NBA: Top Five Shooting Guards

This is article two in the series of top five rankings. Like the point guard position, there are two elite shooting guards, and then some very good ones. As usual, debate is welcome and encouraged, so feel free to disagree!

For part one, check out "NBA: Top Five Point Guards."

For part three, check out "NBA: Top Five Small Forwards."

Honorable Mentions

Manu Ginobili

Manu Ginobili can still show spurts of the great player that he once was, but he has trouble keeping up that production for extended periods of time.

Ray Allen

Like Ginobili, Ray Allen still can bring it every now and again, but has lost a step and isn't quite as productive, though he can still shoot the lights out. Three years ago, both of these would be solidly in the discussion, but now they both miss out.

Kevin Martin

Here is a classic case of a pure scorer. Unfortunately for Kevin Martin, that's all he can do, and that is what keeps him off this list.

5. Stephen Jackson

Yes, Stephen Jackson.

No, I am not crazy.

After being traded to the Bobcats, he produced the rest of the season for Larry Brown, and this is not an example of stats being inflated because of a wide-open offensive system. Is he the best shooting guard in the league? Not even close. But, he does slide nicely into the fifth spot here.

4. Joe Johnson

I could have just as easily put Joe Johnson in third, but in the end I felt he just missed out. Statistically speaking, he seemed to be in a tie with the third place guy, but it came down to which one I would rather build a team around.

3. Brandon Roy

This is who I would rather have. While the statistics show there isn't much difference between Brandon Roy and Johnson, I think that Roy is a better leader and the player I would rather build my team around.

2. Kobe Bryant

I went to write this slide thinking that the person positioned here would not be Kobe Bryant. Then I looked at things a little closer, and realized that last year Kobe was only the second best shooting guard in the league. I was shocked (and judging by this picture, it seems Kobe was perplexed by this too.) That being said, the margin between the top two is just as close as the point guard race, if not closer.

1. Dwyane Wade

I wasn't expecting it either, but when you take a look at the stats, Dwayne Wade had the better year. He scored more per 48, had more assists, and did better on defense, not to mention the fact that he had to carry his team. If Bryant had a bad game, the Lakers could still win the game (see NBA Finals). If Wade had a bad game, the Heat were dead in the water. What do you think? How many of you disagree?