2010s.

1960s

C Joe Torre: 129 OPS+, 36.3 WAR
1B Harmon Killebrew: 157 OPS+, 44.5 WAR
2B Pete Rose: 123 OPS+, 30.2 WAR
3B Brooks Robinson: 115 OPS+, 53.9 WAR
SS Maury Wills: 92 OPS+, 36.6 WAR
OF Hank Aaron: 162 OPS+, 81.0 WAR
OF Willie Mays: 159 OPS+, 84.2 WAR
OF Roberto Clemente: 144 OPS+, 66.4 WAR
UT Frank Robinson: 166 OPS+, 64.6 WAR

SP Sandy Koufax: 147 ERA+, 47.9 WAR
SP Juan Marichal: 136 ERA+. 55.3 WAR
SP Bob Gibson: 135 ERA+, 54.2 WAR
SP Don Drysdale: 119 ERA+, 44.7 WAR
SP Jim Bunning: 121 ERA+, 46.3 WAR
RP Hoyt Wilhelm: 160 ERA+, 24.3 WAR

Hitting: Let's start with that all-universe outfield. Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente and Frank Robinson were the top four players of the decade. Here's a good way to explain their greatness: In looking at the three leaders each season in WAR among position players, those four hold down 15 of the 30 spots. They were so good, we couldn't fit Carl Yastrzemski or Al Kaline on the team. ... Third base is a tough choice between Brooks Robinson and Ron Santo, and while Santo (57.6) leads in WAR and was the better hitter, Robinson was the more iconic player. ... First base is a coin flip between Harmon Killebrew and Willie McCovey, with almost identical totals in WAR and OPS, but Killebrew led the decade with 393 home runs and was second to Aaron in RBIs. ... Joe Torre was a borderline Hall of Famer as a player and led catchers in WAR, home runs and RBIs as a five-time All-Star. ... Second base in the 1960s may be the least impressive position of any decade -- only Rose and Bill Mazeroski crossed 20 WAR, and Rose played there only four seasons before moving to the outfield in 1967. ... Toss-up at shortstop between Maury Wills, Jim Fregosi and Luis Aparicio, but Wills' 104 steals in 1962 was a defining moment of the decade.

Pitching: The 1960s were known as a pitching decade, but that's mostly because everyone remembers these five starters. The gap from Don Drysdale (fifth in WAR) to Larry Jackson (sixth) is nearly 10 WAR. ... Sandy Koufax, despite pitching through just 1966, ranked seventh in wins and tied for third in strikeouts. ... Juan Marichal had season records of 25-8, 25-6 and 26-9 yet never won a Cy Young Award. ... Bob Gibson's 1968 season, with his 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts, still stands as one of the most famous seasons of all time. ... Hoyt Wilhelm, underrated as an all-time great, had a 1.99 ERA from 1961 through '69 as a reliever.

1960s vs. 2010s: Led by the six Hall of Famers on the pitching staff and that amazing outfield, the 1960s group has a strong argument as best decade ever, even if it's a little soft in the middle infield. Still, the collective WAR of this team ranks third behind only the 1990s and 1910s. Best-of-seven, anyone? Let's see, Kershaw versus Koufax, Verlander versus Gibson, Scherzer versus Drysdale, Bumgarner versus Marichal. Let's get it going. Winner: 1960s.

1950s

C Yogi Berra: 130 OPS+, 48.4 WAR
1B Stan Musial: 160 OPS+, 61.2 WAR
2B Jackie Robinson: 134 OPS+, 43.3 WAR
3B Eddie Mathews: 152 OPS+, 53.7 WAR
SS Ernie Banks: 139 OPS+, 42.4 WAR
OF Ted Williams: 185 OPS+, 47.5 WAR
OF Willie Mays: 158 OPS+, 58.8 WAR
OF Mickey Mantle: 173 OPS+, 68.1 WAR
UT Duke Snider: 147 OPS+, 55.6 WAR

SP Warren Spahn: 126 ERA+, 57.1 WAR
SP Robin Roberts: 119 ERA+, 60.5 WAR
SP Billy Pierce: 128 ERA+, 43.9 WAR
SP Early Wynn: 116 ERA+, 37.4 WAR
SP Whitey Ford: 140 ERA+, 26.3 WAR
RP Hoyt Wilhelm: 140 ERA+, 23.5 WAR

Hitting: No real arguments to be had anywhere with this roster. We slot Stan Musial at first base instead of the outfield, but he did play 721 games there versus 710 in the outfield. Gil Hodges (41.8 WAR, second in RBIs) is the backup choice. ... Jackie Robinson retired after 1956 and Ernie Banks didn't debut until 1953, but both led their positions in WAR, with Banks winning MVP honors in 1958 and 1959. ... Ted Williams missed almost two full seasons thanks to the Korean War, but we can't leave off a guy who had a .476 OBP for the decade. Richie Ashburn (50.9 WAR) and Minnie Minoso (47.6) have strong cases, but we'll go with Duke Snider, who led in home runs and RBIs, as our utility/DH. ... Player of the decade? Has to be Mickey Mantle.

Pitching: Likewise, the pitching staff is pretty cut-and-dried other than Whitey Ford, who makes it with a remarkable .704 winning percentage and great World Series record. He missed two seasons while in the military. (His best seasons came in 1961 and 1963; after Casey Stengel was fired, Ralph Houk let him pitch more often.) ... I have Warren Spahn over Robin Roberts as the pitcher of the decade. Spahn won 20-plus games eight times. Roberts had a remarkable run from 1950 to 1955, when he averaged 323 innings and 23 wins per season. ... Billy Pierce is the only non-Hall of Famer on this team, but he's a vastly underrated pitcher with 211 career wins and 3.27 ERA.

1950s vs. 2010s: The 1950s ranks only eighth in total WAR primarily due to being a little soft in the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation, but that lineup ... holy cow, as Harry Caray might say. I might take the 1950s lineup over all others, and it does have the highest average OPS+ of any lineup. We'll put Willie Mays in the leadoff spot, Williams bats second with his OBP, Musial third, Mantle cleanup ... I'll take the 2010 rotation, however, so this one goes seven. Winner: 2010s.

1940s

C Ernie Lombardi: 124 OPS+, 19.3 WAR
1B Johnny Mize: 159 OPS+, 41.1 WAR
2B Joe Gordon: 123 OPS+, 45.6 WAR
3B Bob Elliott: 125 OPS+, 39.7 WAR
SS Lou Boudreau: 126 OPS+, 59.9 WAR
OF Ted Williams: 200 OPS+, 65.8 WAR
OF Joe DiMaggio: 162 OPS+, 43.6 WAR
OF Stan Musial: 172 OPS+, 57.6 WAR
UT Bobby Doerr: 122 OPS+, 41.7 WAR

SP Bob Feller: 131 ERA+, 38.3 WAR
SP Hal Newhouser: 138 ERA+, 54.1 WAR
SP Dizzy Trout: 128 ERA+, 36.7 WAR
SP Harry Brecheen: 140 ERA+, 32.3 WAR
SP Mort Cooper: 124 ERA+, 28.4 WAR
RP Joe Page: 111 ERA+, 7.5 WAR

Hitting: World War II cuts into the counting stats for the decade, but it's hard to beat an outfield of Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Stan Musial. Musial won three MVP awards, and Williams and DiMaggio each won two. ... Johnny Mize, an underrated Hall of Famer, averaged 31 home runs (with a high of 51 in 1947) and 106 RBIs. ... Joe Gordon and Bobby Doerr are both Hall of Fame second basemen. We'll go with Gordon and put Doerr on the squad as the utility guy. ... Lou Boudreau had eight top-10 MVP finishes and won in 1948, when he hit .355 with 106 RBIs as player-manager of the last Indians team to win the World Series. ... Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi led a weak crop of catchers in WAR and Bob Elliott, the 1948 NL MVP, led the decade in RBIs and ranked in the top 10 in WAR.

Pitching: Bob Feller heads the pitching staff. He missed almost four seasons due to the war, but check out his first full season back in 1946: 26-15, 2.18 ERA, 371 IP, 348 SO, 36 CG, 10 shutouts. ... Hal Newhouser won MVP awards in 1944-45, but he wasn't just a wartime star, as he then went 26-9 with a 1.94 ERA in 1946 (and finished second in the MVP voting, ahead of Feller). ... Harry Brecheen and Mort Cooper (the 1942 NL MVP) were the aces of the great Cardinals teams of the decade. ... Joe Page was one of the first true relief aces and his mark of 27 saves held until 1961.

1940s vs. 2010s: Even factoring in the war, this may be the weakest team of them all, even with the star-studded outfield. Only two of the six pitchers are Hall of Famers, and Newhouser is a pretty weak Hall of Famer at that. Winner: 2010s.

1930s

C Bill Dickey: 132 OPS+, 43.7 WAR
1B Lou Gehrig: 181 OPS+, 73.1 WAR
2B Charlie Gehringer: 133 OPS+, 61.2 WAR
3B Harlond Clift: 122 OPS+, 25.6 WAR
SS Arky Vaughan: 142 OPS+, 53.2 WAR
OF Paul Waner: 133 OPS+, 44.1 WAR
OF Joe DiMaggio: 152 OPS+, 26.3 WAR
OF Mel Ott: 161 OPS+, 68.7 WAR
UT Jimmie Foxx: 173 OPS+, 72.9 WAR

SP Lefty Grove: 162 ERA+, 80.8 WAR
SP Carl Hubbell: 142 ERA+, 56.0 WAR
SP Dizzy Dean: 133 ERA+, 44.1 WAR
SP Lefty Gomez: 131 ERA+ 43.5 WAR
SP Red Ruffing: 119 ERA+, 38.1 WAR

Hitting: This decade featured the ridiculous rabbit-ball season of 1930 and crazy offensive numbers throughout the decade in the American League, which averaged over five runs per game each year of the decade. Jimmie Foxx and Lou Gehrig ranked 1-2 in home runs and RBIs as the decade's best hitters. ... Mel Ott is an inner-circle Hall of Famer and the NL's best position player and hitter of the decade, although he never won an MVP award. ... Paul Waner is our other corner outfielder. He won two batting titles starring for the Pirates. ... They called Charlie Gehringer "the Mechanical Man" for his robotic consistency. He had seven straight top-10 MVP finishes, including first in 1937 when he hit .371. ... Arky Vaughan is a forgotten star and gets the nod over fellow Hall of Famer Joe Cronin, although Cronin drove in over 1,000 runs in the decade. Vaughan was an OBP machine and hit .385 in 1935. ... Third base lacks a decade-long star, although Harlond Clift averaged 4.9 WAR from 1935 to 1939 while playing for terrible Browns teams. ... We need a center fielder, so that eliminates Babe Ruth, who was still great the first half of the decade. Hall of Famer Earl Averill (44.5) has the most WAR, but we'll go with Joe DiMaggio for his terrific first four seasons from 1936 to 1939, averaging 140 RBIs as the Yankees won four straight titles.

Pitching: How dominant was Lefty Grove in the 1930s? His 80.8 WAR is the second highest for a pitcher for any decade and he won seven ERA titles. ... Carl Hubbell, with his famous screwball, was the NL's top hurler and won two MVP awards during an incredible run from 1933 to 1937. ... Dizzy Dean got hurt and pitched just five full seasons, but still ranked fourth in the decade in WAR (and won 58 games in 1934-35). ... Our final two spots go to the two Hall of Famers on the great Yankees teams, Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing. Gomez was 6-0 in World Series play and Ruffing went 5-1 in the decade.

1930s vs. 2010s: "Inner-circle Hall of Famer" is kind of a vague description. It's kind of "you know it, when you see it." This maybe gives the edge to the 1930s, with Gehrig, Gehringer, Ott, DiMaggio, Foxx, Grove (arguably the greatest pitcher of all time) and Hubbell. The 2010s have Trout, Cabrera, Kershaw, Verlander and perhaps Scherzer. I don't quite put Beltre in that group and maybe Betts or Lindor gets there someday, but for now the super-duper-star power goes to the 1930s (and that's without even considering Negro Leagues legends like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson). Winner: 1930s.

1920s

C Wally Schang: 114 OPS+, 25.6 WAR
1B Lou Gehrig: 174 OPS+, 39.3 WAR
2B Rogers Hornsby: 188 OPS+, 93.2 WAR
3B Pie Traynor: 107 OPS+, 23.0 WAR
SS Joe Sewell: 113 OPS+, 44.1 WAR
OF Harry Heilmann: 156 OPS+, 56.8 WAR
OF Tris Speaker: 151 OPS+, 51.4 WAR
OF Babe Ruth: 216 OPS+, 102.3 WAR
UT Frankie Frisch: 118 OPS+, 54.1 WAR

SP Dazzy Vance: 130 ERA+, 50.1 WAR
SP Pete Alexander: 130 ERA+, 47.7 WAR
SP Red Faber: 121 ERA+, 46.1 WAR
SP Urban Shocker: 125 ERA+, 44.8 WAR
SP Burleigh Grimes: 112 ERA+, 38.3 WAR

Hitting: Babe Ruth in the 1920s had the decade of decades for individual achievement. Simply: He changed the game. ... Rogers Hornsby had three .400 seasons -- three of his seven batting titles). ... Harry Heilmann is an easy call for the other corner outfield spot and Tris Speaker gets the nod in center field, even though the 1920s were only the second-best decade of his career. ... Wally Schang was a superb hitter and is the choice over Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett, who had his peak seasons in the 1930s. ... First base is a weak position in the 1920s so Lou Gehrig is the easy call for his run from 1925 to 1929, including his career-best season in 1927. ... At shortstop, we'll go with Hall of Famer Joe Sewell. From 1925 to 1929, he played 150-plus games every season and struck out 30 times. That's 30 times in five seasons. ... Third base is toss-up between overrated Hall of Famer Pie Traynor and defensive whiz Willie Kamm. It's one of the weakest positions of any decade.

Pitching: As ERAs rose this decade compared to the dead ball era, pitchers started fewer games and threw fewer innings. Dazzy Vance is the one easy selection on the pitching staff. He had cups of coffee in 1915 and 1918, but didn't return to the majors until 1922 at age 31. He led the NL in strikeouts his first seven seasons and became a Hall of Famer. ... Pete Alexander was on the back half of his career, but was still terrific and had one final monster season in 1920 with 27 wins and a 1.91 ERA. ... Burleigh Grimes was the Jack Morris of the 1920s. ... Red Faber and Urban Shocker are my final two choices, although you could go with Eddie Rommel, Herb Pennock, Eppa Rixey or even old Walter Johnson or young Lefty Grove. ... Shocker won 18 games for the 1927 Yankees and was dead a year later from heart disease.

1920s vs. 2010s: As great as Ruth and Hornsby were, I'll go with the 2010s here. Much better depth in the starting pitching and the 1920s teams have some soft spots in the infield. Winner: 2010s.

1910s

C Chief Meyers: 116 OPS+, 23.3 WAR
1B Ed Konetchy: 123 OPS+, 32.0 WAR
2B Eddie Collins: 150 OPS+, 73.5 WAR
3B Home Run Baker: 139 OPS+, 53.3 WAR
SS Art Fletcher: 102 OPS+, 41.8 WAR
OF Joe Jackson: 171 OPS+, 55.2 WAR
OF Tris Speaker: 166 OPS+, 76.5 WAR
OF Ty Cobb: 192 OPS+, 84.3 WAR
UT Honus Wagner: 125 OPS+, 34.3 WAR

SP Walter Johnson: 183 ERA+, 107.8 WAR
SP Pete Alexander: 145 ERA+, 68.7 WAR
SP Eddie Cicotte: 127 ERA+, 48.1 WAR
SP Hippo Vaughn: 125 ERA+, 43.3 WAR
SP Christy Mathewson: 127 ERA+, 29.9 WAR

Hitting: You want to talk about star-studded outfields? The trio of Shoeless Joe Jackson, Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb is hard to beat. The power numbers don't compare because of the era, but if we average the adjusted OPS of the three, their 176 OPS+ ranks second behind only the 1940s trio. ... Eddie Collins and Home Run Baker, teammates on the Philadelphia A's, are strong choices at their positions. During the four years of the Chalmers MVP award from 1911 to 1914, Collins finished third, sixth, third and first in the voting. ... Chief Meyers didn't enter pro ball until he was 25 and reached the majors at 28, but was a star on great Giants teams under John McGraw. ... First base was more of a defense-first position in the dead ball era and the 1910s lacked a clear star. Ed Konetchy played for five teams (he was always asking for more money, so teams traded him), but was eighth in the decade in RBIs. ... Art Fletcher was another member of the Giants, regarded as an excellent fielder. ... Finally, we'll go with Honus Wagner in the utility spot. He averaged 5.3 WAR from 1910 to 1916, and was still good enough to lead the NL in 1911 and 1912 at ages 37 and 38.

Pitching: Even though the 1910s were a low-scoring era, it's interesting that many top pitchers burned out quickly, unable to handle the big workloads of the era. Not the legendary Walter Johnson, who pitched at least 322 innings in nine of 10 seasons, had seasons of 33 and 36 wins and led the AL nine times in strikeouts, five times in wins and four times in ERA. ... Pete Alexander is a distant No. 2, winning 208 games in eight seasons. He won 30 games three times and led the NL five times in wins, five times in strikeouts, four times in ERA and six times in innings. Pretty solid one-two punch. ... Eddie Cicotte and Hippo Vaughn were the only other two to clear 40 WAR. For the fifth spot we'll go to late-career Christy Mathewson over a half-dozen other possibilities. He averaged 7.7 WAR from 1910 to 1913 before fading.

1910s vs. 2010s: The 1910s actually rank second behind the 1990s in total WAR, but the decade is a little weak at first base and shortstop and the back of the rotation isn't particularly strong for such a low-scoring decade. You do have four inner-circle Hall of Famers in the lineup in Cobb, Speaker, Collins and Wagner, although Wagner was post-peak. Winner: 2010s.

1900s

C Roger Bresnahan: 130 OPS+, 31.0 WAR
1B Frank Chance: 140 OPS+, 41.3 WAR
2B Nap Lajoie: 165 OPS+, 69.5 WAR
3B Jimmy Collins: 113 OPS+, 33.4 WAR
SS Honus Wagner: 175 OPS+, 85.8 WAR
OF Elmer Flick: 150 OPS+, 43.9 WAR
OF Roy Thomas: 125 OPS+, 35.9 WAR
OF Sam Crawford: 146 OPS+, 45.0 WAR
UT Bobby Wallace: 111 OPS+, 49.7 WAR

SP Christy Mathewson: 142 ERA+, 67.7 WAR
SP Cy Young: 140 ERA+, 75.4 WAR
SP Rube Waddell: 136 ERA+, 58.5 WAR
SP Eddie Plank: 120 ERA+, 56.4 WAR
SP Mordecai Brown: 164 ERA+, 40.0 WAR

Hitting: Honus Wagner was the player of the decade, dominating his peers like few have done since. He led the majors in position-player WAR five times and his 1908 season was one of the best ever (he had a .957 OPS when only one other NL player was even over .800). ... Nap Lajoie was the other standout, winning four American League batting titles. ... Roger Bresnahan was kind of the Ben Zobrist of his era, if Zobrist had also played catcher. He actually first appeared as a pitcher, moved to outfield and settled in at catcher, where he famously introduced shin guards and a padded mask. ... Frank Chance arrived as a catcher, moved to first base and had a great five-year stretch from 1903 to 1907. As player/manager of the Cubs he won four NL pennants in the decade. He even led the NL twice in stolen bases. ... Our corner outfielders are Sam Crawford and Elmer Flick, two Hall of Famers. Crawford ranks second in the decade in RBIs and Flick, Lajoie's teammate in Cleveland, ranks fifth in adjusted OPS. He gets the nod over Fred Clarke. ... Center field is a tough call. Ty Cobb came up in 1905, but played mostly right field until 1910 (Crawford actually spent a couple of seasons in center). Roy Thomas was the best pure center fielder. He had zero power, even for the 1900s, but drew 100 walks six times and was third in the decade in runs. ... Hall of Famer Bobby Wallace was a defensive whiz at shortstop and is our utility guy (actually, Wagner would make a great utility guy, as he played all over early in his career).

Pitching: Christy Mathewson leads the pitching staff and he would battle Wagner for player of the decade honors. From 1903 to 1909, he averaged 29 wins per season, leading the NL three times in wins and three times in ERA. ... Cy Young had dominated the 1890s, jumped to the AL when it began play in 1901, and led in victories its first three seasons. ... Rube Waddell and Eddie Plank were teammates on Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's for a time. Waddell was one of the great strikeout pitchers of all time after adjusting for era. His 349 strikeouts in 1904 stood as the highest post-1900 total until Sandy Koufax beat it in 1965 (and still ranks sixth). ... Others have more wins and WAR in the decade than Three-Finger Brown, but he had a great peak from 1906 to 1910 as ace of those Cubs teams.

1900s vs. 2010s: The 1900s feature one of the best five-man rotations, but the lineup is a little lacking (although eight of the nine are Hall of Famers). Bresnahan and Chance had very short peaks, third baseman Jimmy Collins wasn't a great hitter and center field is a little soft. One of the strongest aspects of the 2010s roster is there are no major holes, which speaks to the depth of talent in today's game. Winner: 2010s.