The point guard position in today’s NBA might be the deepest and most competitive it has ever been. Every night, teams are rolling out floor generals who can score at all three levels, run an offense, and take over games late. The debate over who the best truly is remains open, but Carmelo Anthony has his picks, two that most would agree with.
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Jalen Brunson has earned the moniker “Mr. Clutch” in New York and has been one of the most consistent point guards in the Eastern Conference. Then there is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the West, the reigning MVP, who has redefined consistency and control from the lead guard spot. Every game, no matter the opponent, SGA seems to drop 30 points with ease. It is truly breathtaking.
But which of these four should be labeled the best? It is a difficult question, one that Carmelo Anthony tried to answer on the latest edition of his 7PM In Brooklyn podcast. The Hall of Famer knew it was a tough task, but stayed close to his roots and mentioned Brunson, a fellow Knick, first, calling him not only a terrific point guard but one of the most dynamic players in the league today.
“JB is different. For size, impact, presence, manipulation of the game. Manipulation of defenses and also I can post. If I really want to, I can post. I’ve said it earlier, he’s one of the most consistent guys in the NBA. F*** point guard. Of everybody,” stated Melo with confidence. And he’s not wrong. Brunson had a December for the ages. Led NY to a Cup title, and was named the Cup tourney MVP in the process.
That said, SGA is following up his dynamite MVP season with, another MVP candidacy. Melo agrees. “Shai is another one of those guys who is very consistent. He’s gonna get his 30, and he’s gonna do it the same f****** way. And you can’t do nothing about it. That’s the hardest thing. You can’t do nothing about a ***** getting his 30.”
The Thunder have shown that they are human over the last few weeks. But that has not stopped Shai from lighting up the scoreboard. It’s almost as if he’s playing 2K on easy mode getting the points he does. And honestly, he needs too. Because Maxey and Cade are coming for that mantle, and Melo thinks it might happen sooner than we think.
“Cade is starting, he’s going here (ascending). He’s there. Maxey? I used to have a debate with people in Philly that I respect, around Philly in the organization. ‘You think Maxey better than JB yet? Naw. Not yet.’ Right now Maxey is going down as coming for that spot as top point guard in the NBA. I can’t give it to him yet. Shai is still that. It’s Shai and JB. They’re 1 and 1A. You can’t put Cade in there just yet. The body of work is not there.”
What makes the debate so compelling is that it may never have a clear answer. that’s a good thing for the league. Each of these guards is redefining the position in his own way, making “best” a matter of moment, matchup, and stage. As the postseason nears and legacies begin to form, the real winner is the NBA, with its future firmly in the hands of elite lead guards who keep raising the bar.
