ESPN Daily Dime: Top 10 PGs of All Time

[GangstaBoogy]

1 MAGIC JOHNSON

Team: Los Angeles Lakers (1979-91, 1996)

Titles: 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

Honors: 12-time All-Star, three-time MVP (1987, 1989, 1990), three-time Finals MVP (1980, 1982, 1987), Hall of Fame

The player: The prototype big point guard. The only player in NBA history who could dominate -- not just play -- all five positions.

Magic was the best ever in transition. He led the break and shoved the ball down your throat or backed you down and carved you up with a pass or drive.

He was unselfish -- but not to a fault (he'd take over and score when necessary) -- and he made passing cool.

Given his age (a rookie at age 20), the stakes (NBA Finals), the opponent (Dr. J and the 76ers) and the fact that he moved to center to replace injured legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic's 42-point, 15-rebound, 7-assist, 3-steal effort in the title-clinching Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals was probably the best individual performance of all time.

It could be argued that he's the one player in NBA history who was better than Michael Jordan.

2 OSCAR ROBERTSON

Teams: Cincinnati Royals (1961-70), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-74)

Titles: 1 (1971)

Honors: 12-time All-Star, 1961 ROY, 1964 MVP, Hall of Fame

The player: The gold standard, two decades ahead of his time.

Oscar was one of the smartest players ever. There has never been a better post-up guard.

We hear about "The Big O" averaging a triple-double for one season (1961-62), but he actually averaged a triple-double over the first five seasons of his career (1960-65) when the games are strung together. In those 384 games, he averaged an astounding 30.3 points, 10.6 assists and 10.4 rebounds.

3 ISIAH THOMAS

Team: Detroit Pistons (1981-94)

Titles: 2 (1989, 1990)

Honors: 12-time All-Star, 1990 Finals MVP, Hall of Fame

The player: He was the smallest and baddest of the Bad Boys. He was an absolute killer on the court with as much heart, will and toughness as playing ability.

Isiah willed his team to a championship level. He was at his best when it counted -- in the playoffs. Against New York in the 1984 playoffs he scored 16 points in the last 94 seconds of regulation to send Game 5 into overtime.

4 JOHN STOCKTON

Team: Utah Jazz (1984-2003)

Titles: 0

Honors: 10-time All-Star

The player: His durability, toughness, leadership, poise, efficiency, vision and longevity were phenomenal.

Stockton might be the most deceptive point guard ever.

All-time leader in assists and steals, with a .515 shooting percentage. Very efficient.

Sustained excellence overcomes the absence of rings. The Stockton-Malone pick-and-roll will be the measuring stick for years to come.

5 BOB COUSY

Teams: Boston Celtics (1950-63), Cincinnati Royals (1969-70)

Titles: 6 (1957, 1959-63)

Honors: 13-time All-Star, 1957 MVP, Hall of Fame

The player: Cousy was ahead of his time with his ballhandling and passing skills.

He won more championships than any other point guard and was one of only four point guards to win MVP. The guy who made it all click for the NBA's greatest dynasty ever.

6 WALT FRAZIER

Teams: New York Knicks (1967-77), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-79)

Titles: 2 (1970, 1973)

Honors: 7-time All-Star, Hall of Fame

The player: Perhaps the best defensive point guard of all time. He was also a great scorer, rebounder, assist man and floor general. A true team player, but when he needed to take over he did.

In Game 7 of the 1970 Finals against Wilt, West and the Lakers, he notched 36 points, 19 assists and 5 steals to make up for a hobbled Willis Reed.

No one did it better with more style and grace on the world's greatest stage.

7 JASON KIDD

Teams: Dallas Mavericks (1994-97), Phoenix Suns (1997-2001), New Jersey Nets (2001-present)

Titles: 0

Honors: Eight-time All-Star, 1995 Co-ROY

The player: A brilliant passer -- his 9.2 assists per game average trail only Magic, Stockton and Oscar.

He's a terrific leader and intelligent competitor. Can beat an opponent in so many ways without scoring a point. J-Kidd is able to do precisely the right thing at the right time at the right place.

8 TINY ARCHIBALD

Teams: Cincinnati Royals (1970-72), Kansas City-Omaha Kings (1972-75), Kansas City Kings (1975-76), New York Nets (1976-77), Boston Celtics (1978-83), Milwaukee Bucks (1983-84)

Titles: 1 (1981)

Honors: Six-time All-Star, Hall of Fame

The player: A candidate for title of most dominant "little guy" ever.

As the first point guard to make scoring his emphasis, Tiny was the only player ever to lead the league in scoring and assists in the same season (34 and 11.4, 1972-73).

Awesome individual talent who had a lot of A.I. in him early in his career. Invented penetration.

9 STEVE NASH

Teams: Phoenix Suns (1996-98, 2004-present), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004)

Titles: 0

Honors: Five-time All-Star, two-time MVP (2005, 2006)

The player: His performance over the last two years in Phoenix has put him in this elite category. He's the only point guard other than Magic to win back-to-back MVPs.

Takes the "makes players around him better" tag to a whole new level. Has the ability to make entire teams adjust to his style of play.

10 GARY PAYTON

Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1990-2003), Milwaukee Bucks (2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05), Miami Heat (2005-2007)

Titles: 1 (2006)

Honors: Nine-time All-Star, 1996 Defensive POY

The player: More swagger than a gunslinger.

As a lockdown defender nicknamed "The Glove," he's one of the few point guards in Frazier's class defensively.

Great scorer who could run a team and, when necessary, put the club on his back. Break down his career and you'll conclude he's been underrated.

[Antonio_]

Magic, Oscar, Stock.

It's those 3 for me, in this order.

[Lunatic]

Could make an easy argument that stockton is #1...come on, all time leader in assists AND steals

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Magic, Oscar, Stock.

It's those 3 for me, in this order.

Same, although I might put Stockton over Robertson. Most players will never get 14 assists in one game. Stockton averaged it in an entire season...twice.

[7even]

stockton never got a ring or an mvp.. that puts him down, nigga was sick though.

[wcsoldier]

In 12 seasons , Magic went 9 times in Finals ... and should have one more title , if him and Kareem weren't injured against the Pistons ..  glad to see Kidd on there .. he's my favorite non Lakers player of all time ... only  mistake is Nash ahead of Payton...  the rest of the ranking is arguable .. (outside Magic who is number 1 without a doubt) .. but a they did a decent job

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Nash?


Magic Johnson
Oscar Robertson
Jason Kidd
Jerry West
Isaiah Thomas
John Stockton
Walt Frazier
Bob Cousy
Gary Payton
Nate Archibald

That's the real list.

[WC Iz Active]

^Great List NIK!!  LOL at Nash.   I do think Oscar is #1  though.

[Antonio_]

Nash?

I'm too tired about this dude i'm staring to ignore him. Obviously he ain't top10 material, lol.

I do think Oscar is #1  though.

Slap yourself. 

[WC Iz Active]

^^why?  Magic was amazing,  but you could argue that Oscar was the better player.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^not really, bro...

[Antonio_]

No, you can't.

[WC Iz Active]

LOL!! Yeah u can,  many experts think Oscar was the 2nd greatest player ever.

[Antonio_]

Ok. Me and NIK, two "real" experts are telling you Magic > Oscar.

Naw, for real. Imho Magic > Jordan, so there's really no discussion. Magic is my hero, i'm probably biased.

[GangstaBoogy]

Oscar is that nigga for averaging a triple double for an entire season. But Magic was the greatest ever. He's the epitome of a winner, the epitome of a leader, the epitome of a team player. Plus he was just amazing to watch. He did shiet that had never been done before him and that hasn't been done since he retired. I really wish I was old enough to see him play.