Top 5 Best Shooting Guards in NBA of All Time

When we read the book’s definition of basketball positions, we see that guards drive the games forward. They dictate the flow of the offense and are popularly regarded as the ‘floor generals’ for their on-court duties. Though both point guards and shooting guards have equal responsibilities to dictate the offense, the player at point focuses on playmaking while the shooting guard is more focused on scoring.

Shooting guards are known as ‘Number Two’ or the ‘off guard’ and play around the wing, often shooting from the perimeter. They are usually prolific shooters from three-point and long mid-range and can stretch the floor whenever required. Some of the greatest NBA players, including the great Michael Jordan, have all been shooting guards.

In this article, let’s dive deeper into knowing about some of the greatest shooting guards in the league’s history and find out how they rank in the all-time top 10 shooting guards list.

Top 5 Best NBA Shooting Guards

The NBA has witnessed several shooting guards who have impacted scoring in their ingenious ways to redefine the league. The list below ranks five of the best shooting guards of all time based on their achievements, impact, and relevance in the NBA. All of the players mentioned below are either Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers because of their immense contribution to the development and popularity of the league.

5. Vince Carter

In the early 2000s, Vince Carter emerged as the face of the new expansion franchise, the Toronto Raptors. Selected as a 5th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1998, Carter was all about flashy dunks and is ranked as the greatest dunker of all time by the NBA itself. Carter played for 22 seasons in the NBA and shares this record with none other than LeBron James.

Carter is an 8x All-Star, 1999 Rookie of the Year, and was selected to the All-NBA Third Team in 2000. He has played for eight different teams during his career and averaged 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.

4. Ray Allen

Before Stephen Curry, Ray Allen was the one who started the shooting revolution in the NBA. Allen is a 10x NBA All-Star, an Olympic gold medal winner, and a two-time NBA champion. He was the leading three-point scorer until Stephen Curry surpassed him in 2021. As of 2025, Allen ranks third in the all-time three-pointers list. He averaged 18.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game during the span of his 18-season-long NBA career.

3. James Harden

If we talk about scoring, it would be criminal to omit James Harden from the list. Harden ranks amongst all-time top scorers in the league and is considered one of the greatest shooting guards ever. He was the MVP in 2018, an 11x All-Star, and was selected six times to the All-NBA First Team until now. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 21.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game, as per the NBA.

2. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was one of the most stellar figures in the league’s history. Known for his relentless determination and dedication to the game of basketball, Bryant was an avid student of the game, putting himself both physically and mentally on the court. His killer mentality earned him the moniker ‘Black Mamba,’ with many fans and new-generation players adopting the ‘Mamba Mentality.’

Bryant was a lifelong Los Angeles Lakers player, playing with the team until his retirement in 2016. He has won five championships (which includes his threepeat with the Lakers), is a two-time Finals MVP, an 18x All-Star, and a one-time regular season MVP in 2008. He averaged 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game throughout his career and ranks fourth in the all-time scorers list.

1. Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the great messiah of basketball for all the right reasons. Also known as the ‘Black Jesus,’ Jordan was why the NBA became globally popular. MJ was selected as the 3rd overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA draft and became a force to be reckoned with right from the start.

Jordan, alongside Scottie Pippen, led the Bulls to continuous playoff appearances throughout the ’80s and achieved two three-peats with the franchise (1991-93, 1995-1998) during his time. Even though Jordan retired in 1993 after his father’s untimely death, he went on to win the second three-peat with the Bulls after his return.

Besides being a six-time NBA champion, Jordan is a 6x NBA MVP, 5x regular season MVP, 14x All-Star, 3x All-Star MVP, and 10x All-NBA First Team. He averaged 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 5.3 APG during the span of his career.

Best Shooting Guards in NBA: Honourable Mentions

Besides the top 5 shooting guards, the table below lists some notable shooting guards who deserve flowers and recognition for their contributions to the sport and the league.