Stephen A. Smith stirred debate once again on ESPN’s “First Take,” unveiling his all-time top 5 point guards—this time with Magic Johnson, his No. 1 pick, standing right beside him. The spirited segment sparked reactions across NBA circles as Smith’s rankings honored legends while leaving out a few fan favorites.
It’s hard to argue with anyone on the list. Although one name that jumps out as a shock exclusion is John Stockton, the NBA’s all-time assists leader with 15,806 dimes. Excluding him is bound to raise eyebrows.
The Utah Jazz legend also shot over 50% from the field across his career. Leaving him out invites a tough follow-up question, though: who comes off the list if he’s included?
Other all-time greats like Oscar Robertson, Gary Payton, two-time MVP Steve Nash, and Walt “Clyde” Frazier also deserve honorable mention, with Nash ranking top five in assists and Frazier redefining flair and leadership at the guard spot.
Still, Smith’s list delivered what “First Take” does best—bold takes that keep the conversation going.
1. Magic Johnson
There’s little debate about Johnson’s spot at No. 1—widely regarded as the greatest point guard in NBA history. The Hall of Famer was the engine of the “Showtime” Lakers, dazzling fans with his vision and flair while racking up 10,141 career assists and redefining how the position is played.
As Smith described: “When talking about facilitators…talking about guys who set others up, who did that better than the ‘Magic Man’? Nobody.”
2. Stephen Curry
Smith slotted the “Baby-Faced Assassin” at No. 2—and it’s hard to argue.
Stephen Curry hasn’t just dominated the game—he’s transformed it. The Golden State Warriors superstar redefined modern basketball with his unmatched shooting range and relentless off-ball movement.
Widely considered the greatest shooter of all time, Curry has buried 4,058 3-pointers, nearly a thousand more than runner-up James Harden—and he’s still going. With four NBA championships and two MVPs to his name, Curry’s résumé is as historic as his impact on the sport.
3. Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas lands at No. 3 on Smith’s list, but others might rank him even higher—including Michael Jordan. The Hall of Famer and 12-time All-Star was the fearless leader of the “Bad Bo” Detroit Pistons, winning back-to-back NBA titles and finishing top 10 all-time in assists.
With Magic Johnson in the house, @stephenasmith shares his list of the top five point guards of all-time. pic.twitter.com/RXHQDmR0p0
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 12, 2025
Even Jordan once said, “To me, Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard of all time. Right behind him is Isiah Thomas.” That’s high praise from the Jordan himself—hard to top that.
4. Jason Kidd
Smith has Kidd fourth on his list. Kidd is now a successful head coach for the Dallas Mavericks. As a player, he was an all-time great point guard, also on the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
He was a five-time assist champion, an NBA champion in 2011, a 10-time All-Star, plus an All-NBA defender. He was the quintessential floor general, with incredible vision. He’s also third all-time in assists with over 12,000.
5. Chris Paul
Smith finishes his list with Paul.
CP3 is the only player, apart from Curry, still active on this list. He is second all-time, ahead of Kidd, with 12,499 assists per Stat Muse.
Smith describes him as “one of the all-time great facilitators, controls pace, controls tempo, a leader, and knows everybody’s job.”
