Having a great point guard is imperative to any basketball team’s success. They have the ball in their hands every play and are tasked with generating offense for themselves and their teammates. Fortunately, the position is flush with talent across the league. It’s a collection of young talent on the rise and a few all-time greats who can still dominate. Narrowing down the list to 10 is a difficult task. A few premier players had to be left off. Here are the top 10 point guards in the NBA heading into the 2024-25 season:
10. De’Aaron Fox — Sacramento Kings
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De’Aaron Fox’s career development has been impressive to watch. He’s always shown an ability to get to the basket with force. Fox is one of the fastest players end-to-end in the league and can blow by defenders as if they aren’t even there. Naturally, teams started to defend him a certain way, and that’s when Fox developed a lethal mid-range game. Then, last season, he suddenly emerged as a high-volume three-point shooter posting career highs in makes and percentage. He also led the league in steals in ’24. What’s next? Is the 6-foot-3 Fox going to become a premier shot-blocker? At this point, we wouldn’t even be surprised.
9. Damian Lillard — Portland Trail Blazers
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The point guard position is overflowing with talent. Narrowing a list down to 10 means a bundle of gifted players had to miss the cut. Damian Lillard has been among the elite group of point guards for a decade, but with a repeat performance of last season, the Oakland native could find himself on the outside looking in. Lillard’s numbers predictably dropped in his first year with the Bucks. Nobody expected him to score as many points as he did when he was carrying the Portland Trail Blazers. However, his efficiency dipped also and he’s only becoming less impactful defensively. Lillard remains one of the league’s most lethal deep-range scorers but needs a bounce-back season in Year 2 with the Bucks.
8. Tyrese Maxey — Philadelphia 76ers
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The reigning Most Improved Player award winner took a giant leap in ’24. With James Harden gone, Maxey took over as Philadelphia’s lead guard and flourished in his new role. The 23-year-old is both extremely skilled and a plus-athlete. He’s lightning-fast with the ball and can score from all three levels. However, what separates Maxey is his sense of playing under control while also being completely fearless. He doesn’t make the same mistakes most young guards do. And, he took his game to an even higher level in the playoffs. The 76ers don’t have to worry about Maxey disappearing when the lights are brightest.
7. Trae Young — Atlanta Hawks
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Trae Young is an offensive engine all unto himself. He’s among the league leaders in points and assists each season. His passing vision is among the best in the game. He delivers passes that other guards wouldn’t even dream of making. Offensively, don’t let Young’s middling field goal percentage fool you. He’s an efficient scorer thanks to a diet that consists of a high volume of threes and free throws. Young is listed generously at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds, and has no issue getting into the paint and drawing contact. With Dejounte Murray gone, we could see Young bolster his offensive game even further.
6. Tyrese Haliburton — Indiana Pacers
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Tyrese Haliburton is the type of point guard any player would want to play alongside. The 6-foot-5 Iowa State product is an infectious playmaker. Haliburton always looks to push the pace and find shooters and slashes for easy buckets. He’s liable to throw a no-look pass from half-court or drop a bounce pass through two defenders’ legs. That isn’t to say he isn’t a capable scorer. Haliburton boasts an unorthodox jumper, but it works for him. He’s shot the ball at a high level from beyond the arc since his rookie season and has range that extends well beyond the three-point line.
5. Ja Morant — Memphis Grizzlies
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One lost season is not enough for Ja Morant to be forgotten. He’s still one of the most electric players in the league and is primed for a big 2025. Morant played just nine games last year after a 25-game suspension followed by a season-ending injury. In his first game after serving the suspension, Morant scored 34 points and nailed the game-winner. The Grizzlies struggled mightily without him. With a full season ahead, Morant will again emerge as one of the top point guards in the game.
4. Jalen Brunson — New York Knicks
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Recency bias can cloud judgment. However, Jalen Brunson’s recent play cannot be ignored. Brunson joined the Knicks two seasons ago. His first year went about as well as anybody could have expected, as he led New York to the playoffs and had career-highs across the board. Year 2 was transformative. Brunson was named an All-Star for the first time. He increased his volume while hardly sacrificing any efficiency. Closing games became second nature to him. And, he saved his best for last with a memorable playoff run (while nursing an injury). He’s already a legend in New York and his lore will continue to grow as he leads this Knicks team to more success.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — Oklahoma City Thunder
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Guard play is a lot different today than say, 10 years ago. A majority of the best point guards in the game dominate via the long ball. That’s what makes Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander so different. The Canadian import does most of his damage from inside the arc. He boasts an elite mid-range arsenal that no defender has been able to figure out. Perhaps the most impressive fact of his game is that he can pour in 30 points nightly without completely dominating the ball. Gilgeous-Alexander picks his spots wisely and rarely misfires when he goes up for an attempt. His 6-foot-6 frame also allows him to be a playmaker defensively (2.0 SPG and 0.9 BPG in ’24). Good luck to the rest of the league if he ever does become a lethal three-point shooter.
2. Stephen Curry — Golden State Warriors
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Some might have Curry a spot or two lower in their ranks, but we’re not ready to count out the all-time great. He may not be as quick or efficient as he was during his prime, but the 36-year-old continues to evolve. It’s like he can see the game in slow motion now. His passing has improved tremendously. He’s gotten stronger and defenders can’t bother him like they did when he was younger. Of course, he still can take over a game in an instant. That much was apparent during the Olympics when Curry took over late against France in the gold medal game. He’s the greatest shooter ever. And, that isn’t going to change for a long time.
1. Luka Dončić — Dallas Mavericks
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Luka Dončić is an offensive powerhouse. He can score from any spot on the floor and is arguably the best passer in the game. At 6-foot-7 with supreme skill, he’s a matchup nightmare for even the league’s best defensive players. The 25-year-old Slovenian is already putting together one of the most impressive starts to a career we’ve ever seen. He’s played just six seasons and has already been named to the All-NBA First Team five times. That’s more than three guys who have won two MVPs — Nikola Jokić, Stephen Curry, and Steve Nash. He’s another player who has stepped up in the postseason. Dončić has already played 50 career playoff games, and only Michael Jordan has a higher career postseason PPG. He led Dallas to an NBA Finals berth last season and will be looking to bring them back in 2025.
