Top NBA Point Guards Now and Then…

When you get into the discussion of top NBA position players, no matter the position, it garners up a great discussion.

Looking at the top NBA point guards of today's game as well as the past is no different.

Here are the top 10 NBA Point Guards in the NBA right now...

1. Chris Paul Los Angeles Clippers - Chris Paul could average 25 points a game and still drop as many dimes as he does.  However, he likes to get all his teammates involved from the beginning of the game.  That makes a true PG special.  Paul is special and the best right now in the NBA.

2. Rajon Rondo Boston Celtics - Going down with a serious knee injury may be concerning as far as future potential for Rondo, but when he is in the lineup, he is a close second to Paul as far as being the league's best.  His handles, his vision and his determination make him so deadly.

3. Kyrie Irving Cleveland Cavaliers - If we made this list 3 years from now, Irving may be #1.  He is quickly going to the top of the list as the best in the game at the point guard position.  His added ability to score, not only off the dribble, but from 3-point range, makes him so hard to guard.  Plus he's so young, its scary to think the kind of numbers he will have when his career is done.

4. Derek Rose Chicago Bulls - even though Rose is injured, the pure fact that he is so dangerous when healthy and the fact that he is a former MVP keeps him in the top 5.

5. Tony Parker San Antonio Spurs - Old trusty.  It seems like the Spurs every year get written off as being too old and Tony Parker gets forgot about as a elite PG in the league.  However, his leadership and skills on the court put him still in elite status at his position.

6. Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder - Probably the best pure scorer out of all these guys, Westbrook also distributes the ball better than some may give him credit for.  On most any other team, he would be the #1 guy, but he just so happens to play with a guy named Kevin Durant.

7. Steve Nash Los Angeles Lakers - Nash has been slowed by his early season injury and the fact that he has to divert to Kobe and Howard now more than ever.  But most teams would kill to have his services at the point.

8. Damian Lillard Portland Trial Blazers - This guy will be great.  In only his rookie campaign, he isn't higher on the list because there isn't a large enough sample size, but he can sure ball.  The leader as far as the Trial Blazers go in setting the tone each and every night and with experience he will become even better with time.

9. Deron Williams New Jersey Nets - Here is a example of a guy who has seen his stock drop in the past few years.  Once a top 5 point guard, Williams has struggled with the role of having to carry the Nets in regards to scoring some nights and possibly may be losing some of his quickness.  Still though, a top 10 player at the point guard position.

10. Jrue Holiday Philadelphia 76ers - Jrue made his first all-star appearance this year and is improving each season in the NBA.  Probably because the 76ers have taken a step back as a team, he hasn't got as much attention this season as far as the media goes, he is very consistent at the point.

There are the top 10 currently in the league.  But let's look at the greatest of all-time!

1. Magic Johnson

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of five NBA championship teams
- fourth all-time in assists in NBA history
- first all-time in assists per game in NBA history
- NBA leader in assists in 1982/83, 1985/86 & 1986/87
- NBA leader in free throw % in 1988/89
- NBA leader in steals per game in 1980/81 & 1981/82
- NBA leader in assists per game in 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86 & 1986/87
- 12-time NBA All-Star
- three-time NBA Finals MVP
- three-time NBA MVP
- NBA All-Rookie Team
- 10-time All-NBA selection

2. Oscar Robinson

Career accomplishments:

- basketball Hall of Fame
- member of one NBA championship team
- third all-time in free throws made in NBA history
- sixth all-time in free throws attempted in NBA history
- fifth all-time in assists in NBA history
- third all-time in minutes per game in NBA history
- eighth all-time in points per game in NBA history
- fourth all-time in assists per game in NBA history
- NBA leader in games played in 1962/63
- NBA leader in free throws made in 1963/64, 1964/65, 1967/68 & 1968/69
- NBA leader in free throw % in 1963/64 & 1967/68
- NBA leader in assists in 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1965/66 & 1968/69
- NBA leader is assists per game in 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1965/66, 1967/68 & 1968/69
- NBA leader in points per game 1967/68
- 12-time NBA All-Star
- 11-time All-NBA selection
- NBA Rookie of the Year
- NBA MVP

3. Isiah Thomas

- member of the basketball Hall of Fame
- member of two NBA championship teams
- NBA Finals MVP
- seventh all-time in assists in NBA history
- fifth all-time in assists per game in NBA history
- NBA leader in games played in 1983/84
- NBA leader in minutes played in 1982/83
- NBA leader in assists in 1983/84 & 1984/85
- NBA leader in assists per game in 1984/85
- 12-time NBA All-Star
- NBA All-Rookie Team
- five-time All-NBA selection

4. Steve Nash

- tenth all-time in three-pointers made in NBA history
- eighth all-time in three-point % in NBA history
- all-time leader in free throw % in NBA history
- sixth all-time in assists in NBA history
- ninth all-time in assists per game in NBA history
- NBA leader in free throw % in 2005/06 & 2009/10
- NBA leader in assists in 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10 & 2010/11
- NBA leader in assists per game in 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10 & 2010/11
- two-time NBA MVP
- five-time NBA All-Star
- five-time All-NBA selection

5. John Stockton

- basketball Hall of Fame
- third all-time in games played in NBA history
- sixth all-time in minutes played in NBA history
- all-time leader in assists in NBA history
- all-time leader in steals in NBA history
- second all-time in assists per game in NBA history
- sixth all-time in steals per game in NBA history
- NBA leader in games played in 1984/85, 1986/87, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1993/94, 1994/95 & 1998/99
- NBA leader in assists in 1987/88, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95 & 1995/96
- NBA leader in steals in 1988/89 & 1991/92
- NBA leader in assists per game in 1987/88, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95 & 1995/96
- NBA leader in steals per game in 1988/89 & 1991/92
- 10-time NBA All-Star
- 11-time All-NBA selection
- five-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection

It will be interesting to see how many of the current top 10 make it into the top 5 of all-time or if this list continues to be the same for the foreseeable future.