Chris Paul officially announced his retirement from the NBA after a not so story book ending to his playing days. The end wasn’t great but the overall career was amazing. Paul is a no doubt first ballot hall of famer. Where does he rank among the no-doubt hall of fame point guards?

The ranking criteria used in this article is player’s accolades, eye test for those I saw play, ability to affect winning, and how they compared to the other point guards of their eras.

HM: Gary Payton

Gary Payton has an argument to be the best defensive guard of all-time. He was selected to the NBA’s first team all-defense nine times during his career. Payton was also the 1995-96 defensive player of the year and is still the only point guard to win the award. The Oregon State legend finished top five in defensive player of the year voting, six separate times during his career.

Payton was much more than just a great defender, he was also a good scorer and distributor. For his career, he averaged 16.3 points and 6.7 assists per game. Payton’s best season from a statistical standpoint was the 1999-2000 season, where he averaged 24.2 points, 8.9 assists, and 6.5 rebounds. The man known for his trash talk was the engine of the iconic 1990s Seattle Supersonics, that are still revered to this day.

10. Steve Nash

Steve Nash was in the NBA for 18 years, during that time he was an 8-time all-star, selected to seven All-NBA teams, led the league in assists five times and was a two-time Most Valuable Player.

Nash was a huge part of the revolution of offense in the NBA. The Phoenix Suns of the mid-2000s played at a pace that was completely different compared to the rest of the teams in that era and somewhat led to the style of play we see today.

The longtime Phoenix Sun was one of the most efficient players of all-time. For his career, Nash shot 49% from the floor, 42% from three point range, and 90% from the free throw line.

9. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook has always played the game of basketball with an unmatched passion. That passion and energy along with uncanny athleticism for his size led to Westbrook being the all-time leader in triple-doubles. Westbrook has accumulated 207 triple-doubles during his career. The UCLA Bruin was the first player to average a triple-double over an entire season since Oscar Robertson.

Westbrook is a nine time all-star, has nine All-NBA selections, and was the 2016-17 Most Valuable Player. For his career, he is averaging 20.9 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds per game. In the season where he won MVP, Westbrook averaged 31.4 points, 10.4 assists, and 10.7 rebounds per game. We may never see another point guard put up the numbers that Westbrook did during his prime.

8. John Stockton

The picture above should be used in the dictionary next to the word “consistent”. There may not be a more consistent player in the history of the NBA. John Stockton is the most durable player in NBA history. The Utah Jazz rarely had to worry about Stockton missing a game. He played 19 seasons and only missed games in two of the 19 seasons.

The durability along with consistency led to Stockton becoming the NBA’s leader in total assists and total steals. Stockton accumulated over 15,000 assists during his career. He led the league in assists per game for nine years straight from 1987-88 season to the 1995-96 season. In the 1989-90 season, Stockton averaged a career high 14.5 assists per game.

Stockton along with Karl Malone led the Utah Jazz to 19 consecutive playoff appearances and two NBA Finals appearances in the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons.

7. Chris Paul

Chris Paul is known as “The Point God” because of his ability to control the game like no one else from the point guard position. Paul played 20 seasons and “some change”, if you include this season. In those 20 years, Paul was an all-star, 12 times, selected to one of the All-NBA teams, 11 times, selected to one of the NBA’s all-defensive teams, nine times and finished top five in MVP voting, five different times. Paul also led the league in assists per game, five times, and steals per game, six times.

For his career, Paul averaged 16.8 points, 9.2 assists, and two steals per game while shooting 47% from the floor and 37% from three. In his best season, he averaged 21.1 points, 11.6 assists, and 2.7 steals while shooting 48% and 37% from three.

6. Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd played 19 seasons in the NBA and was an all-star 10 times, selected to one of the All-NBA teams, six times, selected to one of the all-defensive teams, nine times. He also led the league in assists per game, five times.

Kidd was the ultimate orchestrator of offense but in an entertaining fashion. He was able to lead the New Jersey Nets to two finals appearances in the early 2000s. The Nets loss to the Lakers and Spurs in those appearances but Kidd did get a championship as a member of the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks.

5. Jerry West

Jerry West played 14 seasons in the NBA and played in 14 all-star games. He was also selected to 12 All-NBA teams, five all-defensive teams, a one-time scoring champ, one-time assists champ and one-time Finals MVP. The longtime Los Angeles Laker is the only player to get Finals MVP in a losing effort.

West averaged 27 points and 6.7 assists per game, while shooting 47% from the floor. He was putting up these numbers prior to the three point line. West was a unique talent, who was so good that his silhouette became the logo of the NBA.

4. Oscar Robertson

Oscar Robertson played 14 seasons in the NBA and was an all-star 12 times. Robertson was selected to 11 All-NBA teams, won the assists title, six times, was the rookie of the year, the 1963-64 MVP and an NBA Champion.

The Charlotte, Tennessee native was the first player to average a triple-double for an entire season. In his second season, Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game. For his career, Robertson averaged 25.7 points, 9.5 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game.

3. Isiah Thomas

Isiah Thomas may not have the jaw-dropping stats that some of the other guards on the list have but he was undoubtedly one of the greatest point guards of all-time. Thomas played 13 seasons in the NBA, was an all-star in his first 12 years, selected to five All-NBA teams, and was the best player on the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons, who made it to the NBA Finals in three straight seasons and won two championships.

Thomas averaged 19.2 points and 9.3 assists per game for his career. The Chicago, Illinois native had his best season from a statistical standpoint in the 1984-85 season, where he averaged 21.2 points and 13.9 assists per game.

2. Stephen Curry

Steph Curry has been in the NBA for 17 years and is a 12-time all-star, been selected to 11 All-NBA teams, won the MVP award twice, and is a one-time Finals MVP. Curry has transformed the Golden State Warriors into one of the glamour franchises of the NBA by leading them to four championships and six NBA finals appearances.

Curry is universally recognized as the best shooter in basketball history. He has led the league in three pointers made per game, 10 times, and it may be 11 after this season. The North Carolina native isn’t just a set shooter, he can shoot on the move, off the dribble, and from anywhere on the floor.

Curry is also a great ball-handler and finisher around the rim. For his career he is averaging 24.8 points, 6.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, while shooting 47% from the floor, 42% from the three, and 91% from free throw line.

1. Magic Johnson

Ervin “Magic” Johnson changed the way coaches, fans, and players view players who are 6’9″ or taller. At his height, he had incredible handles and vision. Johnson was always great, as a rookie, he helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship while averaging, 18 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game.

The Michigan State legend would only get better from there. He led the Lakers to five championships and nine NBA finals appearances in his 12 years as a player. Johnson is still the all-time leader in assists per game with 11.2. He also averaged 19.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for his career.

Magic was a 12-time all-star, selected to one of the All-NBA teams, 10-times, led the league in assists per game, four times, steals per game, twice, won three MVPs and three Finals MVPs.

Do you agree with this list? If not, how would you change the list?