With the rapid evolution of the game in the past few decades, NBA guards are being asked to do more than ever. As opposed to their traditional defensive, ball-moving roles, PGs are now asked to score the basketball on a nightly basis. Other than Lonzo Ball and Rajon Rondo, there really are no pass-first point guards in today’s NBA. With that said, here’s the construction of the perfect '1' (from current NBA players):
1. Steph Curry’s Shooting
This one goes without saying and is pretty self-explanatory. Curry’s probably the greatest pure shooter of all-time (see Hamsky’s blog about the 10 prettiest jump shots in the NBA) and is a threat to put the ball in the bucket from anywhere on the court. Steph is a big reason for the NBA’s recent obsession with the 3-point shot, which he shoots at a career 43.6% clip--good for fourth all-time. Curry is also one of seven members of the coveted 50-40-90 club (50.4 - 45.4 - 90.8 in 2015-2016) and ranks eighth all-time in eFG (effective field goal percentage), the highest mark of any guard. So yeah, Curry’s a pretty good shooter.
2. Kyrie Irving’s Handles & Finishing
Kyrie’s remarkable ability to make acrobatic finishes while suspended in midair (usually after he undresses some poor defender) is just one part of what puts him on this list. There’s truly nobody better at finding a way to spin the ball over the rim while in tight. Whether Irving or Curry has the best handles in the NBA was a hotly-debated topic a few seasons ago, but consensus says that Kyrie has taken the cake in that metric. There are no real statistical measures for ball-handling ability, but the eye test does quite enough. It often appears that Kyrie has the ball on a string, dangling it in front of defenders before slipping it between their legs or pirouetting around them and to the hoop.
3. Chris Paul’s Defense
A 9x All-Star and 8x All-NBA, Chris Paul is an all-time great. As exceptional of a passer as Paul is (4x assist champ), his defense is arguably his greatest skill. CP3 has been the model of consistency on the defensive side of the ball, making the All-Defensive Team in 9 of his 13 seasons. He’s also held the steals crown on 6 different occasions, and it's safe to say that his defense has been a big part of the Rockets’ success this season. Despite standing just 6’, Paul is impressively capable of d'ing up larger opponents. His footwork and hands are what set him apart from other NBA guards, but unfortunately for Paul, the NBA DPOY is generally awarded to bigger players (no guard has won the honor since Gary Payton did it in ‘95-’96). Enjoy Paul’s unbelievable defense above.
4. Russell Westbrook’s Athleticism
It’s safe to say Russ is a freak of nature; his combination of vertical leap, deceptive quickness, and ferocious strength is second to none. While critics accuse Westbrook of being a stat-stuffer, the numbers demonstrate how talented he is across the board. 2017-2018 marks the second consecutive season that Westbrook has averaged a triple-double, a feat never before accomplished in the history of professional basketball. His speed and power to the rack make him an unwelcome sight for any defender standing in the restricted area as he drives to the bucket. It seems that every other night we’re treated to another rim-punishing dunk courtesy of Russell Westbrook.
5. Rajon Rondo’s Passing
Some would vouch for Chris Paul’s passing instead, but I’m of the mind that Rondo is a truly elite ball-moving PG when he gives a crap (i.e. in the playoffs). Rondo is a 3x NBA assist leader and averages 9.2 per game in the postseason. Anyone who was a Celtics fan in the Pierce-Garnett-Allen-Rondo heyday remembers the jaw-dropping, behind-the-back dishes that Rondo made on a nightly basis. Consider too that Rondo averaged 11.7 APG in two separate regular seasons, a mark that Chris Paul has never hit in his career. Maybe I’m just a Celtics homer, but I’ll take the pass-first PG over the shoot-first one when I’m looking for pure passing ability.
(Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference)
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