The shooting guard position is stacked with top-end talent, but it is a surprisingly deep position all time as well. Two guards bridge the gap between point guards and wings. They usually need the playmaking knack of a lead-guard but have to be able to score with the best of them. They are also matched up against elite scorers, meaning defense is a must. We decided to rank the top 25 greatest shooting guards of all time. These players dominated competition during their careers and were some of the most influential players to ever play the sport of basketball.
25. Richard Hamilton
Stats: 17.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.8 SPG
Accolades: 3x All-Star
Championships: 1
There were a number of players with similar accolades to Richard Hamilton that were deserving of a spot on this list, but Hamilton gets the edge because of his championship in 2004. His Pistons pulled off one of the best underdog stories ever when the team – without a true superstar – topped the dynasty that was the Los Angeles Lakers. Hamilton is best known for wearing a face mask, but his on-court success is worth discussion as well. Hamilton was a great scorer that could fit alongside anybody.
24. DeMar DeRozan
Stats: 21 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG
Accolades: 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team
Championships: 0
DeMar DeRozan plays shooting guard in an era known for the deep ball, but he is more of a throwback two-guard. DeRozan thrives in the mid-range and is arguably the best mid-range shooter of the 2010s. At 6 foot 6 inches, he uses a variety of pump fakes, jab steps, and fadeaways to get shots up and over defenders inside of the arc. While he lacks some on the defensive end, his shot-making ability has made him one of the most clutch players of his era. He has been a focal point at all three of his stops in the NBA, and at 34 years old, he has room to rise even higher on this list.
23. Earl Monroe
Stats: 18.8 PPG, 3 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1 SPG
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team, 1968 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 1
Earl “The Pearl” Monroe formed one-half of one of the best backcourts in NBA history as a teammate to Walt Frazier on the New York Knicks. Monroe was a smooth player with an impressive skill set. He could dribble like a point guard but was still one of the best jump shooters in the NBA. Definitely one of the greatest shooting guards.
22. Joe Johnson
Stats: 16 PPG, 4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 0.8 SPG
Accolades: 7x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team
Championships: 0
“Iso” Joe Johnson's nickname speaks for itself. Johnson may not have had the career of a Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James, but he is right up there with those megastars when it comes to an ability to be clutch. He is only behind Jordan and is tied for second all-time with Bryant and James when it comes to career game-winners, with eight over his 19-year-long career. If you gave Johnson the ball in isolation, he could go get you a bucket on anyone. Johnson was never the number one option on a championship team, but throughout his career, he was a reliable scorer who had an innate ability to hit the toughest of shots.
21. Mitch Richmond
Stats: 21 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG
Accolades: 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Team, 1989 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 1
Mitch Richmond had a lot of different eras in his NBA career. He started off as a member of the high-scoring trio “Run TMC” with the Golden State Warriors. He then became a perennial All-Star with the Sacramento Kings, and in the twilight years of his career, he was able to collect a championship ring while on the Los Angeles Lakers. Richmond was always one of the best pure shooters in the NBA.
20. Sidney Moncrief
Stats: 15.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.2 SPG
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Team, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 5x All-Defensive Team
Championships: 0
When you think of the greatest shooting guards, you often think of jump shooting and offense, but Sidney Moncrief is one of the best defensive players of all time, regardless of position. The Bucks' guard won the inaugural Defensive Player of the Year award in 1983, and then he won it again the following year. He did this during an era that was dominated by centers as franchise cornerstones. Moncrief remains the only guard to win DPOY twice. Moncrief's defense was suffocating, and he did this while remaining the number one option for the Bucks on offense.
19. Manu Ginobili
Stats: 13.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team, 2008 Sixth Man of the Year
Championships: 4
The San Antonio Spurs were known for their team-first style of play and attitude, so it makes sense that Manu Ginobili was receptive to coming off of the bench for the dynasty. It worked out for the shooting guard, as Ginobili went down as arguably the best sixth man in NBA history. Ginobili's overall stats don't jump off the page, but he was a key cog in a system that knew how to win, as evidenced by Ginobili's four championship victories alongside legends like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Kawhi Leonard. Ginobili is credited with being the player to popularize the euro-step in the NBA game, a move that has become a necessity for guards in the modern league.
18. Joe Dumars
Stats: 16.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 4.5 APG, 0.9 SPG
Accolades: 1989 FMVP, 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team, 5x All-Defensive Team
Championships: 2
A lifelong Detroit Piston, Dumars is one of the most important players to a storied franchise. Dumars was a key piece to the legendary Bad Boy Pistons teams that won two championships during a time that Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird were all in the league. Dumars could lock down the opposing team's best guards and then go get it done on the other end as well. He always turned it up a notch come playoffs. Dumars is also a severely underrated playmaker.
17. David Thompson
Stats: 22.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1 APG
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 1x ABA All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team, 1x All-ABA Team, 1976 ABA Rookie of the Year
Championships:
When you are Michael Jordan's hero, you know you did some things right. Thompson was a freak athlete and one of the best players to come to the NBA from the ABA. Thompson was appropriately nicknamed “Skywalker” because he was one of the best aerial players in the history of basketball. The shooting guard eventually became a Hall of Famer, but he never lived up to how good he could have been. He struggled with drug addiction, and his career only lasted nine seasons between the NBA and the ABA because of it.
16. Hal Greer
Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5 RPG, 4 APG
Accolades: 10x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team
Championships: 1
Hal Greer is perhaps the most underrated and the least well-known shooting guard legend of all time, but he had a hell of a career playing for the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers. At the time of his retirement, he was the all-time leader in games played, and it led to a lot of scoring production. Greer is currently 40th all-time in scoring, with 21,586 career points. He deserves a spot on this list of the greatest shooting guards.
15. Sam Jones
Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.5 APG
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team
Championships: 10
A key piece on arguably the greatest dynasty ever, Sam Jones is one of the game's best mid-range shooters ever. Jones knew how to win, and his 10 victories in the NBA Finals are the second most ever. Jones was a primary scoring option for the '60s Celtics and one of the best players in the early days of the NBA. His playstyle was instrumental in influencing the generations of basketball players to follow. Often called “Mr. Clutch” because of his ability to show up in the big moments, Jones is best known for having one of the greatest bank shots in NBA history.
14. Pete Maravich
Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.4 SPG
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team, 1977 scoring champion
Championships: 0
Pistol Pete Maravich completely revolutionized the game. He was doing things with the basketball that players hadn't done for years. Maravich was an exceptional ball handler and could utilize a variety of combo and trick moves to fool defenders. His behind-the-back passes and between-the-legs dribbling were unheard-of moves at the time of his playing days. Maravich is also the most prolific scorer in NCAA history. That scoring translated to the NBA level, and Pistol was shooting (and making) shots from well behind the three-point line before the three-point line was even invented. Maravich had all the talent in the world, but he isn't higher on this list because he only played 10 NBA seasons due to injuries late in his career.
13. Reggie Miller
Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3 RPG, 3 APG, 1.1 SPG
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team
Championships: 0
The game's first great three-point shooter. Reggie Miller connected on 2,560 shots from behind the arc in his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers. While Miller's path to championship success was always blocked by the presence of Michael Jordan in the '90s, Miller was still a part of so many iconic moments in the decade, including The Choke Heard Around the World in Miller's Eastern Conference Finals battle against the New York Knicks. Miller did make it to the NBA Finals in 2000, where he averaged 24.3 points per game in a 4-2 series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Miller is also a part of the 50-40-90 club.
12. Vince Carter
Stats: 16.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1 SPG
Accolades: 8x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team, 1999 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 0
Vince Carter is one of the best leapers in the history of the sport. During his time with the Toronto Raptors, Air Canada was arguably the best dunker the game has ever seen. Usually, a freak athlete like this regresses when their athleticism declines, but that was not the case with Carter. Vinsanity went on to have a 22-year-long career, a feat no other NBA player has accomplished. While being known for his dunking, Carter also turned into a lethal shooter. His 2,290 three-point makes rank seventh all-time, not bad for a “dunker.”
11. Tracy McGrady
Stats: 19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.2 SPG
Accolades: 7x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team, 2x scoring champion, 2001 Most Improved Player
Championships: 0
The cousin of Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, barely has his relative and former teammate beat on this list. McGrady was one of the best pure scorers in the history of the NBA, and he was only slowed down by the injury bug. McGrady's scoring prowess was perhaps best on display when he scored 13 points in 33 seconds to come back from an eight-point deficit at the end of the fourth quarter.
10. Ray Allen
Stats: 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 SPG
Accolades: 10x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team
Championships: 2
The shooting guard position is a position known for jump shooting, and a lot of people think of Ray Allen when they think of jump shooting. The two guard had a pure jump shot with great elevation that was impossible to contest. This was on full display when he hit the game-tying shot to force overtime in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. That shot came late in Allen's career when he was only a role player, but he had a long career before that being “the guy.” Allen was an All-Star three times with the Milwaukee Bucks. His athleticism and slashing was underrated during this time. He then went to four All-Star games as a member of the Seattle Supersonics. Allen went to another three All-Star games as a member of the Boston Celtics big three. While Allen retired as the all-time three-point leader, he spent a good chunk of his career as much more than just a shooter.
9. George Gervin
Stats: 25.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.2 SPG
Accolades: 9x NBA All-Star, 3x ABA All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team, 2x All-ABA Team, 4x scoring champion
Championships: 0
The Iceman is one of the most underrated scorers in NBA history. Only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain have won more scoring titles than George Gervin. Gervin is best known for the finger roll, but he could score in a variety of ways. His shooting touch around the rim was special for a guard/wing.
8. Klay Thompson
Stats: 19.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.9 SPG
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team, 1x All-Defensive Team
Championships: 4
Klay Thompson is one of the greatest pure shooters the league has ever seen. He is a part of the Golden State Warriors “Splash Brothers,” and he and backcourt mate Steph Curry have created one of the most unstoppable offensive teams ever. The Warriors became a legit dynasty when they won their fourth ring in the Steph and Klay era. In the early parts of the era, Thompson was an elite two-way player. While he has lost some of that defensive prowess post injuries, he is still a lethal shooter. While he was always second fiddle to Curry – or third when Kevin Durant was on the team – Thompson has numerous career highlights of his own. Thompson once scored an NBA record 37 points in one quarter. The shooting guard once held the record for playoff three-point makes with 11. He even scored 60 points off of only 11 dribbles, illustrating how deadly he was as a catch-and-shoot player.
7. Clyde Drexler
Stats: 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.0 SPG
Accolades: 10x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Team
Championships: 1
Clyde Drexler spent over a decade carrying the Portland Trail Blazers. He was a high-flyer and had a great mid-range game. In his later playing days, he won a championship with the Houston Rockets. Lost in history because of his ability to soar through the air, Clyde the Glide was a very versatile player. He was a good defensive player and an underrated playmaker, and it made him one of the greatest shooting guards ever.
6. Allen Iverson
Stats: 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 2.2 SPG
Accolades: 2001 MVP, 11x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team, 1997 Rookie of the Year, 4x scoring leader, 3x scoring leader,
Championships: 0
Allen Iverson is one of the most iconic players in NBA history, and while he may not be the best player to ever lace them up, he is certainly one of the most influential players ever. Iverson's playstyle and what he brought to the NBA culture forever changed the game of basketball. From crossing up Michael Jordan to stepping over Tyronn Lue, Iverson played with a rare swagger for a player of his stature, and it led to many memorable moments. Even though he was six feet tall at best, Iverson was a giant slayer who could score on anyone. He played with the heart of a lion and wasn't afraid to go at anybody.
5. Jerry West
Stats: 27 PPG, 5.8, 6.7 APG, 2.6 SPG
Accolades: 1969 FMVP, 14x All-Star, 12x All-NBA Team, 5x All-Defensive Team, 1970 scoring champion, 1972 assists leader
Championships: 1
A pioneer for the shooting guard position, Jerry West's success at the two-guard landed him on the NBA logo. West won the first-ever Finals MVP, and he remains the only player to win that award in a losing effort. That goes to show you how impressive he was as an individual. West was able to capture that coveted championship in 1972, completing an impressive NBA resume. West got it done during his entire NBA career. He is one of five players to be an All-Star in every year of their career. As a perennial All-Defensive candidate, West was one of the rare players who was elite on both sides of the ball.
4. James Harden
Stats: 24.7 PPG, 5.6 APG, 7 APG, 1.5 SPG
Accolades: 2018 MVP, 10x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team, 2012 Sixth Man of the Year, 3x scoring champion, 2x assists leader
Championships: 0
In his early days, James Harden came off the bench for one of the brightest young teams in the NBA on the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the prime of his career, Harden was one of the most dominant scorers in NBA history. In his later days, Harden transitioned to becoming a premier passer. Regardless of how he did it, Harden has always dominated with the ball in his hands, and he is one of the most heliocentric superstars in NBA history. His 36.1 points per game in 2018-19 are the most ever for anyone not named Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan.
3. Dwyane Wade
Stats: 22 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.5 SPG
Accolades: 2006 FMVP, 13x All-Star, 8x All-NBA Team, 3x All-Defensive Team, 2009 scoring champion
Championships: 3
Dwayne Wade proved he could do it all himself, taking a lackluster Heat roster to glory in only his third season in the league. Later on, Wade went on to form a big three with LeBron James and Chris Bosh that would popularize super teams going forward. Nicknamed Flash, Wade was a freak athlete with blazing speed. Never a great shooter, Wade dominated by being an elite slasher. He earns the No. 3 spot as greatest shooting guards ever.
2. Kobe Bryant
Stats: 25 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG
Accolades: 2x FMVP, 2008 MVP, 18x All-Star, 15x All-NBA Team, 12x All-Defensive Team, 2x scoring champion
Championships: 5
Kobe Bryant modeled his game after Michael Jordan, and it clearly paid off. Like Jordan, Bryant thrived with his back to the basket, and he would get it done on the other end as well. His three-point shooting was better than that of Jordan's, and Bryant's desire to win was unmatched. The mamba mentality will forever be what we look up to when it comes to hard work and determination. Bryant's memorable moments are endless, and he is one of the greats regardless of position.
1. Michael Jordan
Stats: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG
Accolades: 6x FMVP, 5x MVP, 14x All-Star, 11x All-NBA Team, 1988 Defensive Player of the Year, 9x All-Defensive Team, 1985 Rookie of the Year, 10x scoring champion, 3x steals leader,
Championships: 6
The name everyone expected at the top of this list. Michael Jordan is not only the greatest shooting guard ever, but he is the greatest player overall in the history of basketball. Jordan somehow led the league in scoring in 10 straight years that he played in and he did it while having the most appearances of anyone ever on the All-Defensive First Team. Offensively, no one could stop Jordan. He is an all-time dunker, finisher, and mid-range shooter. His fadeaway was unguardable, and he even held the Finals record for three-pointers in a half at one point. On top of all of that, Jordan is the most clutch player in NBA history. He did all of that while playing lockdown defense on the other end. It led to six straight championships in which Jordan played the full season, and arguably the greatest dynasty in NBA history.
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