The point guard is also known as the floor general and is heavily regarded as the playmaker in a basketball squad. That’s a lot of expectations to carry, especially in a league as intense as the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nevertheless, it’s an essential position and the best ones to hold it are celebrated for their impact on their team and the sport.

Who are these players who not only did well in handling the responsibilities of a point guard but also excelled in it in their career? The NBA saw many great players find their calling to play this position and become legends among their peers. Here are the top five players who find success playing as the point guard in the league:

Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Jr
Ask all NBA fans who they think are the top five point guards of all time and you’ll mostly see different names and arrangements. That is, except for the retired Magic Johnson, because almost everyone agrees he’s the undisputed number 1 in this category. He is pivotal in making the Los Angeles Lakers as popular as they are today.

Magic Johnson led the best team in the NBA of his time and still stands out for his flashy play style. Every time he’s on the court, the fans are guaranteed to watch a spectacular display of skill and determination. It is Magic Johnson’s combination of skilful passes and daring attempts at the basket that revolutionised the point guard position in the NBA. Some of his commendable awards are:

・ 5 NBA Championships
・ 3 NBA MVP
・ 3 Finals MVP

Stephen Curry
Although relatively young, Stephen Curry rose to fame quickly, reaching legendary status. He is a key player in the Golden State Warriors, where he joined in 2009 and has continued to play in 2025. Many fans believed him to be a shooting guard because he’s well known for his accurate long-shots but play-by-play stats reveal he is a point guard in most lineups.

What makes Stephen Curry so formidable as a point guard is the pressure he brings to the GSW’s offence. He has exceptional shooting skills and a balanced temperament, a formidable combination for a playmaker. It’s his bread and butter not only in the NBA but also in leading team US to win the gold medal in the 2024 Olympics.

Accolades:
・ 4 NBA Championships
・ 2 NBA MVP
・ Unanimous MVP
・ 1 Olympic Gold Medal

Luka Dončić
Luka Dončić is one of the freshest names in the NBA, but he’s gotten plenty of attention ever since he joined the league with the Dallas Mavericks. This time, he’s playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, where he cycles between point guard, shooting guard, and forward. He’s still young at age 26 but he can keep up with his peers in one of the best teams in the NBA.

On top of being a skilled player, Luka is a fan favourite for his playful antics. Most highlights show him with a goofy smile and contagious gleefulness. However, never let this distract you from his skill. Luka Dončić is the type of player who embraces pressure either by scoring a buzzer-beater or making plays to force a reaction from opposing defenders.

Accolades:
・ 1 EuroLeague Championship & MVP
・ 5 times straight 1st Team All-NBA
・ 5 NBA All-Stars

Isiah ‘Zeke’ Thomas
Isiah Thomas last played in 1994, so most NBA fans today have never seen him play. However, those who remember him still regard him as one of the best point guards ever. He was a key member of the Detroit Pistons notable for scoring 25 points in the 3rd quarter while injured in 1988. That was one of the most iconic NBA finals moments in history.

The most notable quality of Zeke is his fierce competitiveness. He may not be as graceful or as creative as the other players on this list, but his determination made him an elite point guard. Few can match Isiah Thomas’s ball-handling and scoring reliability. He is also known for his toughness, allowing him to stand up to rivals like Magic Johnson against all odds.

Accolades:
・ 2 NBA Championships
・ 1 Finals MVP
・ 12 NBA All-Stars

Oscar Robertson
The point guard is, unfortunately, one of the least flashy positions despite its role in creating opportunities for the team to score. That’s why a legend like Oscar Robertson went underappreciated until he joined a high-profile team like the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970. His time with the team was short but he did manage to win an NBA title before retiring in 1974.

Although historically underrated, his statistics were often impressive. Oscar Robertson was the first player to reach a triple-double (1962) in NBA history. He has a strong ability to score, impressive rebound successes, and high pass accuracy. That made him one of the most well-rounded players in the NBA.

Accolades:
・ 1 NBA Championship
・ 1 NBA MVP
・ Olympic Gold Medal

What separates an elite point guard from good ones?
As one of the most exciting basketball leagues in the world, the NBA’s high competitive level sets a high standard for all players, ensuring that teams only sign individuals who can keep up with everyone else. Therefore, everyone in the league is good compared to the average baller.

However, there is always room for growth and only the few exceptional ones are dedicated enough to basketball to reach them. Who are they, and what sets them apart from simply good point guards?

Here are three factors and why they’re important in the NBA:
Consistency and reliability
Everyone in the NBA is expected to play at high levels and their team needs to know that they’ll be ready to face all challenges. Great players can be exhausted, so there’s never a shame in taking a break. Other times, there’s a matchup issue, and an otherwise great player is ineffective against the opponents’ lineup. These are not issues for an elite player.

An elite can play more consistently than most either because they easily overcome all adversities or they are simply better at adapting. For instance, Oscar Robertson is highly valued for his versatility, being good in every other position in a team. Stephen Curry isn’t as well-rounded, but his amazing shooting skills are hard to counter no matter the lineup.

Explosive playmaking capabilities
The point guard’s role is to create opportunities for their team to score. In the current state of the NBA, the best way to do so is to overwhelm the defenders. Most of the time, this means being fast, unpredictable, and unrelenting.

How elite players achieve this depends on their respective playstyles. Magic Johnson is well-known for his fast breaks and dazzling no-look passes. His playful performance gave his team the moniker ‘Showtime Lakers’. Zeke, on the other hand, is more known for his tough mentality, allowing him to maintain tempo regardless of opponents’ strategies.

Exceptional court vision
A point guard’s job is to open scoring opportunities for their team. The only way to do it is to know both sides’ strengths and weaknesses. Knowing your teammates’ capabilities is important because the point guard sets the tempo for them. Understanding the opponents’ arsenal is vital because it’s how the point guard learns the risks and necessity to adapt.

Magic Johnson, Stephen Curry, and Luka Dončić are highly praised for their IQ in basketball. They are the most effective at gauging their options and it allowed them to make some of the smartest shot calls in the NBA. On the other hand, Zeke and Oscar Robinson are effective leaders because they are so well-rounded that they can adapt to any situation.

What makes a skilled point guard important in a squad?
Besides the NBA being one of the most competitive basketball leagues in the world, why is a skilled point guard so important in the squad? The answer lies in its importance to a team’s lineup. Many experts in the sport believe that the point guard is the most important position because they control the pace and tempo of the whole team.

The point guard dictates the ball distribution in the team, so they need to be great at maximising ball possession. If they don’t have the ball, then they need to impose strong perimeter defence and force turnovers. An inability to do either is detrimental to the team.

One can say that the flow of the game is dictated by the point guard. That’s why it’s often the leadership position in basketball, and a skilled player in this position affects the performances of everyone else in the team. Hence, it is appointed only to players who can enable their teammates to make big plays or lead by example.

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