Ranking the top 10 NBA shooting guards in 2021
In Year 5 of his promising career, Jaylen Brown has made a name for himself as one of the NBA's best shooting guards. The 24-year-old's efforts were recognized with his first All-Star nod, and there likely will be more where that came from as the Boston Celtics star continues to improve.So where exactly does Brown rank among NBA shooting guards in the league right now? Let's take a look at the top 10 players at the position this year.
LeVert hasn't had the chance to perform for the Indiana Pacers since being dealt by the Brooklyn Nets in the James Harden deal. The 26-year-old underwent surgery in January to treat renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney and could return soon after the All-Star break.
When LeVert finally gets to contribute, he should make an immediate impact. He's shown steady improvement each season and was on a nice pace this year (18.5 ppg, 6.0 apg through 12 games) before being sidelined.
Gilgeous-Alexander has quietly been one of the most exciting young guards in the NBA. After an impressive season playing alongside Chris Paul in OKC, the 22-year-old has proven in 2021 he can produce without Paul in the lineup. In fact, he's been even better so far this season averaging 23.2 points and 6.3 assists through 28 games.
LaVine has proven he is much more than an incredible athlete and Slam Dunk Contest winner. His scoring ability continues to improve year after year including in 2021 as the All-Star is averaging 28.5 points through 33 games and shooting 52.2 percent from the field.
McCollum has only played in 13 games this season due to a fracture in his left foot. Still, the 29-year-old's track record is undeniable. He has averaged more than 20 points per game in each of his last five seasons and had 26.7 ppg this year before going down with his injury. McCollum is an excellent sidekick for star point guard Damian Lillard in Portland.
Jaylen Brown has made the leap from good to great in Year 5 of his promising career. The 24-year-old probably should have earned an All-Star nod in 2020, but he made it impossible to snub him in 2021 as he's averaged 25.0 points and 5.5 rebounds through 31 games while also making strides defensively.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had been considered the 1 and 2 in Boston, but now it's looking more like 1a and 1b. Brown has become a legitimate star for the C's and has the potential to rise up these rankings with time.
The Jazz are the best team in the Western Conference right now and Mitchell is a big reason why. The 24-year-old is as consistent as they come and just keeps getting better in Year 4 of his career. Through 33 games, Mitchell is averaging career-highs in points (24.4), assists (6.4) and rebounds (4.6) per game. He also was named an All-Star for the second straight year, and there will be more appearances in his future.
George is showing no signs of slowing down in Year 11 of his NBA career. So far this season with the Clippers, George is averaging 23.4 points per game (50.1 percent shooting) to go with 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists. All he has left to prove is that he can live up to the "Playoff P" nickname he gave himself.
Beal is the NBA's leading scorer through the first half of the season, averaging 33.2 points per game. He's doing it all on one of the worst team's in the league, and it doesn't matter whether it's John Wall or Russell Westbrook playing alongside him. Beal is going to get buckets.
Who knows? Perhaps we'll see much more of Beal in Boston one day.
Speaking of buckets, Booker is a walking one, and he's only getting better. He's averaged 22 or more points per game in every season but his rookie year. So far in 2021, he has posted 25.5 ppg while shooting 50 percent from the floor. At 24 years old, Booker has already established himself as a bonafide superstar.
No debate here. James Harden already was the best shooting guard in the game in Houston, and that hasn't changed in Brooklyn. Say what you will about his lack of playoff success, but he's a triple-double threat every single game. It doesn't matter who's defending him.
Harden is averaging 25.2 points, 11.0 assists and 7.7 rebounds through 30 games this season. It's going to be incredibly difficult to stop the Nets if their superstar shooting guard is putting up numbers like that alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
