NBA: Top-10 Point Guards Under 25
Who are the top Point Guards under 25 in the NBA?
1.Luka Doncic
The obvious first choice on the top PG under 25 list. Doncic is a superstar. He’s been one of the top vote-getters for the NBA All-Star game for 2 years. His averages of 27.9 PPG/8 RPG/ 8.4 APG make him one of the most versatile PGs in all of the NBA. It’s been Doncic who has led the charge for the Dallas Mavericks. He’s the reason they are a playoff threat.
2.Trae Young
I’m torn between Trae and Swipa at this spot. I’m going Trae because his teams have been just a bit more successful. Young is also a much better scorer than De’Aaron. His averages of 25.6 points place him among the league leaders. He’s also good for 9.5 assists a game, putting him 2nd in the NBA. Young has gotten
the Hawks to the playoffs and possibly farther in the rounds in a few year’s time.
3. De’Aaron “Swipa” Fox
Controversial pick here for sure. Call it bias because I live in Sacramento, however, anyone who watches Fox knows how good he is. He’s had 18 games this season of over 30 points. He’s tied for 10th in steals. And if you want to talk the heart and soul of a team, it’s Fox. He has put the Kings on his back for the entirety of his short career. De’Aaron is a future All-Star/ All-NBA no question about it.
4.LaMelo Ball
What else is there to say? LaMelo is the best all-around PG since Russ. And while the latter is still playing, LaMelo is the future of the PG position. He’s arguably a better passer than his brother (he’ll be around later), and a better shooter at this stage of his career than Lonzo was during his rookie year. And Ball gets to taste the playoffs (play-in) during his first NBA season? Sky’s the limit.
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5. Ben Simmons
I don’t like Simmons as a point guard. I don’t like Simmons as a player. You can’t argue he’s a pivotal piece to the 76ers success. And because he’s played at a high level on great teams, he needs to be here. I do believe others will surpass him, though.
6.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
One of the most exciting players in the NBA. Shai is now the centerpiece of the Oklahoma City Thunder (well, outside of Lou Dort). He might be at the top of this list in 2-3 years. That depends on how OKC develops and how much of a leader he can be.
7A. Darius Garland
Yup, he’s neck and neck with Ja. Before I take the criticism, let me just say the jump Garland has made from year 1 to year 2 has been much greater than Morant. Garland has averaged 5 more points, 3 more assists than he did last year. The Cavs are a different team when he’s on the court. Maybe right now you’d take Ja. However, don’t overlook the player that has taken his game to a new level this season.
7B. Ja Morant
He’s probably the one guy I’ll get flack for having him where he is. Yes, Morant is going to be an All-Star in the future. However, everyone above him is as well. The Garland ranking is simply because I feel he’s had moments this year where his play has outshined Ja. Considering they are from the same draft class, I had to compare them. I like Ja better currently. However, in full transparency, I think Garland might be the better NBA player.
9. Jamal Murray
Yeah, he’s the best player on this list outside of Ben Simmons. But, he’s more of a shooter than an actual PG. Murray won’t be the guy to go and get out 10+ assists. He’s a scorer. By all means, argue this. Murray has proven he can win in the playoffs. Again, this is just because he’s not a true PG in my eyes, and I don’t think that’s going to change.
10.Lonzo Ball
He’s not his brother in terms of scoring. But, Lonzo has really improved this year. Yeah, he’s shooting at nearly the same percentages as his last two years, but he’s taking more shots. The confidence is growing with Lonzo. My real cause for concern is he’s concentrated on taking more shots and focusing less on passing. For a guy who came into the NBA as an elite passer, that’s what you hang your hat on.
Note:
A few names haven’t been mentioned.
I wanted to include Cole Anthony, Tyrese Maxey (whose long-term position is still shaky), and Killian Hayes. However, the small sample size of this year really doesn’t tell us much. Hayes and Anthony both made huge jumps since their lengthy injury absences. We need to see just a bit more. Maxey has shown up when given time, just not enough to pay off. Consider Cole at 11, Maxey at 12, and Hayes at 13 if they are included.
Tyrese Haliburton, Markele Fultz, and Colin Sexton won’t make this list. I consider them to be SG’s.
Fultz has a case because he was the starting PG for the Magic before his season-ending injury. He’s probably losing that spot to Cole Anthony upon his return. Haliburton and Sexton have a similar fate since they both play with two guys on this list who profile as more PGs than they do.
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Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
