Top NBA Point Guards All-Time and 2022
The point guard position is often the most important when looking at a team's success. Over the course of NBA history, several great point guards have come into the league and completely changed the game as we know it; many of those players find themselves on this list of greatest point guards in NBA history. The next wave of point guards, including the best from this NBA season, look to continue to develop what it means to be a point guard in modern-day basketball.
Greatest Point Guards in NBA History
1. Magic Johnson
- Notable Accolades: 5x NBA Champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 3x NBA MVP, 12x NBA All-Star, 9x All-NBA First Team, 4x NBA Assist Leader, 2x NBA Steals Leader
- Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
Magic Johnson is one of the greatest players to play the game of basketball, period. His unprecedented vision and marvelous passing ability helped lead the Lakers to multiple championships, and possibly several more had he not been forced to retire early due to HIV.
2. John Stockton
- Notable Accolades: 10x NBA All-Star, 2x All-NBA First Team, 5x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 9x NBA Assist Leader, 2x NBA Steals Leader
- Teams: Utah Jazz
John Stockton is the kind of point guard that every basketball player could have dreamed of- his passes were timely and precise, he knew how to control the tempo of the game, and he could lock down opposing guards on the defensive end of the floor. Leading the league in assists for nine seasons says just about everything you need to know about Stockton and why he lands at No. 2 on this list.
- Notable Accolades: 4x NBA Champion, 2x NBA MVP, 8x NBA All-Star, 4x All-NBA First Team, 2x NBA Scoring Champion, 2x NBA Three-Point Contest Champion, 1x 50-40-90 club, NBA all-time three-point leader, NBA Finals MVP
- Teams: Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry is, without a doubt, the greatest shooter to ever touch a basketball. His unprecedented range has changed the way the point guard position (and the game of basketball as a whole, in fact) is played and thought of, which is why he very well could find himself higher up on this list when his career is all said and done.
4. Oscar Robertson
- Notable Accolades: 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 12x NBA All-Star, 9x All-NBA First Team, 6x NBA Assist Leader
- Teams: Cincinnati Royals, Milwaukee Bucks
The Big O was far ahead of his time with his size, speed, and skillset. Over the course of his career, he averaged an incredible 25.7PPG, 7.5RPG, and 9.5APG, and was the first player to ever average a triple-double for an entire season.
5. Allen Iverson
- Notable Accolades: 1x NBA MVP, 11x NBA All-Star, 3x All-NBA First Team, 4x NBA Scoring Champion, 3x NBA Steals Leader
- Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies
A.I. is responsible for some of the most iconic moments in basketball history, as his deadly crossover and unique finishing ability allowed him to dominate the game on the offensive end of the floor. Over the course of his legendary career, The Answer averaged 26.7PPG, 3.7RPG, and 6.2APG, good enough to be considered a top 5 point guard in NBA history.
6. Isiah Thomas
- Notable Accolades: 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 12x NBA All-Star, 3x All-NBA First Team, 1x NBA Assist Leader
- Teams: Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks
Isiah Thomas is the shortest NBA Finals MVP in league history, a testament to just how good he was at the point guard position. His incredible athleticism, paired with his ability to create shots for himself and for his teammates, helped lead the best era of Detroit Piston basketball that we will ever see.
7. Jerry West
- Notable Accolades: 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 14x NBA All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 4x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 1x NBA Scoring Champion, 1x NBA Assist Leader
- Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
Jerry West is among the most competitive players to ever play the game of basketball, and his relentless pursuit of success earned him an All-Star appearance in every single year of his legendary 14-year career. Oh yeah- and the logo.
8. Chris Paul
- Notable Accolades: 12x NBA All-Star, 4x All-NBA First Team, 7x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 5x NBA Assist Leader, 6x NBA Steals Leader
- Teams: New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns
CP3 is beloved by basketball purists for being the last 'true' point guard in the modern-day NBA, as his pass-first mentality and ability to make those around him better is what separates him from everybody else. His greatness can be summed up by this stat: he has lead four different teams to their franchise-best regular season record.
9. Steve Nash
- Notable Accolades: 2x NBA MVP, 8x NBA All-Star, 3x All-NBA First Team, 5x NBA Assist Leader, 4x 50-40-90 club
- Teams: Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks
Steve Nash is the only player to shoot for the 50-40-90 mark while averaging 10 assists per game- and he did it three times. For nine consecutive seasons, Nash facilitated offenses that lead the league in offensive rating, and he himself averaged 14.3PPG, 8.5AST, and shot over 42% from three over his outstanding career.
10. Bob Cousy
- Notable Accolades: 6x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 13x NBA All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 8x NBA Assist Leader
- Teams: Sacramento Kings, Boston Celtics
Bob Cousy is the only guard in NBA history to be named First-Team All-NBA ten seasons in a row, a record that will likely never be broken. His previously unseen passing and ball-handling abilities lead the Celtics to incredible levels of success, all while being one of the shortest players on the court.
Best Point Guards of the 2021-22 NBA Season
2021-22 Stats: 25.5PTS, 5.2REB, 6.3AST, 1.3STL
Steph Curry once again proved why he is the best point guard in the world in 2022. Fresh off of his fourth NBA Championship and first career Finals MVP, look for the superstar point guard to have the Golden State Warriors right back to the top of the standings and in playoff contention in 2023.
2. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
2021-22 Stats: 27.4PTS, 5.7REB, 6.7AST, 1.2STL
Ja Morant is the future of NBA basketball. The Grizzlies' young star took a massive leap this season as a scorer and a passer, and the team's regular season success is only a sign of things to come as they continue to build around their future MVP.
3. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
2021-22 Stats: 28.4PTS, 9.1REB, 8.7AST, 1.2STL
Luka Doncic put together another MVP-caliber season in 2021-22, which is crazy to say about a guy who just turned 23 in February. The young superstar lead his team to the No. 4 overall seed in the Western Conference with his unique style and playmaking ability, something that will only continue to improve as his career unfolds.
4. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
2021-22 Stats: 28.4PTS, 3.7REB, 9.7AST, 0.9STL
It's crazy to think that a player who averaged nearly 30 and 10 would be underrated, but Trae Young never seemed to get the attention he deserved in the regular season. The Hawks have proven that they can win in the postseason, and with a floor general like Young as their best player, the future is bright in Atlanta in the coming years.
5. Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns
2021-22 Stats: 14.7PTS, 4.4REB, 10.8AST, 1.9STL
Chris Paul turned in one of his best all-around seasons at the age of 36, leading the Phoenix Suns to a franchise best 64 wins in the regular season while averaging nearly 11 assists per game.
6. Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets
2021-22 Stats: 27.4PTS, 4.4REB. 5.8AST
When it comes to Kyrie Irving, his best ability is availability, something that was a significant issue last season. The Nets barely managed to make it into the playoffs after trading away James Harden for Ben Simmons, who will join Irving and Kevin Durant as the trio looks to bring winning back to Brooklyn in 2023.
Honorable Mentions
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2021-22 Stats: 21.7 PPG, 3.3REB, 8.6AST
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
- 2021-22 Stats: 24.o PPG, 4.1REB, 7.3AST
Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Lakers
- 2021-22 Stats: 18.5 PPG, 7.4 REB, 7.1AST
Lonzo Ball, Chicago Bulls
- 2021-22 Stats: 13.0 PPG, 5.4REB, 5.1AST