Ranking the top 5 shooting guards in the Western Conference ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season
As we continue to countdown to the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, which gets underway on 19 October, we are ranking the five best players in each conference across positions. Trae Young and Stephen Curry ranked among the best point guards in the Eastern and Western Conferences while James Harden took pole position among the shooting guards in the East.
We now turn our attention to the five best shooting guards in the West. There are a number of young talented players like Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento) and Anthony Edwards (Minnesota) that were part of the consideration set, but the names that eventually made it to the list have all proven their value with their stat lines. We take a look at these five players who make up the very best of the shooting guard position in the NBA’s Western Conference.
#5 CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers)
McCollum has been a steady backcourt partner for Damian Lillard over the years. He has averaged a minimum of 20.8 ppg since 2015-16, going for a career-best 23.1 ppg in the 2020-21 NBA season. He is also a reliable three-point threat, shooting 40.2% from downtown last season and 39.8% over his eight-year NBA career.
However, McCollum needs to be better than steady to make it to the next level of shooting guards. He must be brilliant while being consistent. For instance, his shooting form in the 2021 postseason dipped to 43.9% (45.8% in the regular season) from the field and only 33.3% from long range in Portland’s six-game, first round series versus Denver. His highest scoring game was a 22-point effort in Game 3. If Damian Lillard has to stay in Portland, it is paramount that McCollum gets better and when it matters most.
#4 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Gilgeous-Alexander has only made people sit up and take notice of his game since his NBA rookie season. From averaging 10.8 ppg in 2018-19, to 19.0 ppg in 2019-20, to averaging 23.7 pgg in 2020-21, Gilgeous-Alexander has shown outstanding improvement. He also shot better than 50% from the field and more than 40% from downtown in 2020-21.
But Gilgeous-Alexander is not content. In a recent interview to GQ magazine, the Oklahoma City Thunder player called himself the “Black Steve Nash”. Gilgeous-Alexander went on to say, “I’m not playing this game just to be a good basketball player. I want to be one of the greatest to ever play.” Looking at his assist numbers, a career-best 5.9 apg in 2020-21, Gilgeous-Alexander is already making steady progress in the NBA as a playmaker, but at 23.7 ppg for 2020-21, he has already done better than Nash ever did in a single NBA season.