The Top 10 NBA Shooting Guards of All Time

I placed four shooting guards in the top-25 in my article "Who are the 25 Greatest Basketball Players of All-time."  Here are their rankings and what I wrote about each of them:

One last couple of things to justify Jordan as the best player of all time.  As I pointed out with Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan (30.1 ppg (highest all-time), .497 FG%, .327 3pFG%, 6.2 rpg, 5.3 apg, 2.35 spg (3rd highest all-time), .83 bpg) was clearly the best player in the league for much of his career. 

Until Jordan came around, no player had won a MVP award after the age of 31.  Jordan won two after the age of 31, the last being when he was 35, in what should have been his final season. 

In a sport that involves major use of your legs, this is very impressive.  Also, personally, I think Jordan deserved 10 MVP awards, not five, but I did not do the voting.  I also think he would have won at least nine championships in a row had he not retired twice when he did.

Jordan was an excellent ballhandler, rebounder (for a guard), and passer.  He was also unbelievably clutch and his will to win and competitiveness are legendary.

He was blessed with the most athletic ability in the history of the NBA, and more importantly, he made the most of it through hard work and determination.

 He was an unstoppable offensive force who could score in an almost limitless number of ways.  His dunks and creative moves to the basket were breath-taking. 

He came into the league with a questionable jumper and left with the best 16- to 20-foot jump shot the league had ever seen.  He was a good, but not a great three-point shooter (I think his .327% would have been higher if he did not take so many bail-out shots; ditto for Bird).

In the second half of his career he dunked and drove less and developed a low post game, which included an unstoppable turnaround fade-away jumper. 

I got the impression when watching Jordan (from when he hit his prime until the end of his second retirement and championship run) that he was head and tails above everyone else on the court and was just letting the game come to him in the first three quarters of the game. 

Then, even people in the North Pole knew what was going to happen:  Jordan was going take over the game, offensively AND defensively, and, almost at will, find a way for the Bulls to win. 

No other player I watched came close to making me feel that way.  Yes, a perfect basketball player if there ever was one.  And clearly, as of June 2007, the greatest basketball player ever.

8.  Kobe Bryant (25.1 ppg, .455 FG%, .341 3pt FG%, .840.FT%, 5.3 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.5 spg).  Eerily similar to Jordan offensively with more range on his jumper, but worse shot selection.  He is also an excellent defender. 

The best individual player in the league so far this Century, but until the 2005-06 playoffs and the 2007-08 season showed little ability to make his teammates better. 

Has three NBA Titles, zero Finals appearances, and one regular season MVP (perhaps unfairly).  Only 30, so he still has a chance to prove himself.

9.  Jerry West (27.0 ppg, .474 FG%, .814 FT%, 6.7 apg, 5.8 rpg ).  "Mr Clutch" won one championship (losing in the finals a heart-wrenching eight times), zero MVPs, 10-time All-NBA first team, 29.1 ppg in the playoffs (third highest all-time).  Great all-around player.  Deadly jump shooter and tenacious defender.

24.  George Gervin (26.2 ppg, .511 FG%, .297 3pFG%, .844 FT%, 4.6 rpg, 2.8 apg) "The Iceman" had zero titles, zero MVPs (came in second twice), and 5-time All-NBA first team. A phenomenal scorer (four scoring titles behind only Jordan and Wilt) known for his silky-smooth jump shot and his patented finger-roll.

Hence, my top-10 all-time shooting guards are: 

1. Michael Jordan

2. Kobe Bryant

3. Jerry West

4. George Gervin

5. Clyde Drexler 

6. Pete Maravich

7. Allen Iverson

8. Reggie Miller

9. Earl Monroe

10. Joe Dumars

Who are your all-time top NBA shooting guards?