From the day the NBA was first formed, the shooting guard position has been one of the most important on the court. Some of the game's greatest scorers have predominantly played at the two, and in the modern NBA, now need to be elite defenders too. As well as needing to have the shooting touch, a shooting guard may also be relied upon to do some play-making, so their ball-handling skills have to be up to par too.
Whether it's scoring machines like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, or those with exceptional passing ability like James Harden, the game has seen some true Hall of Famers who made the two-guard spot their own. But who can claim to be the best shooting guard of all-time? Find out from the ranking below.
Ranking Factors
Any individual awards like MVPs, DPOYs, All-Star and All-NBA selections
Titles won
Points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks
Impact on the league
Legacy in the NBA
10 Klay Thompson
A vital cog in the Golden State-winning machine, Klay Thompson's career at the franchise may have ended in heartbreaking fashion with injuries and a move to the Dallas Mavericks, but nothing can take away what he did with Steph Curry and co. One-half of the 'Splash Brothers', Thompson was the very definition of an elite 3-and-D player, capable of knocking down shot after shot from the three-point line before then shutting down the opposition's best perimeter player.
Ranking the best players in Golden State Warriors history featuring Steph Curry, Chris Mullin and Kevin Durant Related
10 Greatest Players in Golden State Warriors History (Ranked)
Since they were founded in 1946, the Golden State Warriors have had many legends who have led them to multiple championships throughout their history.
Thompson could explode for big points too, and his 60-point masterclas on December 5th 2016 against the Indiana Pacers was the absolute epitome of that. Taking just 11 dribbles all game, he became the first player in NBA history to breach the 60-point mark in just under 30 minutes.
9 Reggie Miller
One of the most clutch players in NBA history, Reggie Miller made a name for himself by becoming the New York Knicks' nightmare. His ability to rise to the occasion when the game was on the line and the pressure was on, made him one of the finest players of his era. Working under coaches like Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas, Miller became a leader with the Indiana Pacers, and was the best shooter in NBA history until a certain Steph Curry came along.
Miller's eight points in nine seconds against the Knicks in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals is still talked about today, and he has been a source of inspiration for many players who watched him growing up during the 1990s.
8 Pete Maravich
One of the greatest players of his generation, 'Pistol Pete' was the third pick of the 1970 NBA draft, joining the Atlanta Hawks. While his first two seasons in the league were fine enough - he earned All-Rookie team honours in his debut year - it was his third campaign that truly saw him blossom into the star he looked destined to become.
While his scoring numbers shot through the roof, it wasn't until the 1976/1977 season when he was with the New Orleans Jazz that saw him lead the league in points per game - he scored 50 or more points four times, while his 68-point destruction of the Knicks was the most points a guard had ever scored at the time. Indeed, only Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor had notched more points in a single game out of any player.
7 Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler goes down as one of the greatest players in Trail Blazers history, with the shooting guard trying to go head-to-head with Michael Jordan during the 80s and 90s. Named to both the 50th and 75th NBA anniversary teams, 'Clyde the Glide' would win his one and only title with the Houston Rockets in 1995, and was a key part of the 1992 US Olympic side known as 'The Dream Team'.
Ranking the best NBA teams of all-time featuring Larry Bird's Boston Celtics, Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors Related
15 Best NBA Teams of All-Time (Ranked)
From record-breaking seasons to dynastic runs, here are the greatest teams in NBA history.
A supremely athletic guard with a gifted touch, much of Drexler's greatness is perhaps overshadowed by the fact that Jordan was around, and the comparisons between the two being inevitable. In a top ten of the highest box plus-minus seasons from shooting guards between 1985 and 1995, Jordan takes up nine of the spots, with Drexler being the only other man to make it with a +8.7 in the 1991/1992 season.
6 James Harden
For all the James Harden detractors and criticism that has gone his way, there is no questioning that in his prime, 'The Beard' was one of the most devastating scorers in the game. A Sixth Man of the Year with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Harden truly broke out of his shell and became the main man when he was traded to the Houston Rockets.
While he wasn't able to get the Rockets over the line in terms of an NBA title - their rivalry with the Golden State Warriors during the era of Harden and Chris Paul will live long in the memory - he did establish his legacy. An MVP award in 2018 was his crowning achievement, while he was a perennial All-Star and All-NBA member who led the league in scoring three times in a row from 2018 to 2020.
5 George Gervin
For those who weren't able to see George Gervin play, the Iceman, like Harden, is considered one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen. In fact, his NBA scoring average saw him finish with 26.2 points per game over his career in the league. But it wasn't just in the NBA where Gervin made his mark. In fact, like Julius Erving, Gervin also starred in the ABA, and was a three-time All-Star in the league.
His legendary years with the San Antonio Spurs saw him become the scoring champion four times, including three years in a row between 1978-1980. Named to both the ABA's All-Time Team, as well as the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, it's no surprise Gervin has since had his no.44 jersey retired by the Spurs.
4 Allen Iverson
One of the most influential basketball players of all-time, Allen Iverson's blend of style and charisma made him an instant fans favourite. The NBA Rookie of the Year in 1997, his best years came with the Philadelphia 76ers, being voted the league's MVP in 2001. While the 76ers couldn't make it count in the post-season, it wasn't for a lack of trying on Iverson's part, who led the league in scoring four times and was also the table-topper for steals on three occasions.
Ranking the best players in the NBA right now featuring the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James Related
15 Best NBA Players Right Now (2025)
LeBron James might be in his 40s, but he is still one of the greatest basketball players in the world.
Iverson would finish his NBA career averaging over 25 points per game, and it was arguably more an indictment on the 76ers' front-office that they couldn't build the right roster around him. Even still, Iverson goes down as one of the greatest players in the franchise's history, who had fans on the edge of their seats with his elite ball-handling and crossover skills.
3 Dwyane Wade
A true Miami Heat legend, it's easy to forget that Dwyane Wade won an NBA title before LeBron James ever took his talents down to South Beach and formed a big three alongside Wade and Chris Bosh. Named the Finals MVP in that 2006 triumph after one of the best performances in a Finals series of all-time, Wade was a perennial All-Star, and even led the league in scoring in 2009.
Of course, once his co-stars James and Bosh arrived, the Heat looked to dominate the NBA, and they would claim back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. Miami's all-time leader in points, assists, steals and games played, Wade had his no.3 jersey retired, and in 2023 was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.
2 Kobe Bryant
One of the greatest players of all-time, Kobe Bryant would set records left, right and centre across his glittering 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. The all-time leading scorer in the franchise's legendary history - no mean feat given the illustrious names of players to have put on the jersey - Bryant was a five-time NBA champion and the league's most valuable player in 2008.
After playing second fiddle to Shaquille O'Neal during the Lakers' three-peat at the turn of the century, Bryant came into his own once the center was traded away. Twice he led the league in scoring, and in the Lakers' championship-winning runs in 2009 and 2010, he received the Finals MVP award on both occasions proving himself to be one of the best playoff players of all-time. An 18-time All-Star - the third-most of any player in NBA history - Bryant's name is forever etched in basketball folklore.
1 Michael Jordan
Given he is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all-time, it's no surprise to see Michael Jordan also features as the number one shooting guard to have ever played the game. The Chicago Bulls icon's list of achievements is never-ending, and his dominant grip of the league during the 1990s has arguably never been seen before.
NBA_Jordan named his all-time dream Related
Michael Jordan Named His All-Time Dream NBA Starting 5
Michael Jordan put together a rather stacked five-a-side team in NBA history, but excluded some top, top legends in the process.
Leading the franchise to two separate three-peats, Jordan won Finals MVP in every one of those title wins, while he was named the league's most valuable player on five occasions. His 1988 season in which he won both the MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year awards is often forgotten given Chicago didn't end up winning the title, but it remains one of the few occasions where a player has won both awards.