A shooting guard’s primary assignment is to score and score often. Since they also occupy so much of a defense’s attention, possessing the ability to make plays for others is also worthwhile.
This list does not take into account a player’s future prospects, or past salad days. The criterion is simple—which NBA shooting guard is best suited to being an integral part of a championship team this year?
Due to the way some NBA lineups are presently constructed, a handful of potential shooting guards will be asked to play different positions this year. For that reason, Brandon Roy is listed as a small forward, while Allen Iverson and Monta Ellis are listed as point guards.
No rookies made the list, as neither you nor I have seen them play in meaningful games against NBA competition to know where they should be ranked.
Now, the list:
1) Kobe Bryant—Los Angeles Lakers
With his newfound attitude adjustment augmenting his considerable talents, not only is Kobe Bryant the best shooting guard, he’s the best player in the NBA.
Kobe possesses so much raw skill that he can simply will the Lakers to victories against overmatched opponents, and his creativity and pure desire can trump even the staunchest of defenses. He has a fantastic jump shot, range extending well beyond the three-point line, an advanced post-up game, terrific handles, and superb passing skills. And in the end game, he’s one of the finest perimeter defenders in the league.
Kobe has his flaws, but they’re minor compared to his shooting-guard brethren. While Kobe is a prodigious scorer and terrific playmaker, he still has trouble taking games over by both scoring and making plays, usually settling for one or the other. Also, Kobe doesn’t have otherworldly court vision, and ends up driving into help defenders without seeing open men—a factor the plays into his inability to dominate by both scoring and playmaking.
Defensively, Kobe has trouble navigating through screens, and takes too many plays off over the first three quarters. These characteristics serve to register Kobe as a basketball mortal, distancing him from gods such as Michael Jordan.
Still, in present-day NBA Olympus, the hierarchy starts with Kobe and works its way down—at least until LeBron develops a jump shot.
2) Dwyane Wade—Miami Heat
Wade combines tremendous explosion and physical strength with sheer heart, making him one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA. Not only is he strong enough to be a great scorer, but his toughness allows him to be a very physical defender, and a terrific rebounder for his size and position.
Injuries have held him out of the limelight the last few seasons—but make no mistake about it, Wade is a championship-level performer.
3) Manu Ginobili—San Antonio Spurs
Talented and clutch, Ginobili always comes up with key plays to spur San Antonio to victory, whether it be hitting a game-winning jumper, coming up with a key defensive stop, or grabbing an instrumental rebound. He’s a smart defender, an exceptional shooter, and a clever finisher at the rim.
Like Bryant and Wade above him, Ginobili brings his best in the biggest moments, a reason—why he has both a Gold Medal and NBA championship rings in his collection.
4) Tracy McGrady—Houston Rockets
McGrady’s a supreme scorer and playmaker—after he takes five seconds to survey the court before making a decision. He avoids contact, settles for too many jumpers, and gives defenses too much time to anticipate and react to his offensive moves.
T-Mac settles defensively by playing defense with his hands instead of his feet, and settles in critical moments for too-quick jumpers instead of attacking and getting to the rim.
Possibly more physically gifted than Wade, and probably more than Ginobili, McGrady will nevertheless have to settle for fourth on the list.
5) Joe Johnson—Atlanta Hawks
A dynamic playmaker who rebounds and defends a bit, Johnson consistently lights up scoreboards. He’s capable of creating his own shot against any defender, and is an exceptional catch-and-shoot player as well. With a better supporting cast, Johnson would explode offensively.
6) Ray Allen—Boston Celtics
Allen’s always been one of the premier shooters in the NBA, and his defensive performance against Kobe Bryant in last year’s Finals showed that he’ll find it within himself to be a lockdown defender if asked.
Unlike one-dimensional shooters, Allen is capable of putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim, and will box out bigger, stronger players for rebounds. Father Time is sapping away his athleticism, but Allen is still one of the most clutch shooters in the game.
7) Rip Hamilton—Detroit Pistons
Hamilton excels cutting and curling around baseline screens to unleash an automatic midrange jumper. Though it isn’t the best aspect of his game, Hamilton can also create his own shot, and at 6'7", is a long, talented defender.
Hamilton may only be the seventh-best shooting guard, but he’s the best off-the-ball player in the game.
8) Gilbert Arenas—Washington Wizards
For sure, Arenas’ hot shooting hand can steal wins out of certain losses, but his need to shoot derails any semblance of offensive harmony Eddie Jordan tries to establish. How many times will Arenas abandon the Princeton offense to fire away a jumper early in the shot clock?
- B/R Ticket Guide
Arenas can’t defend, he won’t play off the ball, and the only offense that can be built around him is an isolation offense where Arenas has the ball all the time and his teammates stand around watching. His love of the spotlight makes him one of the more exciting individual players in the game, but forces the teams he plays for to play stale, uninspired basketball.
9) Jason Richardson—Charlotte Bobcats
A strong, athletic scorer with range, J-Rich excels in the open court, where he’s fast enough to get to outrace opponents to the hoop, and physical enough to create space and finish when he gets there.
His defense is suspect, his handle is subpar, and his passing game is only average, but he’s one of the more prolific scorers in the game.
10) Kevin Martin—Sacramento Kings
Martin’s quick first step, accurate jumper, long wingspan, and left-handed nature make him a tricky cover for any defender. Rail-thin, Martin’s greatest flaw is a lack of strength, which prevents him from being a good defender or finisher. If he fills out, his game, and his spot on the list, should improve.
11) Mike Dunleavy—Indiana Pacers
After four-and-a-half middling years in Golden State, the switch flipped for Dunleavy last season. Always athletic, Dunleavy’s court vision radically improved, allowing him to make better decisions and be a more confident, versatile scorer.
Instead of being a mere athlete, Dunleavy is now a legit playmaker. While his rebounding is adequate, improving his defense is the next step for Dunleavy to grow.
12) Kevin Durant—Oklahoma City Thunder
An explosive phenom with a limitless ceiling, Durant is an elite athlete, with explosive speed, athleticism, and leaping ability. The form on his jump shot is flawless, and he’s generally unselfish on the court.
However, Durant is incredibly frail, rendering him a weak rebounder and a terrible finisher in traffic. His lack of experience often leaves him overwhelmed on the court—and overmatched on the defensive end.
Still, Durant improved steadily as the 2007-08 season progressed, and is no doubt destined for stardom. As he fills out his body and fills up his brain, he’ll evolve from being an unselfish jump shooter into a dynamic wing.
13) Stephen Jackson—Golden State Warriors
Jackson is a talented two-way player who takes too many plays off to be great at either end. On offense, he prefers to hold the ball and isolate, before unleashing tough contested jumpers. On defense, he goes through the motions on too many possessions to be a truly great wing defender.
Fans, teammates, and opponents only get glimpses of what Jackson could be, while instead witnessing the respectable, but unremarkable player he currently is.
14) Mike Miller—Minnesota Timberwolves
An exceptional shooter, and an efficient scorer, Miller also rebounds as well as—or better than—nearly any NBA guard. He’s not athletic enough to be a good defender, or a prolific point producer, but he’ll provide more efficient point totals than many of the high-volume scorers below him on the list.
15) Vince Carter—New Jersey Nets
In the past, Carter could get away with being soft, defenseless, and choke-filled, because he was simply so much more athletic than any opponent. But he current incarnation of Vinsanity no longer can blow by people at will, allowing defenses to bump and bang him off his hoopward forays.
Carter is all sizzle, no steak—a reason why the teams he plays for perennially underachieve.
16) Michael Redd—Milwaukee Bucks
Redd is a quick-triggered three-point marksman who sometimes can snake his left hand along the baseline against novice defenders. Redd doesn’t provide any skill other than shooting, and is often a liability since he jacks up too many ill-advised shots, and can’t defend at all.
17) Jamal Crawford—New York Knicks
Wildly talented, Crawford’s still too reckless to put it all together and reach his full potential. He’s too soft to be an efficient scorer, and often leaves himself out of position defensively by gambling for steals. Until his unkempt ways are tidied up, Crawford will always be too erratic to be consistently relied upon.
18) Jason Terry—Dallas Mavericks
A combo-guard forced over to shooting guard with Jason Kidd on board, Terry’s as quick as a jet, and lethal when driving and pulling to his right. He’s a decent passer, and a bulls-eye shooter—except in the clutch.
Unfortunately, he’s defenseless, faulty under pressure, undersized, and worthless when his shooting hand isn’t running hot.
19) Larry Hughes—Chicago Bulls
Hughes can slash and burn offensively, but his best aspects are his long wingspan and his quick hands, which allow him to play quality perimeter defense both on and off the ball. Hughes’ poor jumper, shot selection, and tendency to disappear if things aren’t going his way keep prevent him from being a special player.
20) Raja Bell—Phoenix Suns
A good defender who can plug the occasional three, Bell’s shooting range on offense and his physical strength on defense give him a leg up on other defenders like Ronnie Brewer, Keith Bogans, and Anthony Parker.
21) Ben Gordon—Chicago Bulls
A person who can’t understand his own limitations, Gordon’s public contract negotations, playing-time griping, and his tuning out of Scott Skiles ruined the Bulls’ season last year. He’s always had an explosive jumper, but he’s a poor passer, a puny rebounder, a horrible finisher, totally defenseless, selfish, and unable to come to grips that he’s a sixth man in a starter’s body, not a franchise carrier.
If he reverts to his 2006-07 form of sharing the ball and giving maximum effort, he’d be a better player, his teams would be better, and he’d be a few spots higher on the list.
22) Ronnie Brewer—Utah Jazz
A long defender with exceptional leaping ability, Brewer is a talented individual defender who can also alter shots with his incredible wingspan. On offense, he’s an astute backcutter who finds himself on the receiving end of many Deron Williams’ lob passes.
If he was more physical defensively, or if he had any offensive skill to hang his hat on, he’d be higher up on the list.
23) J.R. Smith—Denver Nuggets
Volatile and explosive are two adjectives that describe Smith’s ability to change the outcome of games offensively. His range is limitless, his energy is boundless, and if he doesn’t always make a correct decision, he’ll always make a big decision.
Most importantly, Smith is much more mature and coachable now, after spending his entire early career being a punk and a malcontent. If any solace can be taken out of last offseason’s tragic automobile accident which took the life of his friend, it’s that Smith now seems to know that actions have consequences—a fact that has made him a better basketball player, if not also a better person.
Consistency is a major issue with Smith—as is discipline, attention to detail, and playing acceptable defense. Unlike in the past, the new Smith might be committed to correcting his mistakes.
24) Leandro Barbosa—Phoenix Suns
A Brazilian blur, Barbosa is an excellent shooter who possesses awesome speed, quickness, and agility. However, Barbosa has no clue how to run an offense, and is too reckless and impulsive against good halfcourt defenses, not knowing that playing the game smarter is better than playing the game faster.
He’s proven himself incapable of being a point guard, and is actually an undersized, streak-shooting two-guard.
25) Morris Peterson—New Orleans Hornets
While he’s a capable shooter and scorer, Peterson’s primary role in New Orleans is to be a perimeter defender, a task he fills admirably. He’s tough, he’s steady, and he’s solid—but he’s getting older, and doesn’t have too many miles left before he’s permanently left in the garage.
26) Anthony Parker—Toronto Raptors
Not particularly quick, not particularly strong, Parker is the only player on the Raptors willing to mix it up with the opposition, and he’s also very accurate from deep. However, his lack of athleticism renders him a limited offensive player, and an unremarkable defender.
27) Keith Bogans—Orlando Magic
Very strong physically, Bogans can successfully defend any player he can catch up to. However, the most explosive guards and forwards give him trouble, and he doesn’t do enough offensively to make up for it.
28) Nate Robinson—New York Knicks
A shooting guard in a point guard’s body, Robinson’s athleticism is off-the-charts. He may have the highest vertical in the NBA, is a strong finisher, an explosive shooter, and a gifted playmaker.
However, Robinson still has trouble running an offense, and too often fails when trying to make a spectacular play when a simple one would suffice. He’s also reckless, stubborn, and mistake-prone. Plus, at 5'8", Robinson will always be a severe defensive liability.
29) Rashard McCants—Minnesota Timberwolves
McCants is quick, both with his feet and his temper—a limiting factor in his growth as a player. He’s still struggling to understand the importance of defense, the importance of good shot selection, and the importance of providing something to the court other than scoring. As little more than a 6'4" scorer, there are better options out there.
30) Cuttino Mobley—Los Angeles Clippers
Mobley can defend, shoot the three, and even post up, but age is starting to wear away at his game. Gone are the days when his quickness earned him the nickname Cat Mobley, and both his ability to create off the dribble and his ability to defend quicker players have eroded.
In the future, he’ll be replaced in the Clippers lineup, and this list, by Eric Gordon.
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about 1 month ago
just for kicks...what do u think about matt carrol of the charlotte bobcats...now im not really sure about keith bogans role or anthony parkers role on there teams besides shooting the three...i havent really seen enpough games of them to actually know...but for matt carrol im sure theres a lot of teams out there who need very accurate 3 point shooters who dosent turn the ball over at all...i think hes better suited for a championship team as a prototype of the next steve kerr type guy...
also...do you really think nate robinson will ever win an nba championship...
and just wondering...where would u have ranked dwade if there wasent the olympics this past summer...
from about 1 month ago
But that's all Caroll can do, is shoot the three. He doesn't do anything else. At least Bogans and Parker are good defenders. Caroll's useful, and depending on the team, I'd have a spot for him as a backup, but I wouldn't take him as a top 30 shooting guard.
With Robinson, that's a very difficult question considering all the circumstances that are involved, like who his teammates will be, whether he'll continue to develop, etc.
He certainly has the athleticism and the talent to be a sparkplug scorer off the bench on a good team, but he'll have to figure out that the simple play is sometimes the best play.
If Robinson's a starter though, he's too impatient, and too much a defensive liability to ever win a championship as a starter.
Pre-olympics, I'd probably rank Wade fourth. The Olympics showed me that he was healthy again, and also reaffirmed how awesome of a finisher he is.
about 1 month ago
good article
about 1 month ago
Where's Brandon Roy? I think you certainly have slipped on that one.
from about 1 month ago
Read the small forward article Sean, and you'll find each of the players you mentioned.
from about 1 month ago
But Roy is a shooting guard...I've seen you say this before and it's just plain not true. I watched most of the Blazers games last year and when he wasn't playing shooting guard, he was playing the point. Look at the depth chart, or ask some fans on a Blazer forum, any of those sources will tell you.
about 1 month ago
Also, where's Rudy Gay?
about 1 month ago
Is Maguette a shooting guard?? Also what postition does Monta fall under, I think it is traditionally point guard, but he seems like more of a shooting guard with his slithering ability, his jumper needs work...Roonie Brewers vertical is one of the best Ive ever seen, but his jumper also needs some polishing....... but solid list nonetheless... :)
from about 1 month ago
With Davis gone, Monta moves over to become Golden State's shooting guard, Stephen Jackson becomes the 2-guard and Maggette becomes Golden State's small forward.
about 1 month ago
Roy is clearly a shooting guard and so is Gay
from about 1 month ago
I may have misranked Roy, but I've already received flak for and defended my reasoning in the small forwards list. If I did rank Roy, how can have him on two lists?
And Gay played a lot of small forward for Memphis last season, with Miller at the 2.
about 1 month ago
sean's right. but still good list i like it.
about 1 month ago
Pretty good list Erick.
about 1 month ago
Good list as always, but I beg to differ on Arenas. Don't forget that the Wizards have seen their greatest success under the Eddie Jordan era with Gilbert Arenas on the floor.
Jamison and Butler see their numbers go up when Arenas is out, but thats not because they were uninspired before and suddenly feel important when Arenas is gone. It's because they have to pick up the slack. Sure their numbers are lower when Arenas is in the game, but so would anyone's when the star and most important player is on the court.
Also, Tmac has never made anyone around him better. Ditto on Joe Johnson and if anything, he's more of a shoot first player than Arenas. Allen is inflated because of this season, otherwise he doesn't play defense either.
So my only grip is Arenas being lower than those mentioned. Otherwise, great stuff.
from about 1 month ago
gripe*
from about 1 month ago
The Wizards also had success last season without Arenas, and weren't appreciably better or worse with him or without him.
I also thought Washington's offense flowed really well when Butler took on more of a role. They gave the ball to Haywood more in the post. They gave Daniels the ball and did more stuff for Butler and Jamison without the ball. Their offense had more continuity.
I think McGrady's a bit more consistent than Arenas, is a better rebounder, and is less reckless. Pretty much the same for Johnson. And while Allen's individual defense comes and goes, he was extraordinary when it mattered the most. I haven't seen Arenas lock down a player in a playoff game yet.
I think Arenas is really talented, but his ego is so huge---he always loves to play around, and he always love to answer challenges personally, forgetting that there are four teammates on the court unless he's driving and dishing. He gets bored with their offense and brakes it off so much.
about 1 month ago
Since you put Areans on the list, I think you should put Iverson here too; they are extremely similar, but Iverson is better. Also, I know he is only a rookie, but I think OJ Mayo should be ahead of at least Rashard McCants.
from about 1 month ago
With Arenas, Antonio Daniels is Washington's starting point guard. Denver's only other point guard on their roster is Chucky Atkins and not only is he not going to start, but he's injured. Iverson has to be Denver's point guard, while J.R. Smith shifts over to the 2-guard.
from about 1 month ago
When Arenas is on the court, Stevenson plays shooting guard and Butler small forward. Daniels and Nick Young come off the bench.
about 1 month ago
I mean Arenas, my bad.
about 1 month ago
It makes me sad that you think Roy is a small forward. In fact, Roy is one of the top 2 combo guards in the league, 2nd only to dwyane wade. Considering Wade is coming back from injury, I would give Roy the nod as the top combo guard in the league.
It is true that Roy will play SOME minutes at the 3 but he will play the bulk of his minutes as the STARTING 2.
I applaud your effort at a legit list, but the league's quickest rising star deserves more credit than being ranked out of position.
I dont understand how you call Kobe a SG and Roy a SF. Roy SHOULD be behind Kobe on this list and next year Roy will take the top spot from Kobe.
about 1 month ago
Mike Miller over Vince Carter??
from about 1 month ago
I am not a Carter guy, and I'm sick of him playing uninspired ball and having little impact on big games. Plus last season his legs disappeared as the season progresses. The elevation he used to have isn't there, and he's not the kind of player who'll use his brain or his toughness to compensate. If he's not going to be running around people, and jumping over them, he's just going to be a volume jump shooter. Miller's more efficient, a better shooter, and a slightly better defender.
about 1 month ago
Carter is so hated now, not by only you, but by some many writers that it's crazy. Carter is a better defender than Miller, and he is a better passer, scorer, and leader as well. I'd give the shooting and rebounding to Miller, but that's about it. Did you watch how he played in the second half of last season? When motavated, VC is a top 5 shooting guard for sure. Other than that, he is at least in the top 10.
from about 1 month ago
Carter doesn't move his feet and he always shies away from screens. The first thing that you look for in a perimeter defender is the willingnes to fight through screens. If you go under, it's a wide open jumper. If you get strung out, it's a mismatch. I saw him play the same way last season as I did early on. Bored, and uninspired. Plus he lost a lot of athleticism. He's never shown up in fourth quarters in the playoffs, and he doesn't bring it every game. Players who go through the motions as much as Carter are stale, lead to losing atmospheres, and subsequently, losing teams.
about 1 month ago
At the risk of sounding extremely bias, you really screwed JR on this one. The guy can do it all on offense(shoot, FT, drive, finish, pass, etc), and isn't any worse on defense than most of those guys. Then again, I guess he still has a lot to prove. I'm sure I will be able to make a STRONG case for him about mid-season. Still, Larry Hughes? Jamal Crawford? Mike Dunleavy???? Ouch...
I also think Carter and Redd are a pretty low, but I guess you gotta make room for the overrated players like T-mac and Ray Allen.
Other than those, this is a pretty good list. As always, interesting stuff.
about 1 month ago
What do you mean when Leron developes a jumper. So What! He's still not going to be better than 30 yr. old Kobe Bryant. LeBron Is Very erratic verry verry. All he can do is dunk. LeBrons current is only 5% better than Kobe's past. They play two different positions so of course LeBron in to have more assists than kobe 1st because he's not better than kobe which he admits. 2ndly because he can't score at will. Kobe's required to shoot more just because he's Kobe. LeBron on the other hand not so much. You guys seem to forget when Kobe was LBJ'S age he was 10x more explosive and athletic than JAMES will ever be. Kobe will forever be the King Laker of B-ball.
about 1 month ago
Hey Blasco, are you going to be compiling a top 50 nba players list after you do the point guards list? Could you also go into more detail about Dwyane Wade and tell me more about him. He is my favorite player.
My personal list:
1. Kobe
2. DWade
3. TMac
4. Manu Ginobli
5. Rip Hamilton
6. Joe Johnson
7. Ray Allen
8. Kevin Martin
9. Jason Richardson
10. Gilbert Aenas
about 1 month ago
It`s a good list but i would include monta ellis , brandon roy and kevin martin and how the hell did jason richardson make the list all he does good is jump.
TATENDA
from about 1 month ago
Erick has Roy listed as a small forward and Martin as at number 10. Richardson actually has a nice jumpshot, in fact as Erick said, he's rock solid in every aspect of his offensive game other than ball-handling (passing is average but he is a sg so that is a bit more palatable than if he played the point.) Although I will say that he is a defensive liability despite his size and strength. As for Monta Ellis, Erick said in his criteria that he is only taking into account how well a player will do this season and Ellis has a serious injury.
about 1 month ago
i know we are both huge fans of manu, but i think the injury he suffered in the olympics might bump him down for this season. no love for the barry family?
about 1 month ago
In my opinion:
Ray Allen > Joe Johnson
Vince Carter > Mike Dunleavy, J-Rich, K-martin..Joe Johnson ... like I know he took a step or two back but he's still a hell of a talent and you're really sleeping on him here,
At 6'10, Durant is a small forward, no matter what anyone else. I'll agree that Gay is a SF as well, but that's debatable. Furthermore, Anthony Parker is not at all a poor athlete as you highlight over and over... he just doesn't get flashy, and when you see how injury-free he's been for the past 2 years V.S the likes of Wade for instance, you can see the logic. Also... Morris Peterson is better in which way? He's a worse defender, worse penetrator, worse athlete, and the worse shooter. He might be a year younger but as a Raptor fan, I seriously can't agree with this claim... other wise, very cool article.
Just think about one thing..
If I create a situation where I can add Vince Carter to star with the Spurs, and then a situation where I can add Mike Dunleavy to the Spurs and have the two teams face eachother in the world of make believe, barring a miracle, do you honestly think Dunleavy's Spurs would win? Seriously?
from about 1 month ago
On the Sonics he played shooting guard with Green/Szczerbiak playing the 3. If Oklahoma plans on playing Green as a small forward, then Durant is Oklahoma City's shooting guard.
With Parker, he rarely is able to stay in front of the quickest wings in the league, and he rarely is able to create his own shot off the bounce, or on the run. Those are two traits that signal a slight lack of athleticism.
If Peterson's a worse defender, he isn't much worse, and is about on par with Parker. He defended the perimeter very well for the Hornets, moves his feet well, is very fundamentally sound, and is both long and strong, two qualities Parker doesn't possess. He's still able to create his own shot better than AP, and he doubles as a reliable shooter.
And yes I do think Dunleavy's Spurs would win. Carter has no idea how to function in a complicated offense, disappears in the clutch, and isn't great at reading defenses then making quick decisions. He'd abandon San Antonio's offensive sets to launch jumper after jumper, and his assist totals would go down because the Spurs wouldn't give him free reign to simply drive then pass. San Antonio's offense isn't that simple.
about 1 month ago
I just noticed this Erick. Good stuff. If you had classified Roy as a shooting guard, where would you have ranked him on your list?
from about 1 month ago
Fifth. I think he has a better floor game than Johnson, better court vision, and is a pure playmaker. The same qualities rate Roy ahead of Allen, who isn't quite as versatile a scorer.
about 1 month ago
Hey Erick, when will you get your point guard rankings up?
from about 1 month ago
Hopefully by Thursday!
about 1 month ago
Dunleavy is WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY too high..He sucks so badly dude..Great list except for him
about 1 month ago
I would place Roy fifth too. I love watching B-Roy. He's never out of control and he makes great decisions. He plays with a maturity far beyond his years.
from about 1 month ago
All major reasons why the Blazers are set to explode within the next handful of seasons.
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