20 greatest point guards ever: The HoopsHype list
We have taken our HoopsHype 78 list and split it into five positions: point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards and centers. The players who received some votes but were ultimately left out are now included in the positional rankings, so you can see who nearly made the cut for our Top 78.
Today, we start with the players we consider to be the best point guards who ever played basketball, led off by the unforgettable Magic Johnson.
1. Magic Johnson
Top accolades: Five NBA titles, three Finals MVPs, three MVPs, nine All-NBA 1st Team selections, 12 All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal
NBA rank: 7th in assists, 23rd in steals, 87th in scoring, 150th in rebounds
Share of the vote: 96.04 percent of the maximum amount possible
The consensus best point guard in NBA history comes at No. 4 on our list. The leader of one of the finest teams in basketball history, Magic Johnson had flash, pizzazz and any adjective you can think of as a playmaker, often hightailing it down the open floor and making spectacular passes that not many others would have attempted, let alone pulled off as successfully as he did. Magic was also a winner, making iconic plays over and over again in the biggest of stages. Add in his super charismatic personality and you have the complete package as one of the biggest superstars the league has ever seen.
2. Stephen Curry
Top accolades: Four NBA titles, one Finals MVP, two MVPs, one Conference Finals MVP, four All-NBA 1st Team selections, 10 All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal, two World Cup gold medals
NBA rank: 30th in scoring, 39th in assists, 54th in steals
Share of the vote: 85.42 percent of the maximum amount possible
Stephen Curry changed the way the game is played, as now, basically every player on the floor wants to shoot threes, and needs to be able to hit them for your offense to keep up with modern scoring. Curry's a wizard not only as a shooter, but his playmaking deserves more credit than it receives. The future Hall-of-Famer out of Davidson is already the greatest shooter ever – and it's not particularly close.
2023-24 was filled with disappointment for him in the NBA, as the Warriors missed the playoffs, but he finished the basketball year with a bang leading Team USA in the fourth quarter in the Olympic final vs. France with some of the most clutch shooting you will ever see.
3. Oscar Robertson
Top accolades: One NBA title, one MVP, nine All-NBA 1st Team selections, 12 All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal
NBA rank: 8th in assists, 14th in scoring, 82nd in rebounds
Share of the vote: 83.33 percent of the maximum amount possible
The first player to average a triple-double in league history, Oscar Robertson was an expert playmaker, rebounder and scorer at the lead guard spot, and a somewhat underrated player historically. He experienced very little team success until he joined forces with Lew Alcindor in Milwaukee, but did eventually win an NBA championship. One of the most well-rounded offensive guards ever.
4. Jerry West
Top accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, 10 All-NBA 1st Team selections, 14 All-Stars, four All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic gold medal
NBA rank: 25th in scoring, 35th in assists, 242nd in rebounds
Share of the vote: 78.54 percent of the maximum amount possible
No one on this Earth could possibly hate the Celtics as much as Jerry West, having lost to them in the Finals six times out of the six he faced them. Impossible to blame West for those championship defeats, though, as he put up beastly numbers against them on a consistent basis – just as he did against the rest of the NBA. West was a masterful combo guard who performed at a high level thanks to his scoring and playmaking. He was also a great shooter, both off the dribble and with his feet set. West achieved All-Star honors in every season of his NBA career, which only three other players with 10-plus seasons of NBA experience (Julius Erving, Bob Pettit and Paul Arizin) have accomplished.
5. Isiah Thomas
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, one Finals MVP, three All-NBA 1st Team selections, 12 All-Stars
NBA rank: 10th in assists, 17th in steals, 68th in scoring
Share of the vote: 66.04 percent of the maximum amount possible
One of the best point guards ever, Isiah Thomas combined talent with fierce competitiveness. He could create at an elite level but could also score out of the midrange off the dribble. He was the face of the Bad Boys Pistons who beat Jordan's Bulls three straight times in the playoffs in the late '80s. The one thing holding Thomas back on this list is he had a short career for star standards.
6. Chris Paul
Top accolades: 11 All-NBA selections, 12 All-Stars, seven All-Defensive 1st Team selections, two Olympic gold medals
NBA rank: 3rd in assists, 3rd in steals, 36th in scoring, 214th in rebounds
Share of the vote: 63.33 percent of the maximum amount possible
The Point God,Chris Paul is one of the steadiest floor generals in NBA history, capable of acting as a head coach on the floor, getting teammates into the right spots, destroying opponents out of the pick-and-roll and scoring at a high level when needed thanks to his unreal touch as an off-the-dribble scorer in the midrange.
The only thing still missing from his legacy is a ring, but he’s a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer with or without one. At this point, it looks like he has resigned to the fact that he will finish his career without it considering he’s joining the rebuilding Spurs.
Whatever the case may be, he’s pound-for-pound one of the greatest in basketball history. (We actually ranked him as thebest short player ever a few months ago).
7. John Stockton
Top accolades: 11 All-NBA selections, 10 All-Stars, five All-Defensive 2nd Team selections, two Olympic gold medals
NBA rank: 1st in assists, 1st in steals, 52nd in scoring
Share of the vote: 58.54 percent of the maximum amount possible
John Stockton's assists and steals record will never be beaten, as the Jazz legend finished his career with 15,806 assists (3,715 more than the second-highest player) and 3,265 steals (581 more than anyone else). Was he ever the best point guard in the NBA? Perhaps not. But the longevity speaks for itself, and Stockton was excellent for a very long time.
8. Steve Nash 🇨🇦
Top accolades: Two MVP awards, seven All-NBA selections, eight All-Stars
NBA rank: 5th in assists, 94th in scoring, 240th in steals
Share of the vote: 58.13 percent of the maximum amount possible
Along with Mike D'Antoni and the Seven-Seconds-or-Less Suns, Steve Nash moved basketball forward thanks to his pick-and-roll wizardry and ability to shoot off the dribble, including from beyond the arc, something that wasn't as common in his era. Nash's two MVP awards were quite controversial but there's no question he's one of the finest players of his generation, as he was truly a gifted point guard, one who was a wizard as a passer and could shoot at an elite level.
9. Bob Cousy
Top accolades: Six NBA titles, one MVP, 10 All-NBA 1st Team selections, 13 All-Stars
NBA rank: 22nd in assists, 104th in scoring
Share of the vote: 54.17 percent of the maximum amount possible
The original floor general, Bob Cousy was the first star player who did everything a modern point guard should do, be it dribble, give quality passes, direct teammates or shoot jumpers. Cousy was called the Houdini of the Hardwood because of his ballhandling skills and creativity.
10. Jason Kidd
Top accolades: One NBA title, five All-NBA 1st Team selections, 10 All-Stars, nine All-Defensive selections, two Olympic gold medals
NBA rank: 2nd in assists, 2nd in steals, 61st in rebounds, 92nd in scoring
Share of the vote: 53.75 percent of the maximum amount possible
One of the greatest point guards ever, Jason Kidd could make the flashy pass or the simple play with the best of them while also loving to hightail it in transition to wear opponents down in transition. Also used his ridiculous basketball IQ to rack up steals and defend at a high level. He even became an adept outside shooter later on in his career, which really added to his longevity and helped him win a title with the 2010-11 Mavericks, as his outside shooting was pivotal for Dallas on that playoff run.
11. Gary Payton
Top accolades: One NBA title, nine All-NBA selections, nine All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, nine All-Defensive 1st Team selections, two Olympic gold medals
NBA rank: 5th in steals, 11th in assists, 38th in scoring
Share of the vote: 46.88 percent of the maximum amount possible
Perhaps the greatest point guard defender of all time, Gary Payton had unnatural strength for his size, quick feet and elite hands and timing to help him lock down foes one-on-one as well as rack up the steals. He was also an excellent playmaker and a solid scorer, who used a solid mid-range game to get buckets. Payton even added to his legacy by not having an ego and being willing to become a role player late in his career, which helped him win a title as a backup on the 2005-06 Miami Heat.
12. Russell Westbrook
Top accolades: One MVP, nine All-NBA selections, nine All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal, one World Cup gold medal
NBA rank: 9th in assists, 19th in steals, 24th in scoring, 69th in rebounds
Share of the vote: 39.17 percent of the maximum amount possible
One of the most energetic players the NBA has ever seen, Russell Westbrook is absolutely tenacious every minute he’s on the floor, often fighting off bigger opponents for rebounds and flying down the floor in transition to throw down dunks. Of course, as is the case with basically every player, age has affected the former triple-double machine, and that athleticism and energy level have dwindled as Westbrook’s effectiveness pales in comparison to what they used to be. Still, Westbrook is undoubtedly one of the NBA’s best players ever, a literal cheat code statistically in his prime, and his career will probably be looked at even more fondly once it’s over.
13. Damian Lillard
Top accolades: Seven All-NBA selections, eight All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal
NBA rank: 41st in scoring, 50th in assists
Share of the vote: 31.46 percent of the maximum amount possible
Of course, like with any active player on this list, Damian Lillard could see himself moving up his ranking depending on how the rest of his prime goes. Even as is, however, Lillard is one of the best score-first point guards ever, with outstanding shooting ability and clutch shots galore on his resume already. Still, Lillard is missing that elite team success, and his time to win a championship as a team’s Top 2 option is running out considering his age. So these next few years will go a long way in determining how much higher Lillard can move up here.
14. Walt Frazier
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, four All-NBA 1st Team selections, seven All-Stars, seven All-Defensive 1st Team selections
NBA rank: 71st in assists, 137th in scoring
Share of the vote: 25.00 percent of the maximum amount possible
Walt Frazier, remembered partly by his cool nickname Clyde, was one of the smoothest point guards of his era, one who could also take over the bulk of the scoring load for the Knicks. Frazier was also one of the best point-guard defenders ever, making a ridiculous seven 1st Team All-Defenses in his career.
15. Nate Archibald
Top accolades: One NBA title, three All-NBA 1st Team selections, six All-Stars
NBA rank: 28th in assists, 108th in scoring
Share of the vote: 17.92 percent of the maximum amount possible
One of the hardest-to-stop players of his era thanks to ridiculous quickness and speed, Tiny Archibald tormented opponents in the '70s and early '80s when attacking the basket. Archibald was also a very solid playmaker and could hit jumpers from the short midrange area.
16. Pete Maravich
Top accolades: Four All-NBA selections, five All-Stars
NBA rank: 124th in scoring, 163rd in assists
Share of the vote: 16.04 percent of the maximum amount possible
"Pistol" Pete Maravich was one of the flashiest players ever, with a highlight package filled with behind-the-back, no-look passes and stop-on-a-dime shooting prowess, one that impresses to this day. The NBA's leading scorer in 1976-77, Maravich's legacy is negatively affected by losing more games than he won in his career and only playing 17 playoff games in his prime, 26 in total.
17. Tony Parker 🇫🇷
Top accolades: Four NBA titles, one Finals MVP, three All-NBA 2nd Team selections, six All-Stars, one Eurobasket gold medal
NBA rank: 20th in assists, 57th in scoring, 155th in steals
Share of the vote: 14.79 percent of the maximum amount possible
Tony Parker, surely the best European point guard in NBA history, dominated opposing backcourt players with quickness, a tight crossover and a beautiful tear-drop floater in the lane. Parker was clutch and played a huge role in four championships for San Antonio, even winning one Finals MVP. He changed the game for guards trying to reach the NBA from overseas by proving that European guards can be elite players in the NBA, too, and look where we are now with players like Luka Doncic dominating the league. Parker's influence on the game is underrated today.
18. Kyrie Irving
Top accolades: One NBA title, three All-NBA selections, eight All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal, one World Cup MVP
NBA rank: 100th in scoring, 118th in assists, 202nd in steals
Share of the vote: 11.67 percent of the maximum amount possible
Kyrie Irving cracked this list for the first time last year, checking in at No. 76. He moves up five spots now following his Finals run with the Mavericks.
Maybe the best ball-handler in NBA history, Irving will always be remembered for his huge shot at the end of Game 7 in the 2016 Finals that helped the Cavs win their first title. One of the craftiest finishers around the rim, Irving is unstoppable getting in the paint. Despite his tendency to attract drama, his talent has been irresistible for fans and (many) executives.
19. Lenny Wilkens
Top accolades: Nine All-Stars
NBA rank: 17th in assists, 84th in scoring
A Hall-of-Famer four times over (three-time Naismith inductee – one as a player, one as a coach and one as an assistant for the Dream Team – and a College Basketball Hall-of-Famer), '60s and '70s floor general Lenny Wilkens put together a fantastic career, being named the All-Star Game MVP in 1971 and leading the NBA in assists in 1969-70.
20. Luka Doncic
Top accolades: Five All-NBA 1st Team selections, five All-Stars
NBA rank: 191st in assists, 314th in scoring
Following five straight 1st Team All-NBA seasons and his first trip to the NBA Finals, it’s pretty safe to say Dalla Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is well on the way to becoming a Top 10 player of all time at this rate.
On top of the aforementioned accolades, Doncic is also a five-time All-Star, won the scoring championship last season, won Rookie of the Year and was the 2024 Western Conference Finals MVP. He’s still just 25 years old, by the way. And that’s without mentioning the various major accolades he won prior to getting to the NBA both with his native Slovenia and with the club that played a huge part in his development, Real Madrid.
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