Top 10 NBA Point Guards of All Time
Contents
We all know the greats: Magic, MJ, Oscar Robertson But who else makes the cut as one of the top 10 NBA point guards of all time?
Introduction
In the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), there have been some truly great point guards These are the players that have led their teams to victory time and again with their outstanding Court Vision passing, shooting, and defense.
Today, we’re going to take a look at the top 10 NBA point guards of all time. This is a subjective list, of course, but we think it’s a pretty accurate reflection of the greatest players to ever play the position.
Top 10 Point Guards
The point guard also colloquially known as the one or the floor general, is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position, in that their primary responsibility is handling and distributing the ball to fellow teammates, while also occasionally being required to score points themselves.
In the past two decades, the point guard position has evolved greatly, as bigger and more athletic players have come to dominate the league. However, there are still a number of excellent point guards currently playing in the NBA, and many more who have played at an elite level throughout history. In this article, we will countdown the top 10 NBA Point Guards of all time.
#10 – Mark Jackson
Mark A. Jackson is an American former professional basketball player and coach who is currently the television analyst for NBA on ESPN. He played point guard for the New York Knicks Indiana Pacers Denver Nuggets Toronto Raptors Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets in a career spanning from 1987 to 2004. He then served as Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors from 2011 to 2014. Jackson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
#9 – Steve Nash
In his 18 seasons in the NBA, Steve Nash established himself as one of the league’s all-time great point guards A two-time MVP, Nash was a nine-time All-Star and helped lead the Phoenix Suns to six Western Conference Finals Appearances He also ranks third in NBA history in assists and is one of only four players to have recorded more than 10,000 assists in their career.
#8 – Tim Hardaway
While Tim Hardaway may not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking about the greatest point guards of all time, his career numbers back up his place on this list.
Hardaway was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the 14th overall pick in 1989 and spent his first seven seasons with the team. He was a five-time All-Star during that stretch and helped lead the Warriors to the playoffs four times. He averaged 20.0 points and 8.2 assists per game during his time with Golden State before being traded to the Miami Heat in 1996.
Hardaway continued to thrive with his new team, being named an All-Star three more times and helping the Heat win their first ever NBA title in 2006. He finished his career with averages of 19.0 points and 7.3 assists per game
#7 – Isiah Thomas
In his prime, Isiah Thomas was one of the quickest and most talented point guards in NBA history He led the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, and was named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time in 1996.
Standing at just 6-1, Thomas was one of the shortest players in the league, but he more than made up for it with his incredible speed and scoring ability. He was a 12-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team five times. In his 13 seasons with the Pistons, Thomas averaged 19.2 points and 9.3 assists per game
#6 – Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd is one of the best point guards of all time. He is a ten-time NBA All-Star a five-time All-NBA First Teamer, and a nine-time All-Defensive team member. He won an NBA Championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and was named the NBA Finals MVP. In his 19 seasons in the NBA, Kidd averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game
#5 – Magic Johnson
5. Magic Johnson – When it comes to Magic Johnson there are a few things that stand out. First, he was one of the league’s first true point guards. He played the position like it had never been played before and influenced the way the game is played today. Second, he was an incredible scorer and playmaker. He could score at will and always seemed to make the right play when his team needed it most. Lastly, he was a winner. He won five championships with the Lakers and is widely considered one of the best players in Basketball History
#4 – Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game and is one of only five players to average a triple-double for an entire season. He was a three-time MVP and a 12-time All-Star during his 14 seasons in the NBA and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.
#3 – Jerry West
Jerry West is widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time. He was born in West Virginia and played his entire 14-season career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning one NBA Championship in 1972. He was named the NBA Finals MVP that year, becoming the only player in NBA history to win the award without being on the winning team He was also a 14-time All-Star and 10-time All-NBA First Team selection. He is currently an executive board member for the Lakers.
#2 – John Stockton
John Stockton is the NBA’s all-time leader in assists and steals and is widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time. He played his entire 19-year career with the Utah Jazz helping the team to 10 NBA Finals appearances.
A 10-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, Stockton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
#1 – Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s All-time leading scorer, a three-time MVP and a six-time champion. He is also the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP six times.
Abdul-Jabbar was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor, averaging 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game during his 20-year NBA Career He was an unstoppable scorer in the post, but was also more than capable of scoring from the perimeter, shooting over 50 percent from three-point range during his career.
On defense, Abdul-Jabbar was a shot-blocking machine, leading the league in blocks four times. He was also a great rebounder, averaging more than 10 rebounds per game nine times in his career.
In addition to his individual accolades, Abdul-Jabbar helped lead the Lakers to five NBA Championships in the 1980s. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history and is certainly deserving of the No. 1 spot on this list.
