The NBA has seen its fair share of athletic and scoring point guards over the last ten years. While “pure point guards” like Rajon Rondo have become less in demand, guards like Lillard and Irving have been the most desired and scouted for. Due to the abundance of many great guards, some have gone as far as calling it the golden age of point guards in the NBA. That being said, we’re going to be ranking the NBA’s top 10 point guards for the first time on this site. Their rankings will depend on several factors, including consistency, skill, history and potential. I will continue to rank each position in upcoming articles as well.
10. Dejounte Murray
When you are done reading this list, this is the player you are all going to bash me for. I chose Murray over Walker, Dragic, Bledsoe, Ball, Jackson, Schroder, and several others in the NBA for several reasons. While the young guard is just taking over the Spurs, he has already shown flashes of brilliance on both ends of the court which have been eye opening. He is also one of the league’s best on ball defenders at the guard position in the NBA. Leading a complex Popovich offense and the Spurs to a third seed in the West is not easy. That being said, Murray has not shied away from any competition at any level. His performance today vs the Cavaliers is a summary of everything you need to know about the kid. While he did not have the most impressive stats sheet, he did lead the Spurs to an impressive win over the Cavaliers, and had the highest +/- on his team.
9. Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons has already emerged as one of the games’ best point guards during his first season in the NBA. I do not watch college basketball. However, if I had seen this kid play before, I probably would have picked the 76ers as one of my preseason playoff teams. Simmons dominates the game athletically, being a 6’10 point guard. His teammates seem to like him and follow his lead. I haven’t seen anything to dislike about Simmons besides his inability to shoot the basketball. That will come with time. He has grit, heart, intelligence, and the motor to dominate in the league for years to come. I can easily see him jumping to near the top of this list in the near future.
8. Michael Conley Jr.
Mike Conley Jr. has been slightly forgotten about due to his injury. However, his impact on the game of basketball has been displayed with the disappearance of Memphis’ relevance in the NBA. Conley Jr. is one of the league’s better defensive guards. He is also a great three point shooter and a highly intelligent distributor of the basketball. The Grizzlies ran a lot of their offense through Conley and have had no solution for his absence this entire season.
7. Kyle Lowry
Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors continue to be slept on due to the fact that they are the Cincinnati Bengals of the NBA. They often have great regular seasons and fall short in the playoffs. However, I do believe that this year is a bit different for Toronto; but that’s a discussion for another time. Lowry has lead the Raptors to a no.1 seed in the eastern conference up until this point. Lowry’s impact on the Raptors does not end while he’s off the court. His leadership has helped the emergence of the Raptors’ bench. He is a part of one of the NBA’s top offenses and defenses. In an era of basketball which relies so much on the point guard, Toronto wouldn’t have this much success if Lowry was a scrub.
6. John Wall
John Wall has been one of the hardest players to evaluate in the NBA. At times, he performs like a top 10 NBA player. At other times, he is a big part of the Wizards’ shortcomings. To put it simply, great players lead their teams. John Wall has failed to rally the Wizards past mediocre competition. Sure, the Wizards can get up for the good competition. However, great teams beat up on bad competition as well. That being said, I can’t ignore his brilliance on both ends of the floor. Wall combines an improving offensive game, with far above average athleticism. Once his leadership catches up, I can truly see Wall rising to be the third best in the League. He also needs to stop disappearing in big moments, like vs Boston in game 7.
5. Kyrie Irving
The Boston Celtics committed a robbery on Cleveland when they somehow managed to trade an injured point guard for one of the league’s best. Kyrie’s brilliance was proven when he was able to join a new team and immediately propel himself into a top 5 MVP candidate. While Al Horford’s presence has helped Kyrie a lot in the two man game, Kyrie has also brought his isolation brilliance with him from Cleveland. That being said, that same isolation brilliance continues to be one of his biggest weakness. The Celtics have lost several games due to Kyrie’s old habit of hero ball kicking in at the wrong moments. Trust takes time to build and Kyrie has some room to develop. On the offensive end, he’s as good as anyone in the League. He’s also improved on the defensive end. That being said, I’d like to see him continue to pick up Brad Stevens’ offense and improve his efficiency on the offensive end.
4. Damian Lillard
Dame Time has been one of the most exciting things to grace our televisions on a nightly basis. Portland’s clutch point guard has continues to be one of the main reasons I have a NBA League Pass Subscription. Terry Stotts’ pick & roll offense requires a highly intelligent guard who is able to score in multiple ways off the pick & roll. Damian Lillard does it better than anyone in the League. He is quick enough to get to the basket, intelligent enough to find his open teammates, and skilled enough to score in multiple ways off of screens and off the dribble. Not to mention, he might be the most clutch player in the NBA.
3. Chris Paul
Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets remains to be one of the best regular season point guards this season. He has helped James Harden and the Rockets continue to do what they do best. He has even managed to take over Mike D’Antoni’s offense at times, enabling James Harden to get some rest. As much as I lack faith in his playoff potential, I can’t deny what Chris brings to the game of basketball on both ends of the floor.
2. Russell Westbrook
The Brodie might be the only player in NBA history to average so close to a triple double, and not be talked about as an MVP candidate. His MVP campaign last year felt like it had to be won by force. This year, the media is trying their best to ignore him. Despite all that, Russ continues to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder in a tough western conference. He is right up there with the most clutch players in the league. He can score, rebound, and facilitate to his teammates. Yes, his shot selection is a weakness of his. That being said, he does make up for it with his rebounding and aggressive approach to finishing around the rim. While he may not be as efficient as some of the league’s best, his high motor more than makes up for it.
- Wardell Stephen Curry II
Without a doubt in my mind, Steph Curry is the best point guard in all of basketball. Several critics will point out his team and system. That being said, I have to add those in the positive column because that’s the reality of his fortunate situation. While Steph is not a stellar on ball defensive player, he plays his role well in Golden State’s team defense concept. On the offensive end, he’s perfectly lead a complicated variation of Mike D’Antoni’s fast paced offense. Curry is also the best left handed passer I’ve seen since Steve Nash. His handles are top two in the League. He has the ability to score on anyone in the League. In addition to all that, he has the mentality of a killer. His is proven night in and night out when he takes on the NBA’s best in clutch situations. Not only is he the best shooter off the dribble of all time, he might just be the most skilled player in the NBA today. Unlike Westbrook who utilizes his athleticism, Curry continues to dominate on a nightly basis, relying purely on the skill he develops through repetition. By the way, he is a two time MVP and two time NBA champion. I could go on and on about the brilliance of Steph’s offensive game. I’ll summarize the best way I know how: He wins.
There are several great guards who did not make my list. Guys like Rajon Rondo are not given the opportunity to flourish on a nightly basis. Guys like Mitchell, Dunn, and Rozier are on the rise. As for guys like Walker, Schroder, and Dragic, they need to be better and win more games to earn my respect.
Note: The only guys who were ranked on this list were players whose primary position is point guard. I did not factor in ball handlers like Harden, Butler, or James. The one name I did want to talk about was D’Angelo Russell, whose position remains unclear to me thus far.
Care to argue? Tweet me: @TPRx11