Point guards are typically responsible for setting up plays, distributing the ball, and orchestrating the team's offense. While their primary role is facilitating and creating scoring opportunities for their teammates, some NBA floor generals possess exceptional scoring abilities that rival those of natural shooting guards.
Similarly, some NBA shooting guards have the skills and mindset of a playmaker. In today's game, they are often called "combo guards." Let's get to know who some of the best players in that special category on this list are.
Jamal Crawford
With his craftiness and speed, Jamal Crawford always keeps defenders on their toes whenever he has the basketball in his hands. Whether it's a three-point shot from downtown or a smooth layup of a sexy crossover move to the basket, JC could have it done.
In his best season in the NBA, J-Crawford averaged 20.6 points per game. Though Crawford was never an All-Star player, he was recognized in the NBA as one of the most consistent scorers of his era.
In addition to scoring, Crawford also impressed his coaches with his strategic plays and clever judgment on the court. His basketball IQ was impeccable, and it's also why his NBA career lasted 20 years. JC won the Sixth Man of the Year award three times and is regarded as one of the most underrated NBA stars of all time.
Gilbert Arenas
Some may know him as a controversial podcaster, but Gilbert Arenas was one of the most celebrated combo guards in the league during his prime. Despite being a point guard "Agent Zero" proved that his game wasn't limited to just making plays. Instead, Gil displayed his incredible scoring prowess and ability to take over a game.
Arenas' versatility made him a problem to any type of backcourt defender. With his clutch and long-range shooting, "Agent Zero" made a name for himself and became the face of the Washington Wizards in the mid-2000s.
Like other NBA stars, Gil's peak was also halted by injuries. Due to his shortened prime, many have already forgotten about "Agent Zero" but the man in question takes pride in being one of the first and best combo guards in the game .
" When I came into the league, those scoring guards were considered 'ball hogs,' " Arenas once said. " People were calling Marbury a ball hog averaging 21 and 9. That was my competition — Marbury, Baron Davis. You didn't have guys try and score 30 on you. I was that guy trying to score 30. There wasn't those guards. I didn't have that competition. Now every guard is high level."
Throughout his career, Arenas earned three All-Star and All-NBA selections. His remarkable progress from a backup guard to a prolific after his rookie season also saw him winning the well-deserved NBA Most Improved Player award.
Lou Williams
Lou Williams was a multi-skilled point guard during his NBA playing years. At 6 feet 2 inches tall and with a lanky physique, "Sweet Lou" didn't overpower his matchups, but his quickness and agility made him a nightmare to defend.
Williams' shifty crossover moves often left defenders guessing and his ability to finish made him a delight to watch on the court. On top of that, Lou-Will also had a soft touch and was capable of knocking down treys in clutch moments.
Besides scoring, Williams's basketball IQ and court vision were equally remarkable, and he could also create openings for his teammates. Many of his teammates say "Sweet Lou" was a smart player as he could analyze the game unlike other notable point guards in the league.
Though he never was a starter throughout his entire NBA career, Williams' talent did not go unnoticed. He won the Sixth Man of the Year award three times and is widely regarded as one of his generation's most consistent and efficient combo guards.
Jrue Holiday
Jrue Holiday has brought a fresh style of play with his unique skill set. With his high-level two-way game, "JHolla" is considered one of the best 1-on-1 defenders in the league. However, Holiday's game wasn't limited to just clamping his matchups; more importantly, he could score in a variety of ways.
Holiday earns his points on the floor mostly by attacking the basket and open-court buckets during transition plays. However, he could also drain a couple of three-pointers. In fact, he shoots well from deep, having averaged 42.9% this past season.
In addition to scoring and defending, Jrue's ability to read the defense, make split-second decisions and create seamless plays that lead to easy baskets has earned him the reputation of being one of the smartest backcourts of this era.
On top of all that, Holiday also has some clutch genes in him. He has repeatedly proven himself in crucial moments by delivering when his team needed it the most.
Ron Harper
Ron Harper has a proven track record in scoring, but his basketball IQ and versatility set him apart from the rest. Harp could score points when he wanted to, and he was also a master of reading plays and setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities.
Having arrived in the NBA in the '80s, "The Ohio Flyer" began his career as a shooting guard. Harper showcased his scoring prowess early on and made a name for himself as a relentless scorer during his stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers.
However, when he joined the Chicago Bulls in 1994, Harper had to adapt to Coach Phil Jackson's playbook and was prompted to play the role of a playmaker. As a point guard, Harper displayed phenomenal court vision and passing ability. He also showed that he could play high-level defense, which made him one of the best multi-role players of his era .
"He was a tremendous basketball player, and you could see that throughout the course of his career. He changed his game. He went from a dynamic high-flying type of scoring guard to a multi-positional type of player that could do everything," former Clipper Danny Manning once said of Harper.
"You look at those teams he played on that he helped win championships when he was playing for the Lakers and playing for the Bulls, he was doing everything," he added.
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving quickly became a household name in the NBA as a relentless scorer. His exceptional ball-handling skills and ability to finish with his fancy layups made him an instant fan favorite.
For years, "Uncle Drew" was arguably the most prolific scoring point guard of his era but he proved that his game could still evolve when he moved to the shooting guard position after James Harden took on the role of a playmaker when he joined Kyrie in Brooklyn.
Despite only standing at 6 feet, two inches tall, Irving had no problem cooking much bigger and taller shooting guards during games. Switching to shooting guard made Irving even more effective in his job as he shot an impressive 50% from the field this past season with the Dallas Mavericks .
Irving has been a perennial NBA All-Star. He has already played 13 years in the NBA but he is still one of the best shooting guards in the league.
James Harden
Like Irving, James Harden also made a significant transition in his career. However, it was the other way around. From being primarily a scorer, "The Beard" switched his focus to being a playmaker.
While Harden was already a force to be reckoned with on the court with his knack for scoring in bunches, the shift to a point guard position allowed him to showcase his playmaking skills and basketball IQ in a new light.
Moving from a scorer to a point guard required a shift in mindset and approach to the game. Harden had to balance his scoring instincts with the responsibilities of running the team's offense, deciding when to shoot and when to create opportunities for his teammates. So far, "The Beard" has been doing a tremendous job in all categories.
Harden first played the point guard position in the 2016-17 season, recording a career-high 11.2 assists per game. After switching his position from time to time in the next three seasons, Harden decided to go full-time as a point guard and averaged more than 10 assists per game in five consecutive seasons.
All told, Harden will not only go down in history as one of the greatest scorers of all time. Apart from that coveted title, it's safe to say that "The Beard" will also be remembered for being one of the best combo guards in NBA history.
Allen Iverson
If a pioneer of the so-called combo guard position existed, that could be Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson . At 6 feet tall with a 150-pound frame, "The Answer" fearlessly dominated the game with his unstoppable scoring ability.
Throughout his Hall of Fame career, A.I. was always a perfect combination of scorer and playmaker. As most NBA fans witnessed, scoring was undeniably Iverson's best attribute, but he also proved his critics wrong with his unselfish plays, especially during his stint alongside a fellow scorer in Carmelo Anthony with the Denver Nuggets.
As one of the most influential NBA superstars of all time, Iverson inspired an entire generation. In fact, A.I. was one of the reasons why the combo guards have proliferated in the modern NBA.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is known in the NBA not only for his ability to play multiple positions on the court but also for his dominance in each of them. Throughout his career, Brodie has excelled as both a point guard and a shooting guard.
What truly sets Westbrook apart from the pack is his incredible athleticism. It's not only an attribute but also an edge he has over most of the combo guards in the league. Arguably, no other combo guard is or was as intense, strong, and competitive as Westbrook.
Apart from physical strength, Russ was also an intelligent and unselfish player. Westbrook has teamed up with a wide array of NBA stars over the years, which proves that he is highly capable of adapting to any player, team, or situation.
Penny Hardaway
Naturally gifted with a frame and height of a shooting guard, Orlando Magic icon Penny Hardaway easily played the combo guard role. With Shaquille O'Neal dominating the paint, Hardaway was able to run the plays, while finding opportunities to score as well.
The beautiful combination of Penny's aptitude for scoring and leadership qualities were the heart and soul of the '90s Magic team.
" Penny was the orchestrator. And then of course, having a guy like Shaq, Shaq was the muscle," former Magic guard Dennis Scott once recalled . " So, he's out there doin' the dirty work. Penny, with his quiet, cerebral, soft-spoken way, led us."
In addition to his playmaking abilities as a point guard, Penny was also a dynamic scoring threat when he transitioned to the shooting guard position. His incredible mind and body coordination, agility, soft touch, and silky-smooth finish easily made Hardaway a superstar during his prime years in the NBA.
Sadly, injuries hindered Hardaway from transcending his already innovative style of play. After recovering, Penny transitioned fully to being a shooting guard, and even though the explosiveness was no longer there, he could still contribute to his team.
Unlike before, point guards and shooting guards had completely different roles and only those mentioned on this list were the exceptions. Through their influence, the combo guards are beginning to take over today's NBA, and it wouldn't be a shock if that were the case for the years to come.
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