The 10 Best Point Guards of All Time

Point guards are the business, aren’t they? Often, they’re the leaders on-court, involving their teammates in the action and dictating the game’s flow. On top of that, the best point guards are incredible shooters and even more. These days, they have to be. 

If you had to come up with a list of the 10 best NBA point guards of all time, would it look similar to this one? 

1. Earvin Johnson

NBA Franchise: Los Angeles Lakers (1979 to 1991, 1995 to 1996)

Could anybody else be the best of the best in a point guard list? You’ll unlikely find many without this charismatic visionary of the court topping their lists. If ever an NBA star lived up to a nickname, it was Earvin Johnson — he was simply magic to behold. “Magic” saw and made passes to open teammates before they knew they were open, with some being the kind of plays that other point guards would only dream of. 

With a larger-than-life personality, Johnson was a superstar on and off the court — his loyalty to the Lakers, his only NBA franchise, over two stints totaling 14 years, saw him walk away with five Championships and three Finals MVP medals. Without his HIV diagnosis temporarily interrupting his stellar career, how much further up the all-time totals list would Magic Johnson be? 

NBA Honors: Hall of Fame, 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP.

NBA Championships: Five

Career stats: PPG — 19.5, RPG — 7.2, APG — 11.2, FG% — .520

2. Stephen Curry

NBA Franchise: Golden State Warriors (2009 to 2025)

If anybody could push Magic Johnson for the title of the best NBA point guard in history, it’s Steph Curry. Although not as magical off the court, Curry is every bit as dynamic on it. Not blessed with immense size at only six foot three inches, some might say Curry is almost too good for his physical form, and there’s no question he uses every bit of it excellently. 

Opposing teams can testify to how difficult he is to guard, with his record 4,523 career-successful three-pointers over 1,000 more than James Harden in second place. His four NBA Championships and spectacular Olympic Games final fourth-quarter clutch shooting performance for the United States against France stand out in a list of outstanding on-court achievements and help to make him one of the best point guards in the NBA.

NBA Honors: 10-time All-Star, four-time ALL-NBA, two-time MVP, one-time Finals MVP, one-time Olympic Gold medal

NBA Championships: Four

Career stats: PPG — 24.7, RPG — 4.7, APG — 6.4, FG% — .472

3. Oscar Robertson

NBA Franchises: Cincinnati Royals (1960 to 1970), Milwaukee Bucks (1970 to 1974)

Oscar “The Big O” Robertson was the first player in NBA history to average an elite triple-double and faithfully served an underwhelming Cincinnati Royals franchise for a decade. As one of the most well-rounded point guards on this list, Robertson is likely an underrated player in the NBA’s prestigious history of top point guards.

After departing the Royals, Robertson teamed up with Lew Alcindor at the Milwaukee Bucks. Lew who? Better known as the incomparable Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in future years, Alcindor’s guile and Robertson’s speed and strength made quite a combination, leading the unheralded Bucks to the 1971 NBA Championship. 

NBA Honors: Hall of Fame, 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, one-time MVP, Rookie of the Year.

NBA Championships: One

Career Stats: PPG — 25.7, RPG — 7.5, APG — 9.5, FG% — .485

4. Isiah Thomas

NBA Franchise: Detroit Pistons (1981 to 1994)

Another single-franchise point guard, Isiah Thomas was the captain and driving force of the Detroit Pistons team that won its first NBA Championship in 1989 and mounted a successful defense the following season. Known as the Bad Boys, the Pistons displayed grit, determination and no shortage of skill to outlast a Michael Jordan-inspired Chicago Bulls in the 1989 Eastern Conference Finals before outplaying an L.A. Lakers roster that included Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the Championship.

Thomas was the heart and soul of that debut victory, conducting the Pistons’ offensive orchestra with his majestic touch. He returned the following season as the Pistons captured back-to-back Championship rings with victory over the Portland Trailblazers. Thomas was sublime in winning the Finals MVP — the shortest player ever to do so — with “Pocket Magic’s” performance entrenching the Bad Boy Pistons as one of the NBA’s greatest-ever teams.

NBA Honors: Hall of Fame, 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, one-time Finals MVP.

NBA Championships: Two

Career Stats: PPG — 19.2, RPG — 3.6, APG — 9.3, FG% — .452

5. John Stockton

NBA Franchise: Utah Jazz (1984 to 2003)

John Stockton and his teammate Karl Malone are revered names in Utah. “Stock” led the NBA in assists for an incredible nine straight seasons and was a major contributor to Malone’s brilliance, although their pick-and-roll combination could never clinch a coveted NBA Championship for the Jazz. Still, Stockton is the all-time leader in two of the NBA’s five statistical categories, with 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals in a stellar career. 

Stockton was quietly dependable and likely underappreciated in NBA circles outside of Utah. His lack of flair and pizzazz belied his value over the 19 years he played the game, but there’s no doubt his career statistics indicate that the quiet and unassuming way he fulfilled his responsibilities in his chosen position makes him one of the best basketball point guards to grace an NBA court. 

NBA Honors: 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time assists leader, two-time steals leader, five-time All-Defensive team.

NBA Championships: None

Career Stats: PPG — 13.1, RPG — 2.7, APG — 10.5, FG% — .515

6. Chris Paul

NBA Franchises: New Orleans Hornets (2005 to 2011), Los Angeles Clippers (2011 to 2025)

After Steph Curry, Chris Paul is the second active player on the list of the best NBA point guards of all time. Clippers fans call him “The Point God,” and his overall performances as he enters his 20th season confirm that he’s still among the top NBA point guards playing. Paul is a fine example of the archetypical point guard, improving every team he plays on with his ability to pass, score and defend.

All that’s missing from his outstanding career is an NBA Championship ring and induction into the NBA Hall of Fame, which surely will come in time. Perhaps by representing a more rounded franchise, Paul would have that Championship, but his continued loyalty to the Clippers makes him a firm favorite in California and secures him a tag as an NBA legend within his franchise and beyond.

NBA Honors: eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, Rookie of the Year.

NBA Championships: None

Career Stats: PPG — 17.3, RPG — 4.5, APG — 9.3, FG% — .470

7. Jerry West

NBA Franchise: Los Angeles Lakers (1960 to 1974)

The late Jerry West was so good as a clutch shooter that he earned the nickname “Mr. Clutch.” His all-around game was about more than his shooting game, though, as he could hold his own with all the other best point guards of all time in passing and defending, too. A player for the big occasion, West earned All-Star honors in all his 14 seasons, playing in the NBA Championship finals in nine of them. 

Unfortunately for West, he faced a legendary 1960s Boston Celtics roster in seven of his finals appearances and lost all seven. A consolation came in 1969 when he became the only player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP award as a member of the losing franchise, an indicator of the guts and drive he possessed throughout his career. Jerry West eventually won an NBA Championship ring in 1972, two seasons before his retirement.

NBA Honors: 14-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, one-time Finals MVP, four-time All-Defensive team, one-time Olympic Gold medal

NBA Championships: One

Career Stats: PPG — 27.0, RPG — 5.8, APG — 6.7, FG% — .474

8. Bob Cousy

NBA Franchises: Boston Celtics (1950 to 1963), Cincinnati Royals (1969 to 1970)

The “Houdini of the Hardwood” was the pathfinder for all modern point guards with his general-like leadership on the court. An expert dribbler, master passer and capable shooter, Bob Cousy did it all on a Boston Celtics team that blossomed in his later years, winning six NBA Championships in seven seasons. Cousy remains the only guard in the NBA’s long history to be named to the All-NBA team in 10 consecutive seasons.

Cousy retired after the 1963 Championship, leaving the NBA court until returning six years later as a 41-year-old for a season with the Cincinnati Royals. After only playing a minor role at the Royals, he returned to retirement knowing that his accomplishments in molding a legendary Celtics roster would live on in NBA folklore. 

NBA Honors: 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, one-time MVP, eight-time assists leader.

NBA Championships: Six

Career Stats: PPG — 18.4, RPG — 5.2, APG — 7.5, FG% — .375

9. Tony Parker

NBA Franchises: San Antonio Spurs (2001 to 2018), Charlotte Hornets (2018 to 2019)

Hailing from Bruges, Belgium, Tony Parker paved the way for European point guards to reach the elite in the NBA. Parker’s speed and elusive dribbling skills played a crucial role in the San Antonio Spurs’ early-2000s success, which stretched into the following decade. Parker dominated the opposition in their backcourt, winning Finals MVP in 2007, the third of his four NBA Championship wins with the Spurs.

Over an illustrious 18-year career, the geographically incorrect “Parisian Torpedo” wowed San Antonio NBA fans with his magical on-court mastery before departing for a final bow with the Charlotte Hornets in 2018. He performed admirably in Charlotte but decided to call time on his NBA career at 36, leaving a legacy as the best European point guard in NBA history.

NBA Honors: six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, one-time Finals MVP.

NBA Championships: Four

Career Stats: PPG — 15.5, RPG — 2.7, APG — 5.6, FG% — .491

10. Luka Dončić

NBA Franchise: Dallas Mavericks (2018 to 2025), Los Angeles Lakers (2025)

Staying with European imports, Dončić hails from Ljubljana, Slovenia, and arrived at the Dallas Mavericks via the Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid and the Atlanta Hawks. Aged only 16, he became the illustrious European club’s youngest debutant before the Hawks drafted him third overall in the 2018 draft. The Mavericks quickly formulated a deal to exchange Trae Young and a future first-round pick for the Slovenian rookie. The franchise would not regret the trade.

In February 2025, an unexpected move stunned NBA fans. The Mavericks traded Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, with injury-prone 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and Max Christie going the other way. It’s still early days for Dončić in L.A., but he’s already linking up well with LeBron James in a pairing that should further improve an already-flourishing Lakers roster.

Some might say it’s too early to name “The Matador” to a list of the best point guards of all time, and after only six completed NBA seasons, they may be right. Who can deny, though, that on form over that period, Dončić can stake a claim to being one of the best basketball players in the world right now? The 25-year-old averages above 28 points per game, with notable early career rebound and assist statistics — Luka Dončić has already made five All-Star and All-NBA teams in six seasons.

NBA Honors: five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, one-time scoring leader, Rookie of the Year.

NBA Championships: None (Finals in 2024)

Career Stats: PPG — 28.6, RPG — 8.7, APG — 8.3, FG% — .470

Point Guards Rule the NBA

The legendary Bob Cousy’s dominant style paved the way for all future NBA point guards, and the position has become increasingly vital to setting up rosters and how head coaches determine their playing tactics. Jerry West and Oscar Robertson carried on Cousy’s lead, meaning that, by the time Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, and John Stockton took to the court, point guard play had more definition.

Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Stephen Curry and, most recently, Luka Dončić have highlighted and enhanced the point guard role even further as the NBA moves deeper into the 21st century. With all four regularly picking up MVP awards and dictating game outcomes, the point guard position is at its most relevant in history. The top 10 best point guards of all time have all played a part in making basketball the game it is today. 
Who knows, with the positions aligning more as the NBA progresses, a player like Luka Dončić may even find himself listed among the best shooting guards of all time in the future.