In honor of Chris Paul aka “Cliff Paul” aka “The Point God” making the NBA Finals, it feels like a good time to reshuffle some spots on the all-time point guard list. There are a few things that I take into consideration. Playmaking, scoring ability, defense, competitiveness and longevity. Rings in my opinion are icing on the cake but do not hold as much weight as longevity when comparing floor generals. But first and foremost you have to be able to run the team. Can you set up your teammates and make them better? Can you also say “May I have this dance?” and take over the game scoring if you need to? All these guys fit the description perfectly. As always enjoy and follow me on Twitter @Drizzy_Dru29!!

5) Isiah Thomas

• Two-time NBA champion (one Finals MVP)
• 12-time All-Star ( All-Star MVP twice)
• Five All-NBA teams
• Led league in assists once

Any man that can defeat Michael Jordan in the playoffs more than once is one bad MFer. The best player on the “Bad Boy” Pistons teams in the late 80’s, Thomas’ legacy was one of toughness and grit. Maybe his most defining moment came in 1988. The Pistons made their first Finals in 32 years against a Lakers team led by Magic Johnson. Thomas severely sprained his ankle in game 6, but continued to play through the pain scoring a Finals record 25 points in the third quarter. They didn’t win the Finals that year but would return to the Finals the next two seasons and won the first of back-back championships. His playmaking ability and will to win made him an all-time great. He had a competitive fire that few in his generation could match. Whatever was needed to be done, Isiah Thomas was willing to do it. Thomas ranks fifth all-time averaging 9.26 assists per game for his career and ninth in total career assists.

4) Steph Curry

• Three-time NBA champion
• Seven-time All-Star
• Seven All-NBA teams
• Two MVP awards
• League leader in free throw percentage three times
• League leader in steals once
• League leader in scoring twice
• Apart of 50-40-90 club

Easily the greatest shooter to ever grace a basketball floor. Steph Curry will forever be credited for revolutionizing the game. Teams take more three pointers than ever before because of him. His shot is so quick and effortless he can shoot it from any platform at any time. To go along with being a deadly shooter from anywhere on the floor, he is an elite playmaker. He averages over 6.5 assists for his career. Steph is also a fierce competitor and one of the most arrogant players ever. He will dance on you, shoot a three off one leg and shimmy his way down the floor letting you know he’s THAT much better than you. Steph is also one of nine players ever to record a 50-40-90 season. Just 33 years old, Steph has plenty of time to add to his impressive resume and further cement his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He’s a no doubt Hall of Famer.

3) Chris Paul

• 11-time All-Star (one All-Star MVP)
• 10 All-NBA teams
• Nine All-Defensive teams
• League leader in free-throw percentage one time
• League leader in steals six times (NBA record)
• League leader in assists four times
• Two Olympic gold medals
• Rookie of the Year
• One NBA Finals appearance

The purest of point guards we haven’t seen the likes of since Isiah Thomas. His instincts and feel for the game is is unmatched in today’s game. He’s averaged 10 or more assists five times in his career. He ranks fourth all-time with a career average of 9.43 assists per game. CP3 is also a certified “bucket getter” with a career scoring average of 18.3 points per game. Now 36, Paul hasn’t lost a step. He scored a playoff career high 41 points against the Clippers in 2021, to advance the Phoenix Suns to their first NBA Finals since 1993. Greater than his accomplishments is his ability to lead a basketball team. Everywhere this man has played he has made them a better team than the season before. The Suns routinely picked in the lottery throughout the 2010’s and were in last place in 2019 (they only won 19 games). Chris Paul is the true definition of a floor general and might be the best point guard of his generation. Let’s see if he can finally capture that elusive ring this season.

2) Oscar Robertson

• NBA champion
• League MVP
• 12-time All-Star (three-time All-Star MVP)
• 11 All-NBA teams
• Rookie of the Year
• Six-time league assist leader
• Hall of Famer
• First player in NBA to average a triple-double for an entire season

When you think about his size at the point guard position (6-5 205), he was placed in an era not equipped to handle him. From 1960-68 he was the only other player to win an MVP award not named Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell. In his first five seasons he had career averages of 30.3 points per game, 10.4 rebounds and 10.6 assists. In the 1969-70 season, the sixth straight disappointing season in a row for the Cincinnati Royals, then 41-year old coach Bob Cousy left the bench to play in the final seven games of the season. Robertson was subsequently traded the next season for two players you have never heard of. According to NBA.com the most common theory is that coach Bob Cousy couldn’t handle the attention Robertson was getting. He had broke Cousy’s season assist record in 62-63. The trade worked out great for Robertson, joining Lew Alcindor (later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabar) and winning the NBA championship in 1971. His greatest achievement however was filing his lawsuit against the league 1970, paving the way for modern free agency and financial equity for NBA players.

1) Magic Johnson

• Five-time NBA champion (three-time Finals MVP
• Three League MVPs
• 12-time All-Star (two-time All-Star MVP)
• 10 All-NBA teams
• Four-time assist leader
• Two-time steals leader
• Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2006

There is no debate on this one. Regarded by everyone as the GOAT of point guards. Not too many players in NBA history can say they were NBA champions as a rookie let alone be the Finals MVP. Magic would win 4 more titles and three more Finals MVPs. Magic made it fun to watch basketball. He perfected the art of the fast break with his elite court vision and passing skills. At 6-9 he was a matchup nightmare. He has one of the sauciest passing highlights reels you will ever see. It was like he was literally toying with the defense. He would have the ball “on a string” with his behind the back and no-look dimes. Of course you have to have great teammates to finish off those assists and he certainly played on some all-time Laker teams. Magic is the all-time leader in assists per game (11.19) and sixth and career assists (10,141)

Honorable mentions:

John Stockton

• 10-time All-Star (one All-Star MVP)
• 11 All-NBA teams
• 5 All-Defensive teams
• League leader in assists nine times
• League leader in steals twice

Arguably the greatest pure passer the game has ever seen. 15,806 career assist is 3,715 more than anyone in history. Second all-time in career assists per game (10.5). He led the league in assists nine times and was selected to 10 All-Star games. Not to mention his 11 All-NBA teams and five All-Defensive teams. The ONLY reason he didn’t crack this list is because he only averaged 13 points per game for his career. He was not the threat offensively that these other 5 gentlemen were. Regardless, he belongs in the conversation due to his longevity and career numbers and accomplishments.

Jason Kidd

• NBA champion
• 10-time NBA All-Star
• Six All-NBA teams
• Nine All-Defensive teams
• NBA co-rookie of the year
• League leader in assists five times

One of the best two-way guards in NBA history. His size made him a matchup problem on both ends of the floor. His court vision was impeccable and his leadership was unquestioned. Took the New Jersey nets to back-to-back NBA finals but came up empty. He finally won a ring at age 38 with the Mavs. Unfortunately, like John Stockton, he did not put up the scoring numbers necessary to crack this list.

Steve Nash

• Two-time MVP
• Eight-time All-Star
• Seven All-NBA teams
• League leader in assists five times
• 4-time 50-40-90 club member

He was Steph Curry before Steph Curry…sort of. Yes, he was a great shooter but not at the volume of Steph. One could argue that if he played in today’s NBA he could’ve put up bigger scoring numbers. I would listen to that debate, but the reality is he only averaged 14.3 points for his career. However, from 04-08 you cannot deny that he was one of the best players in the NBA. He was an elite playmaker and the engine that drove the Suns to have one of the best offenses in the league in the mid 2000’s. The Suns had some hard fought battles in the playoffs but came up short due to their lack of defense. Nash was essentially a liability on defense which disqualified him in this ranking.