Perhaps even more important than his skills, which are many, is his youth. He is only in his third year. It will be fun to watch the development of his career and his rivalry with the next young guard on this list.
4. Deron Williams (Utah Jazz)
Another great young point guard, Williams' efficiency in the pick and roll with his favorite target, Carlos Boozer, has received high praise and has been compared to another great Jazz duo: Stockton and Malone.
His size allows him to post up smaller guards such as Steve Nash or Tony Parker, which draws double teams and opens up teammates. His clutch play in last year's playoffs, only his second season, led the Jazz all the way to the conference finals where they lost in six games to the eventual champions (Spurs).
5. Baron Davis (Golden State Warriors)
Baron Davis is one of the most underrated guards in the NBA, single-handedly leading the Warriors. His clutch shooting, great transitional game, post moves, and exquisite passing make the Warriors a playoff team in a tough Western Conference.
Last year, his dominance of the smaller Dallas guards, Terry and Harris, helped Golden State upset the top-seeded Mavs in six games. The Warriors would eventually lose to a Jazz team led by the aforementioned Deron Williams, but not before they greatly exceeded their season's goals thanks to the clutch play of Baron Davis.
6. Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)
It isn't a fluke that Parker is the starting point guard on the best team in the league over the last seven to eight years. His lightning speed, consistent penetration, and uncanny finishing ability have him leading the league in points in the paint over the last two seasons.
His three-pt shooting is questionable, but his interior game and mid-range jumper easily compensate. His consistent ability to feed Duncan the ball in situations favorable to scoring makes the Spurs the most balanced team in the league. His clutch play and wise decision-making made him the MVP of last year's championship team. His consistency has earned the respect of the entire league, including my No. 7 guard.
7. Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons)
Chaunce Billups is a great all-around guard. He is an excellent defender, a clutch shooter, a crafty ball-handler, and an opportunistic passer. Not enough can be said about Billups' clutch shooting. His elevated play has had the Pistons atop the Eastern Conference for several years. He anchors what is arguably the best starting five in the league.
8. Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics)
The entire offseason was filled with speculation about how good the Big Three of Boston—Garnett, Allen, and Peirce—could be. Three unselfish stars with immense skills. What nobody talked about was how difficult it would be for a point guard to come in and distribute the ball evenly among the three without completely neglecting himself and the center.
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