i think we've already had this discussion before...with Stockton fans and JKidds fans (like myself) going at it... anyway, id still stick to my choice JKidd...the thing that he did for the Nets are simply amazing...the primary role of a PG is to make the whole team look good...and Kidd did one hell of a job doing it...his court vision is second to none...and you can always expect points/rebounds/assists/steals across his name night in and night out
I have said it many times, and I will say it again. There is no clear cut best point guard of all-time. You can't really pick Magic Johnson over John Stockton or vise versa, but you can respectively say that both players earned the right to be called the greatest point guard of all-time. I know that many of you will jump on my back for picking Stockton, so let me restate what I have stated many a time. What do you want a point gaurd to do? You want him to make assists and get steals. As long as a point gaurd does this then I don't care what his other numbers are because point gaurds don't need many other numbers. Stockton is the all-time leader in NBA steals and assists, so how is he not one of the best point gaurds of all-time? The guy amazes me the way he goes out there every night and plays every game for, what was it, 18 years? If true point gaurd was in the dictionary then Stockton's picture would be under it. I do not consider Jason Kidd the greatest Point Guard of all-time even though I am arguably his biggest fan on this message board. Kidd just didn't have an immediate impact on the league. He had quite a few mediocre seasons with the Mavericks and Suns before he became an All-Star. Kidd also has no records or championships. Bascially, he has nothing working for him. He is one of the greatests of all-time, but not the absolute best.
I agree with Wave, it's impossible to compare different eras. Bob Cousy was arguably the first true point guard, but no one can gauge how he'd go in today's game. Stockton's court vision and passing is almost unrivalled in the modern era, and Magic redefined the position and was one of the greatest leaders ever. Then there's Isaiah, Kidd, Glove, Maravich - too tough to pick one.
The game today - Jason Kidd (Yeah, I'm being biased. So what? Kiss my butt.) All Time - John Stockton
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post">Bob Cousy was arguably the first true point guard, but no one can gauge how he'd go in today's game.</div>I'd like to argue Bob Cousy being the first ever "true" point guard. I would say the first ever "true" point guard would have to be Dick McGuire of the New York Knicks. McGuire was special not only because he ranked in the top three for assists per game in the first three seasons of the NBA, but because he was arguably the first player to ever make his teammates better. He helped guys like Carl Braun and Harry Gallatin become stars. McGuire may have at one time lead the league in assists, but he was so unselfish that his first year he managed to only be the nineth highest scorer on his team. McGuire still had the complete point guard game none the less. He shot around forty-five percent and achieved a lot of steals by early NBA standards. Anyway, I am not arguing that he is the best point guard ever. I just believe that McGuire was the first ever true point guard.
cross yo ova, please look at previous threads, this has been talked about countless times. Time to break out the editing (grrr)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Wave:</div><div class="quote_post">I'd like to argue Bob Cousy being the first ever "true" point guard. I would say the first ever "true" point guard would have to be Dick McGuire of the New York Knicks. McGuire was special not only because he ranked in the top three for assists per game in the first three seasons of the NBA, but because he was arguably the first player to ever make his teammates better. He helped guys like Carl Braun and Harry Gallatin become stars. McGuire may have at one time lead the league in assists, but he was so unselfish that his first year he managed to only be the nineth highest scorer on his team. McGuire still had the complete point guard game none the less. He shot around forty-five percent and achieved a lot of steals by early NBA standards. Anyway, I am not arguing that he is the best point guard ever. I just believe that McGuire was the first ever true point guard.</div> I'll give you that Wave, a bit ignorant of me - I threw up Cousy cos he's usually acknowledged as one of the first true point guards mainly because of the success he had with that great Celtics team. McGuire often doesn't get enough credit, thinking about it he probably did do as much as Cousy in establishing the 'true' point guard position, maybe even more.
The best point guard I've ever seen is JKidd. Partially cause I seen Stocktons games from the end of his career. In other words, the first game of his I witnessed, was when he was like, 34ish. Kidd, I've seen a lot of his games and he never ceases to impress me. He does everything a point guard should be able to and than some. But, personally, I do think Stockton WAS better. JKidd though, I think took the title of best pg from Stockton about 5 years ago.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting deestillballin:</div><div class="quote_post">The game today - Jason Kidd (Yeah, I'm being biased. So what? Kiss my butt.) </div>That statement may be biased, but at least it's accurate. There is no question that Jason Kidd is the best point guard today. The only players that come close to being compared to him are Gary Payton, Steve Francis, and Stephon Marbury and even they are a whole plateau lower than he is.
All this talk about Kidd, Stockton, Thomas, Magic.....what about Bob Cousy????? And FYI, the best pure shooting point gaurd was Mark Price.
I agree, I think Mark Price has always been a bit underrated in terms of the better point guards in history - by no means near the best but still very, very good. I've always though Terrell Brandon was one of the best point guards I've seen live, but sadly injuries cut him down.
Coming from a Clevelander: Brandon was no Mark Price, not even close. Price was on all star teams, olympic teams, and his name/number rests in the rafters of Gund Arena. I loved Brandon yes, but Mark Price is one of the best Cavaliers of all time, right next to Austin Carr, World B Free, Bobby "Bingo" Smith, Larry Nance, and of course our teams all time leading scorer, Brad Daugherty. Dang, I'm good.
