Sports
The Greatest Point Guards in NBA History
List Rules
Only NBA players who played primarily point guard for most of their career
Who are the greatest point guards in NBA history? Certain names stand out, including several players who are definitely among the best NBA players of all time. The best point guards to ever play the game were leaders: they kept their teams in the hunt for championships and kept their opponents at bay.
Vote for the good basketball players that you think deserve the title of best point guards ever, vote down any you don't like and certainly, re-rank this list anyway you want. Anytime you're dealing with a "best ever" list of professional basketball players, you're going to have some disagreement. Everyone, it seems, has an opinion.
Some believe that Magic Johnson is the best point guard to ever grace the hard courts; others might go with John Stockton or even Oscar Robertson. There's absolutely no denying that several players on this list are among the best current point guards in the NBA, and the best 2012 overall NBA players, too. While a player's stats are certainly important, when it comes to the point guard position, it's about way more than that: It's also about a players overall intelligence and being a true leader on the floor. Who did it best? You decide. Who are the best point guards of all time?
Ranked by
- 1Los Angeles Lakers
- Number: 32
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American retired professional basketball player and former president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National ...more - 2Golden State WarriorsWardell Stephen "Steph" Curry II (born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A six-time NBA ...more
- 3Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons
- Number: 1
Allen Ezail Iverson (; born June 7, 1975), nicknamed "the Answer", is an American former professional basketball player. He played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at both the ...more - 4Los Angeles Lakers
- Number: 44
Jerome Alan West (born May 28, 1938) is an American basketball executive and former player. During his active career West played professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball ...more - 5Cincinnati Royals, Milwaukee Bucks
- Number: 1, 14
Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "The Big O", is an American retired professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks. The 6 ft 5 in ...more - 6Detroit Pistons
- Number: 11
Isiah Lord Thomas III (born April 30, 1961) is an American former basketball player who played professionally for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A point guard, the ...more - 7Utah Jazz
- Number: 12
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American retired professional basketball player. He spent his entire NBA career (1984–2003) as a point guard for the Utah Jazz, and the team made the ...more - 8New Orleans Pelicans, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers
- Number: 3
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has won the NBA Rookie of the Year ...more - 9Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle Supersonics
- Number: 20
Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American retired professional basketball player. He started at the point guard position. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle ...more - 10Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets
- Number: 5
Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association ...more - 11Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics
- Number: 44
Peter Press Maravich (June 22, 1947 – January 5, 1988), known by his nickname Pistol Pete, was an American professional basketball player. Maravich was born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, part of the ...more - 12Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks
- Number: 10
Walter "Clyde" Frazier (born March 29, 1945) is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association. As their floor general, he led the New York Knicks to the franchise's only ...more - 13Cincinnati Royals, Boston Celtics
- Number: 14
Robert Joseph Cousy (, born August 9, 1928) is an American retired professional basketball player. Cousy played point guard with the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963, and briefly with the Cincinnati ...more - 14Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, New York Knicks
- Number: 1
Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway (born July 18, 1971) is an American college basketball coach for the Memphis Tigers and a former professional player. Hardaway played in the National Basketball ...more - 15Portland Trail BlazersDamian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college ...more
- 16Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat
- Number: 10
Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr. (born September 1, 1966) is an American retired basketball player. At 6 ft (1.83 m) tall, he was best known for his crossover dribble which was dubbed the "UTEP Two-step" ...more - 17Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers
- Number: 10
Stephen John Nash OC OBC (born 7 February 1974) is a Canadian professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ...more - 18Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
- Number: 2
Kyrie Andrew Irving (born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named NBA Rookie of the Year after ...more - 19Oklahoma City Thunder
- Number: 0
Russell Westbrook III (born November 12, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a nine-time NBA All-Star ...more - 20Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Number: 1
Chauncey Ray Billups (born September 25, 1976) is retired American professional basketball player. He played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A star at the University of ...more - 21San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets
- Number: 9
William Anthony Parker Jr. (born 17 May 1982) is a French-American former professional basketball player. The son of a professional basketball player, Parker played for two years for Paris Basket ...more - 22Los Angeles Lakers
- Number: 24
Kobe Bean Bryant (August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Los ...more - 23Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, Cleveland CavaliersWilliam Mark Price (born February 15, 1964) is an American former basketball player and coach. He was most recently the head coach of the UNC Charlotte 49ers. As a player, he played for 12 seasons in ...more
- 24New York Knicks, Baltimore Bullets
- Number: 15
Vernon Earl Monroe (born November 21, 1944) is an American retired professional basketball player. He played for two teams, the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks, during his career in the ...more - 25Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Number: 1
Derrick Martell Rose (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college ...more
