Being the best in the NBA means being the best in the world, as it is the league of elite Basketball players. One has to be an absolute genius, athletic, hardworking, and skillful to stand out as the best in the NBA.
Basketball is a team game, and every player in every position plays a crucial role. However, it is the point guards who run the offense and are typically the best dribbler and passers on the team. Therefore, to be the best point guard, one has to compete with the other best players.
The point guard is the first step of defense for the opponent. If he can stop the offense in the perimeter, they can put pressure on the opponent. There have been many legendary players who have defined the role of the point guards. Here are the ten best defensive point guards of all time in NBA history. You can also know about the best defensive NBA players of all time.
They are the best Defensive Point Guards of All Time
A point guard plays in the perimeter, so it is his responsibility to defend it. As they lead the offense, their defense is often overlooked. However, you cannot overlook the defense of these players.
- Gary Payton
- Jerry West
- Chris Paul
- Jason Kidd
- John Stockton
- Bob Cousy
- Stephen Curry
- Isiah Thomas
- Kobe Bryant
- Magic Johnson
Let’s have a brief peek at their glorious career. The statistics of the players are given as their career average, except for the number of games they played and the win shares.
1. Gary Payton
| Full Name | Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. |
| Date of Birth | July 23, 1968 |
| Birth’s Place | Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in |
| Weight | 190 lb |
| NBA Draft | 1990 (Seattle SuperSonics, Pick: 2) |
| NBA Rookie of the Year | N/A |
| Teams | Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics |
| Position | Point Guard |
| NBA Champion | 2006 |
| NBA Defensive Player of the Year | 1996 |
| NBA All-Defensive First Team | 9 Times: 1994-2002 |
| NBA Finals MVP | N/A |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | N/A |
| Retirement | 2007 |
Gary Payton, the Seattle SuperSonics legend, is among the only few of those players who could lock down the great Michael Jordan.
Payton had a long career in the NBA, played 1335 games, and holds the record for the fifth most steals and the tenth most assists. During his 17-year career, he never had a DWS lower than 1.2. Payton was called the defensive nightmare because of his aggressive defense.
Payton was born in California in 1968 and had his debut in the NBA in 1990. He played for the Seattle SuperSonics till 2003 and later played for three more teams. Payton finally became the NBA champion in 2006 while playing for the Miami Heat and retired the following year.
- Career statistics of Gary Payton
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 1335 | 16.3 | 3.9 | 0.6 | 6.7 | 46.6 | 105.6 | 145.5 |
2. Jerry West
| Full Name | Jerome Alan West |
| Date of Birth | May 28, 1938 |
| Birth’s Place | Chelyan, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Basketball Coach, Basketball Player |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in |
| Weight | 175 lb |
| NBA Draft | 1960 (Los Angeles Lakers Pick: 2) |
| NBA Rookie of the Year | N/A |
| Teams | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Position | Point Guard |
| NBA Champion | 1972 |
| NBA All-Defensive First Team | 1970, 71, 72, 73 |
| NBA Finals MVP | 1969 |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | N/A |
| Retirement | 1974 |
The Los Angeles Lakers can sense greatness while drafting players into the team. Before they had Magic Johnson in 1979, the greatest Lakers, who also played in the point guard position, Lakers had another great point guard, Jerry West. He dominated the game throughout the 60s. West was also the no.1 pick in the 1960 draft.
West was a fourteen-time all-star from 1961-1974 and made the all-defensive first team four times. His career highlights include being 23rd in scoring, 34th in most career assists, and 233rd in rebounds.
West won the NBA championship in 1972 and the Finals MVP of the Year award in 1969 despite being on the losing side. In his 15-year-long career, West played 932 games and had an impressive 2.2 steals per game.
West retired as one of the best defensive point guards of all time in 1974 and was announced a Hall of Famer in 1980.
- Career statistics of Jerry West
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Blocks | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 932 | 27.0 | 5.8 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 6.7 | 47.4 | 95.6 | 162.6 |
3. Chris Paul
| Full Name | Christopher Emmanuel Paul |
| Date of Birth | May 6, 1985 |
| Birth’s Place | Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in |
| Weight | 175 lb |
| NBA Draft | 2005 (New Orleans Hornets, Pick: 4) |
| NBA Rookie of the Year | 2006 |
| Teams | New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns |
| Position | Point Guard |
| NBA Champion | N/A |
| NBA All-Defensive First Team | 7 Times: 2009, 2012-2017 |
| NBA Finals MVP | N/A |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | N/A |
| Retirement | Still Active |
Chris Paul began his pro career in 2005 with the New Orleans Hornets and immediately became a top player in the NBA. He was the rookie of the year in 2006. Since then, he has been performing like a mad bull in every match.
Paul stands as the player with 3rd most assists in his career, along with 4th in steals and 39 in rebounds.
At the age of 37, he is still running on the court like a newbie. He has an unreal ability of an off-the-dribble scorer in the midrange. He is also so good in defense that many consider him the best defensive point guard of the present time.
Paul is yet to win the NBA title. Hopefully, he will win at least one by the end of his career.
- Career statistics of Chris Paul
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Blocks | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 1175 | 18.0 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 9.5 | 47.2 | 105.2 | 201.0 |
4. Jason Kidd
| Full Name | Jason Frederick Kidd |
| Date of Birth | March 23, 1973 |
| Birth’s Place | San Francisco, California, US |
| Occupation | Basketball Player |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in |
| Weight | 210 lb |
| NBA Draft | 1994 (Dallas Mavericks, Pick: 2) |
| NBA Rookie of the Year | |
| Teams | Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks |
| Position | Point Guard |
| NBA Champion | 2011 |
| NBA All-Defensive First Team | 4 Times: 1990, 2001, 02, 06 |
| NBA Finals MVP | N/A |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | N/A |
| 4× NBA All-Defensive First Team | 4 Times: 1991, 2001, 02, 06 |
| Retirement | 2013 |
Jason Kidd was a perfect point guard player. He could pass, dribble, score, and, most importantly, defend the perimeter. Only 27 players have accumulated 138 or more win shares, and Kidd is one of them.
Jason had a total of 75.1 DWS at the end of his 19-year career, which makes him 11th in the most DWS list. He was in the NBA all-defensive first team four times in his career.
Kidd retired in 2013, and the same year he joined as a coach of the Brooklyn Nets and is currently the assistant coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
- Career statistics of Jason Kidd
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Blocks | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 1391 | 12.6 | 6.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 8.7 | 40.0 | 108.7 | 138.6 |
5. John Stockton
| Full Name | John Houston Stockton |
| Date of Birth | March 26, 1962 |
| Birth’s Place | Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight | 175 lb |
| NBA Draft | 1984 (Utah Jazz, pIck: 16) |
| NBA Rookie of the Year | N/A |
| Teams | Utah Jazz |
| Position | Point Guard |
| NBA Champion | N/A |
| NBA All-Defensive Second Team | 5 Times: 1989, 1991, 92, 95, 97 |
| NBA Assists Leader | 9 Times: 1988-1996 |
| NBA Finals MVP | N/A |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | N/A |
| Retirement | 2003 |
John Stockton is not only a legend for the Jazz but also in the NBA. He played a major role in the team’s defense and has a career defensive rating of 104.
Stockton made the all-defensive first team five times and was a nine-time assist leader. He holds the record for more career steals with 3,265. Stockton also has the second-best defensive win share (64.9) as a guard. With such accomplishments, he solidified his position in the league of the best defensive point guards of all time.
The only reason there is no mention of his defensive accolades is that the defense awards were introduced in 1968., and Stockton retired from the court in 1970.
- Career statistics of John Stockton
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Blocks | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 1504 | 13.1 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 10.5 | 51.5 | 104.0 | 207.7 |
6. Bob Cousy
| Full Name | Robert Joseph Cousy |
| Date of Birth | August 9, 1928 |
| Birth’s Place | New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Basketball Coach, Basketball Player |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight | 175 lb |
| NBA Draft | 1950 (Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Pick: 3) |
| NBA Rookie of the Year | N/A |
| Teams | Boston Celtics, Cincinnati Royals |
| Position | Point Guard |
| NBA Champion | 6 Times: 1957, 59, 1960, 61, 62, 63 |
| NBA Finals MVP | N/A |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | 1957 |
| Retirement | 1970 |
Bob Cousy is especially remembered for his defense. The six times NBA champion was an all-around player. Cousy played 924 games in 13 seasons. His 50.4 defensive win share is the 44th best in NBA history.
Cousy has no All-Defensive team accolades, as the award was introduced in 1968. With an average of 3.8 DWS per season, Cousy could have made the team many times.
- Career statistics of Bob Cousy
| Games | Points | TRB | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 924 | 18.4 | 5.2 | 7.5 | 37.5 | N/A | 91.1 |
7. Stephen Curry
| Full Name | Wardell Stephen Curry II |
| Date of Birth | March 14, 1988 |
| Birth’s Place | Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation | Basketball Player |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in |
| Weight | 185 lb |
| NBA Draft | 2009 (Golden State Warriors, Pick: 1) |
| NBA Rookie of the Year | N/A |
| Teams | Golden State Warriors |
| Position | Point Guard |
| NBA Champion | 4 Times: 2015, 17, 18, 2022 |
| NBA Finals MVP | 2022 |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | 2015, 16 |
| Retirement | Still Active |
About Stephen Curry’s greatness, his inclusion in this list is enough to prove as he is still actively playing in the NBA. Curry has made it to the list before retiring. While drafting him in 2009 into the team, the Golden State Warriors knew they had caught the big fish.
Curry stands as the 56th in career assists, 65th in steals, and 47th in all-time scoring. Curry is a renowned shooter, and his defensive and playmaking abilities are often overshadowed by it.
Curry is a two-time MVP, became the finals MVP in 2022, and is a four-time NBA champion. Curry was exceptionally good in 2015 and led the Warriors to become the NBA champion after 40 years! And now the Warriors are one of the most dominant teams in the NBA; Curry is leading from the front.
Surely Curry is a future hall of fame, and by the time he ends his career, he might even move up in the list.
Career statistics of Stephen Curry
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Blocks | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 852 | 24.5 | 4.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 6.5 | 47.4 | 107.2 | 124.4 |
8. Isiah Thomas
| Full Name | Isiah Lord Thomas III |
| Date of Birth | April 30, 1961 |
| Birth’s Place | Chicago, Illinois, U.S |
| Occupation | Basketball Coach, Basketball Player, Consultant, Film Producer, Actor and Commentator. |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight | 180 lb |
| NBA Draft | 1981 (Detroit Pistons, Pick: 2) |
| NBA Rookie of the Year | N/A |
| Teams | Detroit Pistons |
| Position | Point Guards |
| NBA Champion | 2 Times: 1989, 1990 |
| NBA Finals MVP | 1990 |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | N/A |
| Retirement | 1994 |
Isiah Thomas defines “team plays” in the NBA. Along with his scoring average of 19.2, he also has an assists average of 9.3. In fact, he ranks 9th in assists. His defensive skills were sharp, and his agility, quickness, and dribbling helped him stand out.
Thomas was drafted into the NBA at the age of 20 and soon became a top player for the Detroit Pistons. In his fifteen-year-long career, Thomas won 2 NBA titles and was the finals MVP in 1990.
Thomas was one of the finest defensive point guards of his time. By the end of his career, Thomas finished as the top 17th in steals. After his retirement in 1994, Pistons retired his number.11 jerseys. To celebrate his successful career, he was inducted into the 2000 Hall of Fame class.
- Career statistics of Isiah Thomas
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Blocks | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 979 | 19.2 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 9.3 | 45.2 | 106.8 | 80.7% |
9. Kobe Bryant
| Full Name | Kobe Bean Bryant |
| Date of Birth | August 23, 1978 |
| Birth’s Place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in |
| Weight | 212 lb |
| NBA Draft | 1996 (Charlotte Hornets, Pick: 13) |
| Teams | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Position | Shooting Guard/Point Guard |
| NBA Champion | 5 Times: 2000, 01, 02, 09, 10 |
| NBA All-Defensive First Team | 9 Times: 2000, 03, 04, 06, 07, 08, 09, 2010, 2011 |
| NBA Finals MVP | 2 Times: 2009, 2010 |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | 1 Time: 2008 |
| Retirement | 2016 |
| Death | January 26, 2020 |
Kobe Bryant is considered the second-best Lakers player, next to Magic Johnson. He was drafted into the NBA in 1996 and had a long career of twenty years. Throughout his career, he was a top player in the league.
Despite being one of the best defenders, Bryant often does not get the credit he deserves. Saying that he was a good defender is an understatement. He made the all-defensive first team 12 times which includes nine first teams! Only Tim Duncan stands ahead of him with 15.
Kobe Bryant might not win the DOPY award, but his consistency in defense makes him even better than some of the best defensive point guards of all time.
- Career statistics of Kobe Bryant
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Assists | FG% | Defense Rating | Win Shares |
| 1,346 | 25 | 5.2 | 1.5 | 4.7 | 44.7 | 105.5 | 68.8% |
10. Magic Johnson
| Full Name | Earvin Magic Johnson Jr. |
| Date of Birth | August 14, 1959 |
| Birth’s Place | Lansing, Michigan, U.S |
| Occupation | Basketball Player, Basketball Coach, Actor, Motivational Speaker, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Film Producer, and Sports Commentator |
| Height | 6 ft 9 in |
| Weight | 220 lb |
| NBA Draft | 1979 ( Los Angeles Lakers, Pick: 1) |
| Teams | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Position | Point Guards |
| NBA Champion | 5 Times: 190, 82, 85, 87, 88 |
| NBA Finals MVP | 3 Times: 1980, 82, 87 |
| NBA Most Valuable Player | 3 Times: 1987, 89, 90 |
| Retirement | 1996 |
Surely you cannot expect the list to end without the mention of Magic Johnson, who is known as the best point guard of all time in the history of the NBA. However, many at present raise an argument over his defensive skill.
To be frank, Johnson was not a skilled defender, but he was an effective defender. He had a good weight which he used to his advantage while defending. Besides, the Lakers in the 90s did not have many great defenders, yet they were highly successful during this time because of their team combination.
The Los Angeles Lakers had great chemistry in the team. Players understood each other and made each other better. Some argue that Johnson might not have been effective against today’s small-size point guards, but who knows? He was doing great in his time, and that surely counts. Despite all the criticism, he has a defense rating of 104.5, which is better than many of the skillful defenders.
The three-time MVP would be higher on the list of best point guards, but his defense was not as magical as his offense. However, it was good enough to bring him to the list of the ten best defensive point guards of all time, and for statistics, he was a two-time steals leader too.
He was speedy, pizzazz, and any adjective you know you can put by his name. He holds the record for sixth-highest career assists, 22nd position in most steals of all time, and 83rd in scoring as well as 146th in rebounds.
In his 13-season-long career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Johnson achieved many things, including winning the NBA title five times.
Johnson retired from the NBA in 1996 and was introduced to the Hall of Fame in 2002. To show acknowledgment and honor to the legend, Los Angeles Lakers retired his number 32.
- Career statistics of Magic Johnson
| Games | Points | TRB | Steals | Blocks | Assists | Defense Rating | FG% | Win Shares |
| 906 | 19.5 | 7.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 11.2 | 104.5 | 52.0 | 155.8 |
Conclusion
As point guards lead the offense, their defensive ability often gets overlooked. These players on the list have excelled in defense and contributed greatly to the team’s victory. They will always be remembered as the best defensive point guards of all time in the history of the NBA.
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