Top 5 Shooting Guards In NBA History
Michael Jordan tops the list of greatest shooting guards of all-time
In an era of positionless basketball, any guard can be shooting guard. All they need is a jump shot and quickness. But when position mattered, there were a handful of great pure shooting guards.
Some honorable mentions are Clyde Drexler, Allen Iverson, George Gervin, and Reggie Miller.
James Harden
Some may disagree with this take but James Harden has earned himself a spot on this list.
He might not be the same player he was before but when he was on the Houston Rockets, he was arguably the greatest scorer in the league. Averaging 29 points a game, he was one of those guys who could score from anywhere on the floor and got to the free throw line at will. But his most known moves were the Euro step and the step-back jumper.
Harden was also known for his ability to stuff up the stat sheet. Along with those 29 points, he averaged six rebounds and seven assists. He is No. 8 on the NBA’s all-time list for triple-doubles with 74.
This was a huge major jump from his days playing as a reserve with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Playing alongside superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, he couldn’t get his opporunity to show how great he really was.
There are some downsides to Harden’s game, though. Like most explosive scorers, he lacks defense. As great as he is, Harden has never made an All-Defensive Team.
He has also been criticized for coming up short in the playoffs. He averages 22 points in the playoffs but when it really matters the most, he disappears. He averages 22 points in elimination games but shoots just 32 percent from the 3-point line. That’s below the standard of a player who is third all-time in 3-pointers made.
Regardless, Harden has set abnormal records in his career.
On Jan. 30, 2018, he became the first player in NBA history to record a 60-point triple-double. He registered 60 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 114-107 victory against the Orlando Magic.
In the 2018-19 season, he scored 30-plus points against every team in the NBA.
Harden has also logged in 19 50-point games and four 60-point games. His best game was during the 2018-19 season. On Jan. 23, 2019, he scored a career-high 61 points to give the Rockets a 114-110 victory against the New York Knicks.
Those were just a few of a handful of records and accomplishments!
CAREER AVERAGES: 24 PPG, 5 RPG, 7 APG
CAREER TOTALS: 24,693 points, 5,648 rebounds, 7,015 assists, 2,754 3-pointers
AWARDS: NBA MVP, 10x NBA All-Star, 6x All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Third Team, NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 3x NBA scoring champion, 2x NBA assists leader, NBA All-Rookie Second Team
Jerry West
“The Logo” himself had to make the list.
Amazingly, a lot of pundits forget how great of an all-around guard Jerry West was. While spending his entire 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, he became a player who could score the ball with the best of them and had elite playmaking skills.
West had a quick jump shot which was always good to have, especially when the defense was tight. He was best known for being a nautral clutch performer. He came through so many times that the NBA recently decided to create the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award in honor of him.
While West’s offense was superior, his defense was great, as well. He possessed long arms which gave him the ability to grab rebounds and easily steal the basketball. Of course, the game was different back when he was playing so his stats may not be equivalent to what he actually did on the court.
To this day, he still holds one of the most rare accomplishments.
In the 1969 NBA Finals, the Lakers lost 4-3 to the Boston Celtics. But due to averaging 37 points, including a 53-point performance, West was named Finals MVP!
It made him the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP, despite being on the losing team.
His greatest performance, however, came near the beginning of his career. On Jan. 17, 1962, West scored a career-high 63 points as the Lakers took a 129-121 victory against the Knicks.
It was one of the five 50-plus point games West recorded in his career.
These are the results of a player who was determined and obsessed with succeeding!
CAREER POINT AVERAGE: 27 PPG
CAREER POINT TOTAL: 25,192 points
AWARDS: NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, 14x NBA All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Second Team, NBA 4x All-Defensive First Team, NBA All-Defensive Second Team, NBA scoring champion, NBA assists leader
Dwyane Wade
One of the greatest two-way guards of all-time.
A lot of people only seen Dwyane Wade play during Miami Heat's “Big Three” era but before that, he was one of the best shooting guards in the league.
He was extremely difficult to defend and plan against. Not only could he score but Wade was one of the best slashers in NBA history, especially in his prime. He always found ways to convert layups through tough traffic and could even dunk on taller defenders (just ask Anderson Varejao). He was clutch even until his last days.
As for his defense, he was one of the best shot blockers at his position. He still holds the record for blocks by a NBA player listed 6’4” and under, which he achieved in only 679 games.
Unfortunately, Wade was one of those players who dealt with injuries for most of his career. Still, it didn’t hold him back. When LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined him in Miami, his body was worn down from injuries. Still, they were able to take over the league.
As stated, most young fans only seen him play once the “Big Three” was established. But he was once an explosive scorer. On Apr. 12, 2009, he erupted for a career-high 55 points as the Heat took a 122-105 victory against the Knicks.
But Wade was also locked down defender.
On Nov. 15, 2013, he recorded a career-high eight steals in a 110-104 victory against the Dallas Mavericks.
CAREER AVERAGES: 22 PPG, 1 SPG
CAREER TOTALS: 23,165 points, 1,620 steals
AWARDS: 3x NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, 13x NBA All-Star, 2x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-NBA Second Team, 3x All-NBA Third Team, 3x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, NBA scoring champion, NBA All-Rookie First Team
Kobe Bryant
This is an obvious choice.
Kobe Bryant was unlike anything we've ever seen. Despite averaging just seven points in his rookie year, he had one of the most remarkable careers in sports history.
Just like many others said; Bryant was the closest thing to Michael Jordan we have ever witnessed. He had the famous fall-away jump shot and even the jab step. But what’s he been credited for the most is his clutch moments.
He’s made the “clutch gene” a huge part of his game. The fadeaway corner 3-pointer against the Portland Trail Blazers and the game-winning 3-pointer against the Heat were just a few.
What Bryant doesn’t get enough credit for was his defense. Unlike most of the modern day players, he rarely forced himself to draw charges. He would rather just defend one-on-one and let his opponent shoot.
The other thing that made Bryant a legendary sports figure was his unusual work ethic. He constantly preached about hard work and it showed on the court. Once he retired and sadly passed away, a ton of interviews went viral of teammates and opponents discussing his work ethic.
It deserved the phrase “Mamba Mentality”.
CAREER AVERAGES: 25 PPG, 1 SPG
CAREER TOTALS: 33,643 points, 1,944 steals, 1,827 3-pointers
AWARDS: 5x NBA champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, NBA MVP, 18x NBA All-Star, 11x All-NBA First Team, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 2x All-NBA Third Team, 9x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 3x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 2x NBA scoring champion
Michael Jordan
Another obvious one.
Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players to ever step on the court. His greatness was exhibited as soon as he threw on that Chicago Bulls jersey.
In his rookie year, he averaged 28 points a game, third behind Bernard King and Larry Bird. But he did lead the league in total points scored with 2,313.
From then on, Jordan inserted himself into the conversation of the greatest scorers ever. When he had the ball in his hands, the defense knew what was coming. He registered 27 50-point games and four 60-point ones.
Absolutely amazing!
Scoring wasn’t the only thing Jordan excelled at. His defense was one another level, as well. He was extremely skilled at blocking shots and pick pocketing ball handlers.
Here’s a fun fact: He recorded 105 games with five-plus steals and 24 games with four-plus blocks!
Jordan showed his all-around athleticism in many games. But his best one was arguably during the 1987-88 season. On Jan. 29, 1988, he recorded 32 points, a career-high 10 steals, and two blocks in a 120-93 victory against the New Jersey Nets.
Jordan was simply amazing.
CAREER AVERAGES: 30 PPG, 6 RPG, 5 APG, 2 SPG
CAREER TOTALS: 32,292 points, 6,672 rebounds, 5,633 assists, 2,514 steals
AWARDS: 6x NBA champion, 6x NBA Finals MVP, 5x NBA MVP, 14x NBA All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Second Team, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 9x NBA All-Defensive First Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 10x NBA scoring champion, 3x NBA steals leader
Cory Nelson is a contributor to Sports Illustrated’s channel “Inside The Heat”. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson and Instagram @ckenzynelson