The guard is the quarterback of the offense. The point guard sets up the plays and makes a lot of the key passes, and the shooting guard has a lot of pressure to shoot effectively from the outside and help rebound. These are faster players than the forwards and centers, so they must hurry back on defense. On defense, they do much more running around guarding players than the taller players, who cover a smaller area nearer the basketball hoop.

Michael Jordan: Chicago, Washington

Ask almost anyone who the best NBA player of all time was, and Michael Jordan is usually the first name mentioned. Michael was, above all else, a dominant player and a winner. After he scored 63 points in a playoff game against Larry Bird's Celtics in his second year, Bird described what he had seen as “God disguised as Michael Jordan.” The 6 foot 5 inch Michael was a five-time NBA MVP who redefined the game offensively. He scored seemingly at will, defied gravity with a variety of dunks, and — perhaps most importantly — made all the players around him better. Michael and his teammates in the Chicago Bulls won six NBA titles. Nike built its basketball shoe — the Air Jordan — for Michael. As a player, Michael had few peers; he was too tall for a guard to defend but too fast and too good of a shooter for a forward to try to stop.

A perennial all-star and MVP, the only question each year often seemed to be who Michael's Chicago Bulls would see in the NBA finals. The Bulls dynasty was built entirely around Michael, and only Scottie Pippen was considered an all-star-level teammate for Michael. Though he was almost always at his best, Michael was even better in the playoffs when the games were on the line. He shook off double teams — and in one case the flu — to lead his team to NBA championships. Though “His Airness” was known for his high-flying dunks, he was also named the league's best defensive player and was a constant on the All-Defensive team.

Michael won three NBA titles in a row in 1991, 1992, and 1993. After the 1993 season, he announced he was trading in his high tops for baseball cleats. Michael played for the Birmingham Barons in the minor leagues before rejoining the Bulls in the middle of the 1994–1995 season.

Michael proved to be just as dominant a player after his baseball stint as he had been before. He led the Bulls to another three-peat, winning the NBA championship in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Michael made his decision to retire a second time in 1999.

Though he will always be known as a Chicago Bulls star, Michael came out of retirement and played two additional seasons (2001–2002 and 2002–2003) for the Washington Wizards before finalizing his retirement once and for all.

MICHAEL JORDAN

Points	Rebounds	Assists
30.1	6.2	5.3

Earvin “Magic” Johnson: Los Angeles

At 6 feet 9 inches, it was hard to imagine Magic Johnson as a point guard. Yet he revolutionized the game with his no-look passes and also pulled down more than seven rebounds a game. Though his shooting skills were never given a lot of respect, he averaged 19.5 points a game during his distinguished career. In addition to his passing repertoire, Magic was a winner, leading Los Angeles to five NBA titles and setting the standard for rivalry with classic matchups with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics.

Magic's first NBA title came in 1980, his first season. In the finals, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out with an injury, Magic moved to center and pulled his team together to win the championship. He could spin and pass at the same time, throw 40-foot alley-oops to his teammates for dunks, throw really fast and hard passes, and make passes behind his back as he charged toward the hoop. Magic was so deft with his passing that sometimes it wasn't only his opponents who were caught off guard; his teammates had to get used to being ready for a pass from Magic at even the most unexpected times. Magic passed Oscar Robertson's league-leading assist mark, which was later taken by Utah's John Stockton.

But Magic was the human highlight of passing, and it was just unfathomable to fans — and opponents — that a man so big could pass better than the smallest point guards. Magic was the king of the triple double — double figures in points, rebounds, and assists. He also won an Olympic gold medal with the original Dream Team in 1992. Magic could dribble with the best point guards of all time and he rebounded like a power forward. He had too many dimensions for opposing defenses to stop him.

MAGIC JOHNSON

Points	Rebounds	Assists
19.5	7.2	11.2

How High?

The average height of all NBA players is just below 67 inches for the men and above 57 inches for women.

Oscar Robertson: Cincinnati, Milwaukee

A 12-time All-Star, Oscar Robertson was NBA MVP in 1964 and led his team to an NBA title in 1971. Oscar, nicknamed “The Big O,” was an absolute offensive machine. In the 1961– 1962 season, just his second year in the league, he averaged a triple-double with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists. It was a feat none of the greats who followed would ever achieve.

Oscar started out with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1960– 1961 season and then became a Milwaukee Buck before the 1970–1971 season. During that time he became the top-scoring guard, and only Michael Jordan has passed him. While Oscar's point totals were eye popping, his passing skills were what left opponents scratching their heads. Oscar was 6 feet 5 inches, the first true “big” guard. So while he had lofty assist totals for even the best point guard, he had rebounding averages that would have made a power forward proud.

OSCAR ROBERTSON

Points	Rebounds	Assists
25.7	7.5	9.5

Earl Monroe: Baltimore, New York

Between 1967 and 1980, “Earl the Pearl” Monroe played the game the way Magic Johnson would play it — before there were 24-hour sports stations and nightly highlight reels on TV. Earl started his pro career when the Baltimore Bullets drafted him second overall and finished fourth in scoring his rookie year with a 24.3-points-per-game average. He earned the Rookie of the Year award in 1968, led New York to the NBA title in 1968, and was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame. Earl was known for his circus-like moves and drew gasps from the crowd as he scored every which way imaginable. He could score off his spin moves and shot in an unusual manner, yet it worked. Earl had a 46 percent success rate for field goals, which was high for a guard.

EARL MONROE

Points	Rebounds	Assists
18.8	3.0	3.9

Jerry West: Minneapolis, Los Angeles

Though he'll always be known to modern fans as the Lakers's general manager who brought in Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West was a player for the ages as well; he played for both Minnesota and Los Angeles. His average of 27 points a game are matched by nearly seven assists and nearly six rebounds a game, very impressive for a guard. Jerry was the NBA finals MVP in 1969 even though the Lakers lost the title, and he helped deliver an NBA title in 1972. He was the third player in NBA history to score 25,000 points, behind Wilt Chamberlin and Oscar Robertson. Jerry also had one of the most prominent early pro buzzer beaters; at the end of regulation, his 60 footer found nothing but net to tie the Knicks in Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals. The humble Jerry had a unique nickname, “Zeke from Cabin Creek,” the city where his rural West Virginia family picked up their mail.

JERRY WEST

Points	Rebounds	Assists
27.0	5.8	6.7

Clyde Drexler: Portland, Houston

Clyde “The Glide” Drexler, along with Michael Jordan, was part of the high-flying era of the NBA in the 1980s, at which time Clyde was one of the game's taller guards. The Hall of Fame player averaged more than 20 points and 5.6 assists a game, yet he also pulled down more than six rebounds a game — outstanding for a guard. Though he was drafted by Portland in 1983 and twice led the Trail Blazers to runner-up finishes in the NBA finals (in 1990 and 1992), he returned to his college hometown of Houston to get his first NBA championship with the Houston Rockets in 1995. Clyde was part of the University of Houston basketball team, dubbed Phi Slamma Jamma by a local journalist. He was also a member of the original Olympic Dream Team that won gold in 1992.

CLYDE DREXLER

Points	Rebounds	Assists
20.4	6.1	5.6

Isiah Thomas: Detroit

Isiah Thomas was the consummate point guard, handing out nearly 10 assists per game yet scoring almost 20 points per game. He was seldom outplayed by his counterpart. Barely over 6 feet tall, “Zeke,” as he was known, could will his team to victories with his drive and competitive nature. He guided his Detroit Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990 and was named NBA finals MVP in 1990.

During that era, the Detroit Pistons were known as the “Bad Boys.” They played a physical brand of basketball that was deplored by many of the new-school athletes but adored by blue-collar Detroit fans. Isiah played in the NBA 1981–1994 and made the All-Star team all but his last year in the league. He was only the fourth player to finish with more than 9,000 assists, joining John Stockton, Magic Johnson, and Oscar Robertson.

ISIAH THOMAS

Points	Rebounds	Assists
19.2	3.6	9.3

Pete Maravich: Atlanta, New Orleans, Utah, Boston

“Pistol” Pete Maravich never won a title, but he was a dazzling showman of a basketball player. He played 1970–1980 and was perhaps a decade ahead of his time. His fancy passing made purists frown, but it raised his teammates' scoring averages. The 6 foot 5 inch Pete was hard for opposing players to guard because of his slight build and speed on the court. He was known for being a strong player in the regular season. Pete's teams were also known for making early playoff exits, though in fairness to Pete, his teammates struggled as well. The playoffs are regarded as more defensively oriented affairs than the free-for-all atmosphere of the regular season, a style that clearly didn't suit Pete and his teammates.

PETE MARAVICH

Points	Rebounds	Assists
24.2	4.2	5.4

John Stockton: Utah

John Stockton was the prototypical “old school” point guard. At 6 feet 1 inch, he was not overly tall but was a great passer and a good floor general, which means he had a good command of running the offense and knowing where everyone was at all times. John and teammate Karl Malone led the Jazz to two NBA finals appearances but lost both. Still, John became the NBA's all-time assist leader, finishing with an amazing 15,806 assists, which averaged out to about one assist for every three minutes he played. He was also consistent, leading the Jazz to the playoffs 19 times between 1984 and 2003. John was an All-Star 10 of his years in the league. He also averaged fewer than three turnovers a game, a very low number for a point guard who was counted on to bring the ball up and run the offense up the court virtually every time. A quiet leader, John was respected as much for how he carried himself off the court as for his intensity on it. Never a trash talker or self promoter, John was a throwback to the older generations of players and was greatly respected by players and coaches for his style and character.

JOHN STOCKTON

Points	Rebounds	Assists
13.1	2.7	10.5

Bob Cousy: Boston, Cincinnati

Before Magic Johnson and Pete Maravich, Bob Cousy was a revolutionary passer of the basketball. Bob developed the no-look pass and earned the nickname “Houdini of the Hardwood” for his magical passing touch. He was also called “Mr. Basketball,” “The Cooz,” and the “Human Highlight Film.” Bob had great teammates to get the ball to, including K.C. Jones, Tommy Heinsohn, and Bill Russell. Bob played in 13 All-Star Games in a row and won six NBA championships. He led the league in assists for eight consecutive years and even though his passing drew the most attention, he averaged more than 18 points a game for his career.

Bob almost did not end up playing basketball because he was cut twice from his high school's junior varsity team. After suffering a broken arm, he learned to shoot and pass with his left arm, which made him the consummate guard. He ended up making the high school team two years later and was on his way to greatness.

Bob had a career that spanned three decades. He played for the Boston Celtics 1950–1963. He then retired from basketball and coached at Boston College. In the 1969–1970 season, when he was 41 years old, he served as both a player and coach of the Cincinnati Royals.

BOB COUSY

Points	Rebounds	Assists
18.4	5.2	7.5