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Continuing my top ten lists with the point guards, again the criteria is longevity, influence on the game, accomplishments, and how they played their position pretty forward approach so let us get into this list starting with the honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
Gary Payton: One of my personal favorites ever, Gary Payton would be in my top ten favorite point guards ever but when trying to do a respectful, unbiased, and levelheaded all-time list unfortunately the Glove just misses the cut of a list he would have been on maybe three, five, or ten years ago.
Mark Jackson: One of the most consistent point guards I have ever seen, Mark Jackson can certainly make a case to be top ten all time. Jackson certainly is one of the more entertaining color commentators we have had in recent memory and was a respectable coach who helped build the promising Warrior dynasty but just misses the cut.
Tony Parker: Probably France’s greatest basketball export (for now anyway) Tony Parker was one of the best floor generals from mid 2000s to the early 2010s and was a huge part of those many Spurs championship teams that I believe as time goes on his career is more appreciated.
Russell Westbrook: While I am not a fan of his play at the position, Russell Westbrook is without question one of the most explosive athletes to ever play basketball that we will ever see. Westbrook’s 2016-2017 MVP season is one of the more historical ones to remember and is one of the best point guards of this generation.
Damian Lillard: The last of my honorable mentions here is Dame Time himself Damian Lillard. Certainly, one of the better clutch performers of this generation, Lillard belongs in the top 75 list and any all-time list. While Lillard is perhaps the greatest Trailblazer of all time but just misses this top ten list by a hair.
Top Ten All-Time
#10 Bob Cousy: The top ten all-time list starts with the Godfather of the position himself Celtic legend Bob Cousy. Unfortunately, like JJ Redick and many others feel, a lot of Cousy’s prime was not in color but it does not take away the generational talent and dominance he had throughout his iconic career in basketball. To put it simply Bob Cousy walked so every great point guard after could run if not fly and belongs in the top ten.
#9 Chris Paul: We go from the godfather of point guards to the point God Chris Paul. Again, if this were my personal favorite top ten list then CP3 would be in my top five, but he is nineth here because of his health and career luck which is one of the more unfortunate cases. Paul is certainly at the end of his decorated career so winning a championship may not be in the cards but even without that Chris Paul is still one of the ten greatest floor generals we have ever seen play.
#8 Walt Frazier: Certainly, the most stylish guy on this list, Walt “Clyde” Frazier certainly was the face of the Knicks for many years and has continued to be the voice of the Knicks for my lifetime. Frazier is one of the greatest defensive point guards in history being the driving force behind the championships the Knicks won in the 1970s has him on this list.
#7 Jason Kidd: Jason Kidd is one of the more complex point guards in NBA history, one of the first bigger, faster, athletic point guards of this generation Kidd was the prototype that many have been shaped after. But it was his one of one court vision that was absolutely remarkable to see, and Kidd is one of the greatest five tool players in history landing him on this list.
#6 John Stockton: We go from one of the flashier point guards of 90s to the most fundamental ones from that era with John Stockton. Being the all-time leader in steals and assists, Stockton is one the fitting example of what a floor general is supposed to be setting one of the many great standards a point guard must follow in basketball today.
#5 Steve Nash: Steve Nash was one of the most innovative creators the game has ever seen, the mid to late 2000s was his canvas much to my dislike back then (laughs) the older I have gotten the more I understand my dislike for those Suns teams was more about the coach and not the players which force me to reevaluate Nash’s career properly.
Unfortunately, Nash’s great career lacks a championship and a case of bad luck health wise with some back issues probably prevented us from if Nash had another level to go to but his influence is undeniable in today’s game especially for the promising crop of Canadian talent in NBA like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, and others only solidifies Nash as the greatest player in Canadian history as well as a top five all-time point guard ever.
#4 Isaiah Thomas: One of the greatest little men to play this game we have ever seen; Isaiah Thomas absolutely belongs on any top ten if not top five list of any sort regarding point guards. Thomas was unbelievable to watch during his career dare I say the blueprint of what Kyrie Irving aspires to be, a dominant force during the highly competitive 80s leading the Pistons to back-to-back titles to end the decade is why he was once a top three all-time point guard but top five is just as good for Thomas.
#3 Stephen Curry: My number three all-time point guard was the toughest one to decide on because while he is the face of this generation of players, has changed the game (for better and worse potentially) Stephen Curry belongs in the top five. Curry has lived up to the nickname I have given him “The Gift & The Curse” I went back and forth on him and Thomas at the number three spot where I decided to give the slight nod to Curry who isn’t the great facilitator/passer other point guards were, but his spacing and off-ball movement create opportunities against defenses in a similar fashion.
Curry has the MVPs, the rings, and is the greatest shooter to play the game but he is not the greatest point guard ever but top three is not a bad place to be for the greatest player in warriors’ history.
#2 Oscar Robertson: Another all-time great who is prime of his career is so far removed where it goes unappreciated, the big O Oscar Robertson is one of the greats. Roberton was a triple-double machine throughout his career doing it four straight seasons that included an MVP season for 1963-1964 which is why one of the greatest to play the position.
#1 Magic Johnson: This should not be a surprise and a no brainer who is the number one with Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Magic is the undisputed gold standard of what a point guard is supposed to be, what they are supposed to do, and what a leader looks like. The resume speaks for himself and even with his unfortunate setback of being HIV positive that sidelined him for a while only added to his already incredible legacy making him the greatest point guard ever plain and simple.
