It's difficult to rank players on any all-time great list. There are so many ways to view a player’s value, which is why it can be contentious. Yet, answering who the best shooting guards are in the history of the NBA is quite simple.
Allen Iverson
While he was an incredible player who finished his career in the top 50 in points, assists, and steals, Allen Iverson's cultural impact might have been more significant than his accomplishments on the court. Before Iverson, the NBA was full of tight-laced players wearing skintight shorts. Once the 76ers selected the All-American Georgetown guard, we got cornrows, shooting sleeves, baggy shorts, and ball-handling skills that were second to none.
"The Answer" proved that undersized guards could ball in this league, considering the six-foot, 165-pound guard made 11 All-Star teams and won the 2001 MVP for leading the Sixers to the NBA Finals.
Clyde Drexler
Clyde "The Glide" Drexler was a Hall of Fame guard who lived in the shadow of the obvious number one guy on that list. Nevertheless, Drexler's accolades are impressive, including one NBA championship and 10 All-Star selections for the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets. He finished in the top-10 in steals, top-40 in points and assists, 131st in boards, and 172nd in blocks. The fact that Drexler is in the record books for all these statistical categories proves how great he was in his illustrious career.
Dwyane Wade
Because LeBron James hitched his ride to Dwyane Wade's bandwagon, it's easy to overlook his career marvels. Wade won three NBA titles (including one without James in 2006), a Finals MVP, and eight All-NBA selections throughout his tenure. He never won the award for MVP in the regular season, but it was clear who the true alpha was on any of the teams he was on
Kobe Bryant
Lists rarely have an absolute answer to a list since everyone has different opinions. However, the best shooting guards to lace up their shoes have a consensus top two, with Kobe Bryant being the runner-up.
The legendary Los Angeles Lakers guard could fill up one hand with his NBA championship rings, and his 18 All-Star game selections are one behind his Lakers' brethren, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, for the record.
Although Kobe finished fourth in scoring, highlighted by an 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors, everyone will remember him for his fiercely competitive nature. Any teammate who talks about Bryant is vocal about how intense he was on the court. The game misses him dearly.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is your uncontested G.O.A.T. at the position. "Air" Jordan's accomplishments are jaw-dropping. Jordan has six rings and Finals MVPs, five regular season MVPs, and 14 All-Star selections. He's also third in steals and fifth in scoring, and if you realize he could have played between five and six additional seasons, he'd likely sit atop each of those lists. There's not much else we can do to butter-up Jordan's legacy since most view him as the best of the best.
Finding out who are the best shooting guards in the history of the NBA takes us down memory lane to appreciate the game's greats. Pregame has a set of greats advising you of their NBA picks against the spread. Sign up for exclusive advice from the best in the business before the season tips off!