After years of underwhelming production for the most part it seems as though the shooting guard position is starting to turn when it comes a changing of the guard and the rise of some elite talents to the top. That is particularly true when it comes to the No. 1 spot on our list of the top shooting guards in the NBA with a young star coming in to his own this season. Here is a look at the top five shooting guards in the NBA right now.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
The Greek Freak is in the midst of a breakout season with an average of 24.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 4.0 combined blocks and steals per game. At 22-years-old, Antetokounmpo is taking advantage of his incredible 6’11’’ length, his 7’3’’ wingspan and his ridiculous athleticism this season. He still hasn’t developed a consistent enough three-point shot but owns the fourth-highest true shooting percentage in the NBA. The Greek Freak might not be getting the attention he deserves just yet but he has cemented his name among the NBA’s elite this season. As good as he’s been, the Bucks are still just 20-19 on the season. They’re still young and they’re building around him, but they’ll need to be better. They are just one game inside the playoff cut.
2. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Thompson is one of the league’s best pure scorers when he is hot and he has proved this season that he doesn’t need a ton of touches to put up strong numbers. Thompson has averaged 21.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 three-point shots per game on 38.3-percent shooting from beyond the arc. The 26-year-old has done an excellent job adapting with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green all sharing touches in the Warriors’ starting five and he should be commended for his ability to adjust and still contribute at a high level despite not being the focus of the Golden State offense.
3. DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
DeRozan has spent the last two years proving to the NBA that his name deserves to be considered among the best at his position while helping to turn the Raptors in to the second-best team in the Eastern Conference. DeRozan has averaged 27.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game this season while defying the NBA’s analytical shift to the outside game. DeRozan isn’t a good three-point shooter but he is an excellent driver, he can shoot the spot-up jumper and he is a top-10 rebounder in the league among guards. DeRozan isn’t a perfect player but he is the best player on a Toronto team that is right behind the Cleveland Cavaliers at the top of the Eastern Conference. It’ll be interesting to see if he can keep this up in the playoffs. That’s where they’ll need him the most – especially if they face the Cavs.
4. C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
The 25-year-old combo guard is another rising star in the NBA as he has averaged 23.3 points, 3.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game this season. McCollum broke out last year’ when he earned Most Improved Player honors and he has really shown his value this year including averaging 31.2 points per game when Damian Lillard missed five games because of an ankle injury earlier this season. McCollum undoubtedly has the potential to climb higher on this list and he is already a top-five shooting guard in this league.
5. Avery Bradley, Boston Celtics
Nicolas Batum and Bradley Beal earned honorable mentions in this category but it is Bradley that is the most deserving of this final spot based on his two-way development. Bradley has averaged 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season and while he has always been known as an excellent defender it’s his offensive abilities that have really made the difference in his play this season. Thomas has averaged 2.1 three-point shots per game on 41.7-percent shooting from behind the arc and his true shooting percentage has climbed to 56.6 on the season. At 26-years-old, Bradley is in the prime of his career and he is a big reason why Boston is a contender in the Eastern Conference right now.
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