Highlights
- Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a valuable offensive player for the 76ers, with his three-point shooting and slashing abilities making him a key contributor.
- Klay Thompson’s shooting prowess and defensive skills have made him a vital asset for the Golden State Warriors, despite his recent decline in performance.
- Bradley Beal’s move to the Phoenix Suns will provide him with a new opportunity to showcase his offensive skills, as he joins forces with other All-NBA stars like Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
Over the past few decades, NBA offenses have become far more dynamic and explosive than the early years of the league all thanks to the evolution of the shooting guard position. These electrifying players have developed an assortment of offensive skills that terrorize defenses every night.
While the majority of the top shooting guards in NBA 2K24 focus on a variety of offensive abilities, there are a few who specialize on the defensive end of the court as well. But most of these players can punish defenders all over the court and are the main scorers on their respective teams. We analyze the best shooting guards in NBA 2K24 and how their skills impact the game.
10 Tyrese Maxey – 85
While success for the Philadelphia 76ers mostly rides on the health of center Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey has quietly transformed into an effective and important offensive player. In his third season in the league, Maxey eclipsed 20 points per game while shooting 43.4 percent from beyond the arc (A+).
With James Harden halfway out the door in Philly, Maxey will be looked upon to increase his offensive output. If Maxey isn’t drilling three-pointers, he’s most likely cutting toward the basket and using his impressive slashing abilities to get to the rim (A-). At only 22 years old, Maxey is one of the youngest players featured here and should enjoy a long career.
9 Klay Thompson – 85
The dynamic scoring from Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry from beyond the arc dubbed the two the Splash Bros and for good reason. Thompson was one of the best three-point shooters (A+) in the league and his ability to catch and shoot at a high efficiency propelled the Golden State Warriors to multiple championships.
While Thompson’s yearly stats have been more or less the same for the last four seasons, the 33-year-old is in the twilight of his career. He’s starting to have more average or ineffective games than before, but when he’s on fire, he can still make a massive impact. Not only on the offensive end, but Thompson also has a high defensive rating on the perimeter (A) and interior (B).
8 Bradley Beal – 86
Since 2021, Bradley Beal has been the face of the Washington Wizards. While the Wizards franchise didn’t experience much success in his tenure, Beal was consistently one of the top offensive shooting guards in the league, having averaged at least 22 points per game for the last seven seasons. By utilizing his no-trade clause, Beal orchestrated his way to the Phoenix Suns and will join fellow All-NBA superstars Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
Although Beal has been officially listed as Phoenix’s starting point guard, he’s a shooting guard by nature. He’s a playmaking three-level threat who can be highly effective from all over the court. Beal has never played with the type of talent in Phoenix and should thrive with defenses having to pay attention to Booker and Durant on offense.
7 Mikal Bridges – 86
In a draft where the Phoenix Suns had the first overall pick, it was their second first-round selection that proved to be a true difference-maker. Not only has Mikal Bridges not missed a single game since 2018, he’s one of the best perimeter defenders (A+) in the NBA. Which is why the Brooklyn Nets demanded Bridges in the trade to send Kevin Durant to Phoenix.
With the Nets, Bridges’s offensive game exploded as he averaged a career-high 26.1 points per game in a half season. Although Brooklyn was ultimately swept in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers, Bridges will be the centerpiece that the Nets build around for the future. He’s an outstanding all-around scorer and extremely reliable to play each and every night.
6 Anthony Edwards – 88
The next wave of young superstar talent starts with Anthony Edwards. Minnesota’s shooting guard has taken the league by storm and is on the fast track to stardom. Edwards increased his points-per-game average for the third season in a row and was a focal point for Team USA in the FIBA tournament.
Edwards is still developing his offensive skills but he’s already labeled as a two-way three-level shot creator. He’s more effective driving toward the basket (A-) but is an above-average mid-range (B+) and three-point shooter (B+). He’s a skilled enough offensive player that not only is he capable of creating his own shot but he involves his teammates heavily by playmaking (A-).
5 Jaylen Brown – 89
For the past few seasons, the Boston Celtics have finished among the top teams in the Eastern Conference and that’s all thanks to the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. While many believed Boston was prepared to trade Brown after numerous rumors, the Celtics elected to sign him to one of the most lucrative contracts in NBA history.
Despite having some difficulties dribbling, Brown is a highly effective offensive player inside (A), mid-range (A), and beyond the arc (A-). But the added value to Brown is his defensive effort; he’s incredible on the perimeter (A+) and also capable of holding his own inside (B). If he’s able to improve his dribbling skills, Brown could take his game to the next level.
4 Paul George – 89
Clippers fans believed the acquisitions of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard would catapult the team out of the shadow of the Lakers. However, injuries to the pair have stifled the Clippers’s efforts to reach the franchise’s first NBA Finals and might ultimately be the team’s downfall.
But when George is healthy, he’s a sensational offensive player. He can handle the ball very well and is a good enough playmaker (A-) to find open opportunities for his teammates. George can be an effective shooter from deep (B+) and mid-range (B+) and he’s an excellent perimeter defender (A+). The only major negative on George’s game is simply remaining healthy on the court.
3 Kyrie Irving – 90
The Brooklyn Nets superteam of Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant crashed and burned before it truly lifted off the ground. Brooklyn shipped the troublesome star to the Dallas Mavericks, who believed Irving and Luka Doncic would form a high-powered duo. Unfortunately, the Mavericks fell apart following the Irving trade and failed to reach the postseason.
Offensively, Irving is one of the best backcourt players to ever play the game. Yes, he’s technically listed as a shooting guard but that’s mainly because of Doncic mostly handling the ball. But as a playmaking three-level scorer, Irving doesn’t need to have the ball all the time to be impactful. He’s an excellent catch-and-shoot player from deep (A) and can drive to the rim with ease (A+).
2 Donovan Mitchell – 92
Last offseason, the Utah Jazz traded longtime star Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers. With fellow star Darius Garland in the backcourt, Mitchell was on a more talented squad than any he experienced in Utah. However, Cleveland failed to advance past the first round and fell to the New York Knicks.
There’s a reason why Mitchell is regarded as one of the top shooting guards and it’s because of his offense. He’s an incredible scorer from all three levels but can get on a hot streak from three-point land (A+). The 27-year-old is also a top playmaker (A+) capable of playing off Garland or commanding an offense.
1 Devin Booker – 94
Despite scoring 70 points when he was 20 years old, Devin Booker has received a tremendous amount of hate throughout his career. Whether it’s opposing fans calling him an “empty bucket” or analysts plotting ways to get him out of Phoenix, Booker held firm and eventually brought the superteam to him.
During last year’s playoffs, Booker transcended all other players and achieved numbers that only Michael Jordan has reached. He averaged 33.7 points and 7.2 assists per game, willing the Suns to several victories. Although the team ultimately fell to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets, Booker’s magical postseason run has finally elevated his status among media and fans to where he rightfully belongs: the best shooting guard in the NBA and in NBA 2K24.