The point guard position has been the most entertaining position for the majority of NBA history. The most exciting point guards possess elite ball-handling, flashy passing, deep-range shooting abilities, or all of the above.
The 2010s were the 'golden age' of NBA point guards, so most of the point guards in the highest tiers will be from that era. Point guards from the 2010s usually emphasized scoring over facilitating their offense, which led to the emergence of numerous electric point guards from that decade.
This tier list isn’t just about stats or accolades, but about pure entertainment value. Here are the point guards who made every game a must-watch TV.
Tier 1: Peak Entertainment
Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Magic Johnson, Derrick Rose
Stephen Curry changed basketball forever, but what makes him peak entertainment isn’t just the records. It’s the feeling that every time he crosses half court, something ridiculous might happen. He’s the only point guard in history who can make a regular-season possession in January feel like the playoffs because the crowd rises when the ball leaves his hands. Steph can shoot from anywhere at any time, and his efficiency is still among the best in NBA history.
Kyrie Irving is one of the most talented players in the history of the NBA. His ball-handling skills are debatably the greatest all-time, and his ability to make insanely creative layups on a nightly basis is outstanding. Irving is the perfect representation of an entertaining point guard.
Magic Johnson was the leader of the Los Angeles Lakers 'showtime' offense, a highly entertaining system built on fast transition play. Johnson, nicknamed 'Magic' was derived from his unfathomable passes that magically got to his teammates in any way possible. Johnson's NBA record 11.2 career assists per game illustrates how dominant he was through his playmaking style.
Derrick Rose's speed, athleticism, and explosiveness combined to make him one of the most athletic players in NBA history. Rose was so explosive and quick that his athleticism seemed to be too much for his body to handle, and he struggled with injury problems in the 2011-12 season, which led to the devastating ACL injury that derailed his career. The fact that his prime ended so quickly makes us cherish his incredible 2011 MVP season even more.
Tier 2: Super Exciting
Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Steve Nash
Few players in NBA history have matched the sheer intensity Russell Westbrook brought to the game. His style of play was built on relentless energy, explosive athleticism, and strength when finishing at the rim.
Damian Lillard is one of the best scoring point guards in recent NBA history, and the scoring trait that defines him the most is his long-range shooting ability. He leads the NBA all-time in 30+ foot shots, even over other elite shooters like Stephen Curry and Trae Young. In the postseason, Lillard is always must-see-TV as he's cemented a legacy as one of the most clutch players in NBA history as well.
From the moment Ja Morant stepped into the league, it was clear he was built for the spotlight, even though he only plays in Memphis. When he takes the floor, you'll likely see a poster dunk over a big man, a hang-in-the-air finish that makes no sense, or a full-court pass on a dime. Similar to Rose and Westbrook, Morant is relentless and attacks the rim with no hesitation.
Steve Nash is the opposite of Ja Morant, yet he is equally as entertaining, just in different ways. Nash uses his speed to pick up the pace in transition and snake his way through defenses to create an open look for his teammates. He didn't make any impressive layups or throw down ferocious dunks (in fact, he couldn't even dunk at all), but his offensive impact made the Suns the fastest-paced team in the slow-paced 2000s.
Tier 3: Very Exciting
Gilbert Arenas, Jason Williams, Steve Francis, Rajon Rondo, Penny Hardaway, Isaiah Thomas, Isiah Thomas, John Wall
Gilbert Arenas had a deep bag of moves and various ways to score from three-point range, mid-range, and in the paint. His best career game was on December 17, 2006, in an overtime game against the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 60 points against Kobe and the Lakers, which also included 8 rebounds and 8 assists.
Jason Williams may not have been as great of a player as most others on this list, but he sure was entertaining. His creativity with his passes and shot creation made him a very exciting player to watch.
Similar to Jason Williams, Steve Francis also had a creative, streetball-like playstyle. Francis was excellent at creating his own shot using his speed and ball-handling skills, which helped him average 21 PPG in his prime.
Rajon Rondo wasn’t the type of player to drop 30 a night, but watching him control a game was its own kind of entertainment. Rondo was stupendous at throwing passes through the tightest windows, and he was always a step ahead of everyone else on the floor. He could dominate without scoring, picking apart defenses with his IQ and creativity. Rondo also had a way of turning up the intensity in the playoffs, making him a fun player to watch.
Before injuries slowed him down, Penny Hardaway was the most exciting point guard in the 1990s. At 6’7”, he had the size of a wing but the skill and creativity of a point guard, which made him a nightmare matchup for the defense. He glided up the floor with smooth handles and could throw a no-look dime just as easily as he could rise up for a dunk.
Isaiah Thomas' height of only 5'9 made his success very impressive and created quality entertainment. Thomas averaged 27 PPG in the 2016-17 season, which is a feat that no other player his size has ever accomplished. Every possession for him required more moves and speed to create an open shot than the taller players, but Thomas was somehow able to get the ball through the hoop.
Isiah Thomas had the perfect mix of skill, toughness, and talent to make himself an exciting player. He could break defenders down off the dribble, finish creatively at the rim despite his size, and set up teammates with elite passes. He played with a smile, but there was always a competitive edge to it. Most players and fans despised him, but he was still an exciting player to watch.
John Wall stood out as one of the most athletic players in the 2010s. He used his speed to attack downhill at the basket and finish through contact on a regular basis. He also had a good mid-range pull-up, as well as a consistent three-point shot that made him very difficult to guard.
Tier 4: Normal Excitement
Rod Strickland, Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway, Muggsy Bogues, Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, James Harden
Rod Strickland is a player who goes under the radar to most NBA fans because he was never part of any great teams in his career. Strickland was one of the passers of the 1990s, shown by the 10.5 assists per game he averaged in 1998 with the Bullets. He had very entertaining ball-handling skills as well, which made him a highlight reel type of player despite never finding much success with winning.
On the opposite side of a player like Rod Strickland is Luka Doncic. Doncic controls the offense by playing at a slower, more methodical pace. Despite his slow tempo, Doncic's difficult shot-making and impressive passes make him an exciting player to watch.
Tim Hardaway was a lightning-quick point guard known for his killer crossover. He was the leading orchestrator of the Warriors 'Run TMC' offense of the '90s, a system that was quick and exciting every night.
At 5’3”, Muggsy Bogues didn’t just look different on the floor, he played differently too. He turned his size into an advantage, zipping around defenders, pressuring ball-handlers full court, and pushing the pace with energy few could match. Every game with Muggsy felt like a show because nobody expected someone that small to control an NBA floor the way he did. The fact that he could hang with giants and still leave his mark made him one of the most unique and exciting point guards of his era.
Chris Paul was an elite point guard who possessed many exciting skills. While on the Hornets, he had underrated athleticism that made him enjoyable to watch on offense. He was also fun to watch on the Clippers, as he routinely lobbed alley-oops to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan on a nightly basis.
Coming off of an MVP season and a championship, NBA fans have gotten to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander play a lot recently. He's a good three-level scorer who has plenty of different ways to create his shot. There's not one aspect of his game that makes him must-see-TV, but his overall scoring talent is exciting to watch.
James Harden's placement on this list may be controversial, as some people loved to watch him in his prime, while others didn't. It's easy to see both sides of the argument - he was one of the best scoring guards of all time, and he was terrific at making near-impossible shots, but his routine flopping and high free-throw rates made him frustrating to watch a large portion of the time.
Tier 5: Somewhat Exciting
John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Tony Parker, Jalen Brunson
John Stockton's passing skills were the most exciting skill he possessed. A large amount of his passes were basic feeds down to Karl Malone in the post, but he also had the ability to pull off flashy passes in transition. Outside of his passing, his shooting skills and defense were good but very fundamental, making him a moderately exciting point guard.
Similar to John Stockton, Jason Kidd also showcased his excitement through his passing ability. The way he pushed the ball up the floor, finding shooters or big men in stride, made every possession feel like clean, pure basketball. He didn’t need to score much; his vision, anticipation, and creativity with the ball were the show.
Tony Parker was terrific at using a mix of speed and precision to score and pass. His quick first step made defenders look frozen, and he had a knack for finishing in the lane with floaters and layups. He was enjoyable to watch, but not necessarily a player you'd call overly exciting.
Jalen Brunson isn’t flashy, but watching him lead the Knicks every night on offense is captivating. He reads defenses like a veteran, hits clutch shots, and finds teammates in the right spots at the right time. He's most entertaining at scoring the ball inside, where he can make impressive layups, and he also has unusual post skills for a guard of his size.
Tier 6: Not Exciting
Kyle Lowry, Mike Conley, Chauncey Billups
Kyle Lowry is the kind of point guard who just gets the job done. He occasionally made exciting plays, but there's not much excitement to his game overall. There's no denying his positive impact as he's been a quality point guard throughout his career, and was a large piece of the 2019 Toronto Raptors. He’s smart, tough, and competitive, but watching him isn’t about jaw-dropping moves or crazy finishes. He’s effective for winning, but not great for entertainment.
Mike Conley is a similar player to Kyle Lowry's playstyle-wise, and they both share the same mentality as well. Conley is a good passer and defender, scores at a decent rate, and has high basketball IQ, but isn't an exciting player to watch.
Chauncey Billups is also a similar archetype as Lowry and Conley. Billups was a defensive-minded guard who was a critical piece of the outstanding 2004 Pistons defense, but there wasn't much exciting style to his game outside of his gritty play.