CBN’s Top 10 Best Shooting Guards in NBA History
There’s no stopping these combo guards when it comes to scoring and stealing.
Shooting guards are an integral part of every league. They score the points and steal the ball on defense to lead their teams to straight wins and, ultimately, championships – all of which heavily ride on their combo skills. That’s why this week is all about the top shooting guards in NBA history. Beginning with #10 and moving on up to the ultimate legends of combo guarding, here are the top 10 best shooting guards in the history of the NBA:
10. Ray Allen
As the number one all-time in three-pointers made, boasting a total of 2,973 during his career – Ray Allen is undoubtedly one of the greatest shooting guards the league has ever laid eyes on. With two titles under his belt, this pure shooter prodigy posted career averages of 18.9 points per game, while shooting 45% overall and 40% from deep.
9. Tracy McGrady
With career averages of 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals, the 6-foot-8 Tracy McGrady is one of the most skilled shooting guards to ever play the game. At his exceptional height with a 7-foot wingspan, McGrady was blessed with the ability to shoot over almost any opponent. Recently, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
8. George Gervin
With his signature finger roll, the cool George “The Iceman” Gervin makes it at #8 on our Top 10 Best Shooting Guards list as one truly unstoppable scorer. Posting career averages of 26.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals, Gervin scored an incredible 20,708 points total during his prolific career in the NBA.
7. James Harden
For some while in 2018-19, James Harden with the signature step-back was averaging 40 points per game in a 29-game run. And since signing with the Houston Rockets in 2012, he’s never made averages below 25.9 points per game – with playoffs averages of 27.6 from 2013 and onwards. Furthermore, Harden and Wilt Chamberlain are the only players to ever record back-to-back games of 55 points or more, with The Beard scoring 57 and 58 points.
6. Allen Iverson
With career averages of 26.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.2 steals, the iconic Allen Iverson may be the shortest shooting guard the league has seen at 6 ft tall – but he was also one of the greatest. Iverson had a knack for creating opportunities for himself and his teammates to score – and for four times in his NBA career, was in the top 10 in assists. This high-powered scorer also led the league in steals three times.
5. Clyde Drexler
At #5 on our Best Shooting Guards in NBA History list, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler was undeniably remarkable – and for being much more than just a gifted scorer. Riding with one of the most successful teams in league history during the mid-1980s to early 1990s, the Portland Trail Blazers, Drexler had career averages of 20.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. He was celebrated as one of the greatest players of his generation when he was named to the Dream Team alongside some of the most legendary.
4. Dwayne Wade
Shooting guard Superstar Dwayne Wade helped the Miami Heat win its first championship after a period of being down 0-2 to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals. During that series, Wade averaged a historic 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. When ESPN listed the greatest NBA Finals performances of all time in 2011, they ranked Wade at No.1. For 10 seasons, this top scorer averaged 20 or more points; leading the league in scoring during the 2008-09 season with a career-high 30.2 points per game.
3. Jerry West
In his 14 robust seasons, Jerry “Mr. Clutch” West scored 20 or more points 13 times, which included four seasons in which he averaged 30.8, 31.0, 31.3 and 31.2 points per game. But the postseason was where West truly caught everyone off guard: averaging an astonishing 40.6 points per game in 11 games and posting series averages of 37.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.4 assists. West carried the Los Angeles Lakers to their 1972 championship, with the team setting a then-NBA record of 69 wins including a 33-game winning streak which, to this day, still stands as the longest winning streak the league has ever seen.
2. Kobe Bryant
Coming in hot at #2 on our Top 10 Best Shooting Guards list, the late Kobe Bryant is undeniably one of the greatest scorers to ever bless the league with his talent. Bryant averaged a career-high of 35.4 points per game during the 2005-06 season – one of the highest scoring averages made by any player, in any era, ever. And with 33,643 points scored across his career, Bryant is the LA Lakers’ all-time leading scorer and third all-time in career scoring, trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. Also, we can’t forget how this NBA legend scored 60 points in the last game of his career at the Staples Center. Rest In Peace, Kobe.
1. Michael Jordan
Finally, at #1 on our Greatest Shooting Guards in NBA History list is arguably the all-time greatest NBA player the franchise has ever been graced with: The man, the legend, Michael Jordan. M.J. boasted incredible career averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, and his 37.1 points per game average during 1986-87 is the highest ever achieved by any player who wasn’t Wilt Chamberlain. And, we can’t forget how this 14x All-Star was also quite the defensive beast – winning the 1988 Defensive Player of the Year with 6 NBA championships also under his belt.And that concludes it! We hope you enjoyed our list of the Top 10 Best Shooting Guards in NBA History who have carried their respective teams to historic heights.