Which team has the best starting shooting guard, and which one has the worst? The Sporting News is ranking every team’s starter at each position for the 2025-26 NBA season.
The list of starting shooting guards has changed considerably since last year. Several players like Amen Thompson, Dyson Daniels, and Christian Braun took huge leaps forward. Others were traded to new teams, highlighted by Desmond Bane’s move to the Magic.
The list of superstars at this position is shrinking too. Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell are easy All-NBA picks. The rest of the players on this list are good players no doubt, but they’re not the type that can be the best player on a championship team. The quality at this position is not nearly as high as at point guard.
Here are the top 30 shooting guards, listed from best to worst.
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NBA shooting guard rankings 2025-26
1. Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
Ant Man was already one of the best athletes and toughest drivers in the game. He added a killer 3-point shot last season, leading the league in 3’s made and finishing No. 2 in total points scored. He also grew as a passer throughout the season, handling double-teams better as the year wore on. He earned a Second Team All-NBA selection after leading the Wolves to the Conference Finals for the second consecutive year. There is no doubt that he is an elite offensive player.
Defensively, he can have lapses away from the ball. On the ball though, he is tenacious and capable of locking down opponents.
2. Donovan Mitchell, Cavs
Mitchell is one of the premier scorers in the league. He averaged 24.0 points per game last season and finished fifth in MVP voting for a terrific regular-season Cavs team. He’s a true three-level scorer that shoots it well from everywhere, and he’s been a capable lead distributor when Darius Garland has been injured. He’s overcome the poor defender narrative that plagued him earlier in his career, showing better effort and making better use of his natural tools. His string of six straight All-Star appearances should continue next season.
3. Amen Thompson, Rockets
Thompson emerged as one of the best players for a good Rockets team in his second season. He and his twin brother Ausar are thought by many to be the best athletes in the NBA. Amen uses those athletic tools to be a terror defensively, guarding multiple positions and hounding all types of superstars.
Thompson came into the league with a very shaky jumper, and that’s still the case. He’s still able to be productive because of his prodigious rebounding from the wing. And when he gets a head of steam going, it’s not possible to stop him. He has point guard vision in a forward’s body, which makes him one of the more interesting stars in the league.
4. Desmond Bane, Magic
There is a reason why the Magic gave up four first-round picks to acquire Bane this summer. He’s one of the best movement shooters in the NBA, drilling 41 percent of his 3’s for his career.
He’s more than just a shooter, though. Bane can also create for others, averaging over five assists per game through his past two seasons. And while he isn’t an elite defender, he holds his own on that end of the floor. He’s a perfect fit for Orlando and should thrive there.
5. Norman Powell, Heat
Powell has never made an All-Star team, but he was in the discussion last year after averaging a career-high 21.8 points per game. He’s a great shooter and finishes well at the rim. He plays with a ton of confidence and is never afraid to put up a shot, which can lead to some occasional mistakes. He’s also not a great distributor. But the good far outweighs the bad, and he’s a decisive big-time scorer.
6. Mikal Bridges, Knicks
Bridges is an ironman who gives the Knicks solid two-way play. While he hasn’t been quite as good defensively as he was earlier in his career, he is still above average on that end of the floor and has a knack for coming up with huge plays when the game is on the line.
Bridges is also a respectable 3-point shooter, although changes to his form led to a dip in his percentages last season. He is one of the better midrange shooters in the league, and he is a potent weapon for the Knicks getting to that shot while flying off screens. He’s also a good finisher, although he doesn’t attack the rim as much as he should.
Bridges may have a new role this season with the Knicks changing coaches. His full offensive game wasn’t really displayed last season, so he could climb up this list.
7. Zach LaVine, Kings
LaVine is a pure bucket-getter who never seems to find great situations to play in. He’s overmatched as a top guy due to mediocre playmaking and a handful of shots or turnovers every game that you’d like to have back. But as a scorer, there aren’t many more talented players in the league. The two-time dunk champion has tremendous athleticism going to the rim, and he’s a career 39 percent shooter from deep who quietly hit a career-best 44.6 percent of his 3’s last season.
8. Austin Reaves, Lakers
Reaves has gone from an undrafted player to the Lakers’ No. 3 scoring option. He’s great at getting to the rim, he can score from anywhere, and he’s an elite foul-drawer. He’s also a very good passer who plays with high feel. He can get burned by faster guards defensively, but he’s not as bad on that end of the floor as his reputation suggests.
9. Dyson Daniels, Hawks
The Great Barrier Thief was Sporting News’ pick for Defensive Player of the Year. Nobody came close to notching as many steals and deflections as Daniels, who is one of the most disruptive defenders in the league.
Daniels does bring some value offensively as well. He’s got a great floater as a go-to move, and he’s a very good passer for his size. His outside shooting is shaky, but he will connect on enough of the wide open ones to keep defenses honest.
10. Brandon Ingram, Raptors
Ingram can get you a lot of points, but it’s not going to come with great efficiency. It has been tough to convince him to shoot a ton of 3’s, even though he’s connected on 36 percent of them for his career. More often, he will go to a solid midrange game in order to get his buckets.
Ingram has also always left his teams wanting more defensively. He has good tools and length, but he hasn’t had good impact on that side of the ball. That makes him a good floor-raiser but caps how good his teams have been.
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11. Coby White, Bulls
12. Lu Dort, Thunder
13. CJ McCollum, Wizards
14. Herb Jones, Pelicans
15. Christian Braun, Nuggets
- White is a microwave scorer who can bomb away from 3 and use his speed to get into the lane. He’s become a better distributor in the past few years as well. His size makes him a target defensively, but he tries hard.
- Dort has turned himself into a solid 3-point shooter and is one of the toughest defenders in the league. He can’t do much when he dribbles inside the arc but he is good at what he specializes in.
- McCollum remains a big-time scorer as he enters his age 34 season. He can hit shots from everywhere and get up a ton of 3’s.
- Jones is one of the best wing defenders in the league. Not on Herb has become a rallying cry in New Orleans — he stops anyone and everyone. His shooting has been up-and-down throughout his career. When he’s hitting his 3’s, he’s one of the best role players in the league.
- Braun surprised many by thriving as a starter on the Nuggets. He plays with a ton of energy, he’s a good cutter for their system, he hits open shots, and he’s a solid defender.
16. Brandon Miller, Hornets
17. Anfernee Simons, Celtics
18. Brandin Podziemski, Warriors
19. Jalen Green, Suns
20. Bradley Beal, Clippers
- Miller has made steady improvements throughout his first two years in the league, trying to mimic the style of his favorite player Paul George. He’s a good defender who can hit 3’s and do a little bit of everything.
- Simons is a good 3-point shooter who should thrive in the Celtics system. He is one of the more high volume pull-up shooters in the league, and he should get a lot of those shots with Jayson Tatum out for the season. His awful defense has limited his effectiveness.
- Podziemski is a smart player and a favorite of Steve Kerr due to his ability to chip in from multiple different areas. He’s a high-confidence player who can shoot the ball, make the right pass, and play solid defense.
- Green has been very hot and cold throughout his career with the Rockets. He’ll get a fresh start with the Suns, who need his offensive creation.
- Beal certainly isn’t the player that he was a decade ago. He can still shoot 3s at a high clip, score from midrange, and run the occasional pick-and-roll.
21. Stephon Castle, Spurs
22. Jaden Ivey, Pistons
23. Klay Thompson, Mavericks
24. Quentin Grimes, Sixers
25. Cam Thomas, Nets
- Castle is coming off a Rookie of the Year season in which he proved he can defend at the NBA level, throw good passes, and get his shot off. The next step for him will be to improve his efficiency.
- Ivey drastically improved his 3-point shooting last season, hitting 41 percent from deep. Is that real, or a one-off fluke? He’s good as a cutter and coming off screens, and he’s a good athlete. His isolation scoring hasn’t been what the Pistons had hoped, and his playmaking still needs to improve.
- Grimes had a monster year last season for the Sixers, averaging 21.9 points per game for them while most of their stars were out. He should slot back into a complementary role this season where he hits 3’s, plays good defense, and attacks closeouts.
- Thomas is a good volume scorer who can hit a ton of tough shots. He’s a polarizing player, due to his defensive limitations and questions about his feel.
26. Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers
27. Bennedict Mathurin, Pacers
28. Gary Trent Jr., Bucks
29. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Grizzlies
30. Keyonte George, Jazz
- Sharpe is one of the most explosive athletes in the league. He was terrific at getting to the rim and has a good midrange shot, but he still needs to work on his 3-point accuracy and defense.
- Mathurin is as pure a scorer as there is in the league. He’s not much of a passer and can have some mental lapses, but he will get a ton of buckets when he’s out there.
- Trent had some huge moments in the playoffs for the Bucks last season. Scary Gary can gun 3’s and will get some steals with his gambling style of defense.
- Caldwell-Pope was once a high-level starter for several championship teams. He’s declined with age, and his once-reliable shot disappeared last season. If that comes back, then he can still be a solid 3-and-D low usage starter in the league.
- George stagnated in his sophomore year. He was initially miscast as a point guard earlier in his career and looked better as a sixth man volume scorer, but his efficiency hasn’t been good and his defense has been poor.
