WOLFGANGSPORT

Discount

Top 10 Best Shooting Guards of All Time

best shooting guards all time

Who are the best shooting guards of all time? It’s a position that has the main objective of putting up points on offense, and stealing the ball back on defense.

Best Shooting Guards of All Time

Also known as the two, two guard or off guard, we’ve come up with a list of the ten best shooting guards of all time who played it as their primary position.

10. Klay Thompson

It’s easy to overlook Klay Thompson’s ability and contribution as a player given that he’s never been the best player on his team. Thompson is one of the best shooting guards of all time, one of the greatest shooters ever, and a reliable defender without question. 

He has one of the most impressive resumes as a five-time All-Star, and a four-time NBA champion. Thompson has arguably the most effective jump shot in history, and when he’s on a streak, he’s literally unplayable. 

9. Earl Monroe

Earl Monroe was drafted in 1967 and was one of the first known combo guards, meaning he could run the offense and also shoot the ball.

“The Pearl”, was a showman and was one of the most creative and crafty scorers in the game. He formed a formidable back-court duo with Walt Frazier, similar to the modern day combo of Curry and Thompson.

Monroe is one of the best shooting guards of all time and he did it in style. He had a repertoire of crossovers and spins that left defenders in his wake. He averaged 18.8 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 3.0 RPG, was a four-time All-Star, an All-NBA selection (1968-69), and earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1968.

8. George Gervin

George Gervin was a player that made everything look effortlessness. He’s one of the greatest scorers of all time and was almost unstoppable during his decade-long career in the NBA. He was a nine-time All-Star and earned All-NBA selection seven times.

During his 10-year NBA career he averaged 26.2 points per game and won the scoring titles four times. Only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan have won more scoring titles than Gervin. 

7. Ray Allen

The former all-time leader in 3-pointers scored, Ray Allen, is undoubtedly one of the best shooting guards of all time. Not only was he famous for his overarching shots, but his off-the-ball technique and posterizing ability made him a superstar.

Allen had a well-rounded game thanks to his insane workout routine which included shooting thousands upon thousands of jumpers in the gym.

He hit one of the biggest shots in NBA history in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals to turn the tide in the series, and helped the Heat win the championship. Allen was a two-time NBA champion, a 10-time All-Star, and earned All-NBA selection twice.

6. Reggie Miller

One of the greatest single NBA franchise players and best NBA players never to win a championship, Reggie Miller was remarkable to say the least.

The “Knicks Killer” was an efficient and crafty scorer, and he had a killer instinct with almost unlimited range that made him one of the best shooting guards of all time. Miller led the Pacers to the playoffs 15 times, including six Eastern Conference Finals and one NBA Finals appearance.

Rather than relying on volume shooting like many others, Miller relied on efficiency, finishing his career with 18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, and shooting a .395 3PT%. He was a five-time All-Star and earned three-time All-NBA selection. 

5. Clyde Drexler

Clyde Drexler is an athlete of immense ability that many overlook largely due to the misfortune of playing in the same era as Michael Jordan. Nevertheless, Drexler was so good that he did earn himself a few comparisons to Michael Jordan at times and was one of his biggest rivals.

Drexler had an above-the-rim game like MJ, was an incredible mid-range shooter, and complete with a solid defensive game. He almost led the Blazers to the 1992 Championship, failing just short to Jordan’s Bulls.

In his 15-year career Drexler never missed the postseason, eventually winning a championship in 1995 as the second-best player on Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets. He had a career average of 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.0 SPG, and was a 10-time All-Star, earning himself All-NBA selection five times.

4. Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade had phenomenal ability on either end of the floor. The 6-foot-4 Chicago native could do just about anything on the court. He led the Heat to their first NBA title in franchise history in 2006, and was a critical piece with his shooting and defense in Miami’s 2012 and 2013 Championship run.

His three-point game wasn’t that great, but his dribbling technique, his maneuvers across the floor and his intelligent play helped Wade to become one of the best shooting guards of all time.

Wade’s honors include three NBA Championships, 2006 Finals MVP, 11-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-D selection, and NBA scoring champion for the 2008-09 season.

3. Jerry West

Jerry West isn’t just the third best shooting guard of all time: he’s the silhouette of the NBA logo. He could score and dish dimes as well as any of today’s modern players. With access to what athletes have today it’s scary to think of the ceiling he could’ve had.

He averaged an incredible 27.0 PPG, 6.7 APG, 2.6 SPG, and all with a .474 FG%. West was a 4-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-Defense selection and a finals MVP in 1972.

West has the phenomenal record of being an NBA All-Star in all 14 seasons of his career. He made the NBA Finals nine times but won only once, becoming 1972 NBA champions with the Lakers, whom he spent his entire 14-year career with.

2. Kobe Bryant

Kobe is without a doubt one of the best shooting guards of all time. He had an impressive career becoming a five-time NBA Champion, two-time Finals MVP, 17-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA selection, two-time NBA scoring champion, and an MVP title in 2008.

The late, great Kobe, left a legacy like no other in his 18-year career with the Lakers. There’s only a couple of other players in history that have had the electrifying ability, the drive, and composure to make an impact like Kobe did. He always seemed to come up clutch, and did it all with an unmatched level of charisma.

Kobe knew he was going to make it to the NBA when he was in the 8th grade. And despite his long career, Kobe was ageless, averaging 25.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.8 APG, on .449 FG%. He’s undoubtedly one of the greatest scorers we’ve ever seen, and only one player has the ability to stop him from being number one. 

1. Michael Jordan

Who else was going to be number one? There’s no doubt Michael Jordan is the best shooting guard of all time.

From leading the NBA in scoring, to winning championships, “His Airness” could do it all. No player ever has been better than him as a shooting guard. In fact, many people have him as the greatest player of all time.

Jordan’s honors include six NBA Championships, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, a 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, nine-time All-Defensive selection, 10-time NBA scoring champion, Defensive Player of the Year in 1988 and Rookie of the Year in 1985.

There aren’t any words that can give justice to the impact he had on the NBA. He transformed the league into a global beheamouth on the back of his power, speed and competitiveness. He’s far beyond the level of what we’d call a superstar, whatever that may be. 

Matt Ieriko

Matt Ieriko is a freelance writer who’s evolved his lifelong passion for sport into the creation of WolfgangSport.com in 2020 – an American sports blog covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and more. As an Australian, he’s always been fascinated with the cultural differences and global significance of sports in America.

Leave a Reply