With the NBA season right around the corner, now is as good a time as any to take stock of the best talent around the league. So before the regular season officially begins, Sports Illustrated will be ranking the top five players at every position in the NBA. Here, we are focusing on shooting guards.
Apologies to: James Harden (maybe not a shooting guard?), Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal (maybe a point guard now).
5. Desmond Bane
Of all players who took at least seven three-point attempts a game last season, Bane was fifth in shooting percentage, connecting on 40.8% of his shots from deep. Bane is not quite Prime Klay Thompson, but he’s close. He’s a legitimate marksman who is also capable of defending multiple positions on the other end of the floor. Teams are falling over themselves to find players like Bane, who are invaluable come playoff time. Bane may not have the highlight dunks like Ja Morant or the gaudy block numbers like Jaren Jackson Jr., but that doesn’t make him any less integral to the Grizzlies’ success.
4. Jaylen Brown
Brown is an accomplished two-way wing whose playoff “struggles” are wildly overstated. While Jayson Tatum earns a lion’s share of the adoration, Brown has been in lockstep with his running mate in making the Celtics a yearly contender. He is coming off his best season as a pro, averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists, free throw attempts and field-goal percentage. That there was any conversation around Brown’s supermax deal was silly. Brown is a fantastic second option on any contender. The modern game is built around wings, and Brown’s turnover issues pale in comparison to everything else he brings to the table. Brown may not be a true No. 1 option like the people ahead of him on this list, but he’s proven to be a winner
3. Anthony Edwards
Edwards has the potential to be the best player at this position in the near future. His responsibilities increased with the Timberwolves last season, and Edwards responded by putting up 25/6/4 in only his third season. Despite the presence of Karl-Anthony Towns, Edwards has made Minnesota his team. He needs more defensive consistency to enter the realm of true superstardom, but his scoring ability overshadows that part of his game. Edwards is quickly transforming into one of the best bucket getters in the league. He‘s already shown an ability to carry his team’s offense. He should only continue to thrive as the Wolves figure out how to best build around him.
2. Donovan Mitchell
After leading numerous top offenses in Utah, Mitchell raised his game his first year in Cleveland, averaging career bests in points, minutes, field-goal percentage and three-point percentage. He also exhibited a firmer commitment on the defensive end, a necessity for him after some humbling playoff defeats. Only 27, Mitchell may have one more level to go to as a scorer. Not only can he currently carry a team offensively, teams can score at an elite level with Mitchell as the No. 1 option. The next evolution for Mitchell will be postseason consistency. If he can unlock that part of his game, the Cavs could threaten as much as any other team in the East.
1. Devin Booker
Rick Scuteri/USA TODAY Sports
After years of unfair criticism and labels as an empty scorer, Booker is now unquestionably the best shooting guard in the NBA. He has been the biggest driver for the Suns’ success over the last couple seasons. Booker is coming off his best campaign as a scorer as well as his most efficient one. In the playoffs, he averaged a comical 33.7 points per game on 58.5% shooting, hitting on nearly 51% of his three pointers. Book can score from every level on the floor, and he gets to the line a healthy amount for good measure. His consistency is not celebrated enough, and his competitive spirit is what everyone wants from NBA players. The Suns may have a host of big names now, but if they make a deep playoff run, Booker very likely could be the biggest reason why.
