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Throughout NBA history, some of the greatest players to ever excel on the hardwood came from the point guard position. The point guard is an invaluable asset to any successful team. The point guard is to a basketball team what the quarterback is to a football team. The whole rhythm and rhythm of the game starts and ends with how the point guard controls those parts of the game. While the point guard can control the offense, they can also be the first line of defense on the other end. Some point guards have this in their arsenal while the clothes stick to the offensive side.
Today, we’ll harness the power of the best point guard in NBA history to create the ultimate, unstoppable floor general. The point guard we build today will be able to do everything the point guard is asked to do and more. Throughout NBA history, we haven’t had any player with any skill set that wasn’t at the elite level, or from an elite point guard. When we think of all-time greats at the point guard position, we think of names like Magic, Curry, Oscar and Stockton. How many of these guards and their skills will be here today?
This is the perfect point guard ever built using a player in NBA history.
Scoring – Stephen Curry
I can’t believe I have to repeat this time and time again, but Steph Curry is more than just a shooter. Of course, Curry is easily the greatest shooter the game has ever seen, and 3s are worth more than 2s. No player in NBA history has scored more than the 3-point line, so yes, Curry’s shooting is a big reason we have his scoring total. However, that’s not the only reason, and certainly not the only way Curry puts the ball in the basket.
The first reason we’re picking Curry to score is his off-ball movement. Of course, we can attribute this skill to his playmaking, but it’s also how Curry makes most of his shots. Moving around screens and off the ball is a big part of Curry’s scoring, perhaps the most important part. Another factor is Curry’s ability to recognize when defenders are trying to cheat outside to deny him a shot. One quick feint and dribble, and Curry has circled them and sprinted to the rim. I think if you want pure score, Oscar Robertson would be a good choice here too.
Pass – Magic Johnson
The greatest passer and playmaker in NBA history is Magic Johnson. Chances are, if you play with Magic Johnson, you’re going to have some of the best numbers of your career. When you look back at NBA history, there’s no comparison to Magic’s offensive impact. He can control the tempo in a set offense and find open teammates like he has eyes in the back of his head. No one does it better or more fluidly than Magic when it comes to breaking defenses and finding off-ball teammates.
Johnson’s most pervasive impact is on the fast break and in transition. Rebounds or turnovers aside, the goal is to get the ball to Magic and let him do the rest. He’s just as quick with the ball as he is without it. The way Magic drives the game and dominates the fast break still hasn’t been replicated by any player. As a point guard, Johnson directly impacted his success in winning NBA championships and MVP awards with the way he handled the ball and created easy opportunities for his teammates.
Handles – Kyrie Irving
When it comes to developing the perfect point guard, having the best ball-handling skills is a must for greatness. No other point guard in NBA history has a better handle than Kyrie Irving. What makes Irving’s ball handling so difficult for defenders is the combination of speed and control he uses to confuse them. Even when Kyrie moves side to side and forces them to bite his motion, he’s able to lose defenders. For Irving, his ballhandling serves a purpose, not just for flash or good looks.
What exactly is that purpose? Well, there are several. First, he’s able to create his own shot off the dribble. If Irving intends to shoot from the perimeter or mid-range, he seems to perfectly time his dribble with his shot. The reason Irving can shoot efficiently is because he can create high-percentage shots from the inside and outside. Irving’s touch also allowed him to take his offense to the next level. With the Magic and Curry attributes we already have, this creates the dangerous players we’re developing.
Hustle – John Stockton
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It should be noted that if we had chosen Isaiah Thomas and the enthusiasm and energy he displayed on the court, it wouldn’t have been a bad choice. We decided to go a different route with John Stockton and the style of play he’s been showing for almost 2 years. Both physically and mentally, Stockton was exhausted on the court every night. He makes the game look effortless on both ends of the floor, so he’s our best option.
Defensively, Stockton hits the ground running at 100 percent, with and without the ball. He can skip passing lanes and make opponents’ nights too difficult with the way he jumps and attacks the ball. Offensively, it’s Stockton’s efforts to make it flow. The way he screens in pick-and-rolls with Karl Malone is just as important to the Jazz’s success as Malone’s ability to finish. Throughout his long NBA career, Stockton’s hard work and struggles have never been questioned, and we won’t start now.
Mindset – Magic Johnson
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The mindset and thought process of being a basketball player is arguably the most important trait of a point guard. Magic’s mentality on the court is all about his teammates and the ultimate goal of winning. No matter how much his scoring numbers dipped, Magic was happy to help him win an NBA title. His willingness to do whatever it takes to lead his team to the top is a mentality that is nothing short of a diamond in the rough compared to other point guards in NBA history.
Now, you might be asking yourself what a player’s mentality has to do with being successful on the pitch. In this case, when we combine the Magic mentality with the on-court tricks we use from others, it’s impossible to fail. A point guard willing to put personal success aside with so much upside will only further the greatest build we have ever had.
Basketball IQ – Magic Johnson
Image credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Remember when I said Magic Johnson had eyes in the back of his head? It has a lot to do with his basketball IQ and how smart he is at reading opposing teams. This applies to both ends of the court. As an offensive player, no player is better at reading defenses. In the fast break, Johnson’s pass accuracy is very high, because he knows the exact location and timing of his teammates. It’s also about his awareness of specific combinations and knowing when to break and when to swing the ball.
Having the awareness and intelligence of Magic Johnson would do wonders for the historic point guard we have built today. Knowing the difference between when to attack and how to attack is very important for a point guard. Being able to decipher defenses and make split-second decisions on the fly can be the difference between winning and losing. Given how important basketball IQ is to a point guard, Magic Johnson is the safest and smartest pick.
Shooting – Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry’s shooting is easily the most defining characteristic of our all-time best point guard. So far, we’ve given this player perfect scoring, passing and ball handling. When you take that kind of player to a career-high 42.8 percent three-point shooting, he’s probably going to be the greatest player of all time. We all know shooting isn’t just about having an infinite range. From all other ranges inside the three-point line, Curry is shooting at least 44.0 percent from the field, so those three-point lines are also covered.
The beauty of Stephen Curry’s shots is his ability to create those shots. He’s an excellent shooter off the dribble and can create for himself in a number of ways with the ball. However, his bread and butter is his off-ball movement to finish his shots. Whether it’s a screen run or a simple, subtle change of direction, Curry’s shot is the ultimate weapon this player has.
Defense – Gary Payton
As a perimeter defender at the point guard position, no one does a better job than Gary Payton. At just 6-foot-4, Payton makes some of the league’s most prolific scorers look mediocre on any given night, and makes it hard for anyone standing across from him. His tenacity and energy on the defensive end energized his teammates, and they got him on the big runs. He’s not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and stop no matter what.
Gary Payton’s defensive effort is level. His footwork is second to none at the point guard position, and few can surpass him on the perimeter. His quick hands are an added bonus, and there’s never an easy pass off Gary Payton’s defense, whether off the ball or with it. When you combine all of that with the world’s biggest heart and passionate toughness, Gary Payton is the only point guard who can choose to defend.
The End – Russell Westbrook
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The next two categories go hand in hand and thus will be selected as attributes of the same person. In terms of finishing, we think it’s the ability to drive to the rim for dunks and easy layups. In his prime, Russell Westbrook was unstoppable in the paint and his athleticism made you wonder if he was actually a point guard. If I wanted any point guard in NBA history to have a chance to knock him down at the rim, top-tier Russell Westbrook would be the easiest pick.
So we decided to combine Kyrie’s ball handling, Steph Curry’s shooting and Westbrook’s ability to finish at the rim. The creativity and ability of our historical point guards is unmatched on offense. Westbrook’s finishing ability gives our point guard a distinct advantage, controlling the game on all three levels. With Kyrie’s touch, the ability to get past defenders is already very high. Add that to Westbrook’s finishing ability and it’s only going to give viral highlights their fair share.
Athleticism – Russell Westbrook
In a few years, we might be talking about Ja Morant’s athleticism as the best point guard in NBA history. For now, we’ll stick to what we know is enduring and contributing to the success of Russell Westbrook’s athleticism. In terms of jumping and vertical jumping, Ja Morant has learned from Westbrook. Speed, control and stamina also went into athleticism, and all of those things are now in the hands of Russ.
On top of everything we’ve already added to this player, we’re now giving him a never-ending drive and the ability to get to the rim in the best possible way. Strength is another attribute favored by Westbrook, with Morant one of the lightest players in the game. Finishing through contact rather than around it will also play a role, and that goes for Westbrook as well. With Westbrook’s athletic prowess, there’s only one last piece left of our point guard that can make him the greatest player of all time.
Clutch – Damian Lillard
Over the years, Damian Lillard has wowed audiences with the characteristics of his shooting percentage…
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