NBA legend Magic Johnson joined ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Thursday’s episode of First Take. To honor the Los Angeles Lakers legend, Smith revealed his list of the top five point guards in NBA history. Johnson took the top spot, followed by Stephen Curry, Isiah Thomas, Jason Kidd, and Chris Paul. After bashing Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton for calling out the media world, Smith opened himself up to his audience’s criticism with his ranking.
Smith’s list went over well with Johnson and Jay Williams, but it sparked a fiery debate online.
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
“Chris Paul and Jason Kidd aren’t over Big O,” commented one fan, advocating for Oscar Robertson.
“Westbrook better than CP3 and Jason Kidd,” said another, putting the Denver Nuggets guard into the conversation.
“Replace Isiah with Stockton or Nash,” one fan suggested, one of many who mentioned the Utah Jazz legend.
“I’m curious why John Stockton does not get any love for the top 5 PG of all time,” commented another. “All time leading assists 15,806, and most steals of all time 3,265.”
“Steph got 2 without a top 75 team mate. All of magics came with a guy who was regarded as the GOAT *at that time* – Steph is 1,” one fan argued.
Smith’s rankings included players from nearly every era of NBA history. However, upset fans pointed out that John Stockton and Steve Nash missed the cut. While he was going through his ranking with Johnson, Smith said that his first player off the list was Gary Payton. He did not mention what his reasoning was for his ranking or what metric he used to determine it.
The argument between Curry and Johnson at the top the list is a popular one. Magic has the edge when it comes to championships and playmaking, as well as defensively. Curry, however, is a far better scorer and is arguably the most impactful player the league has seen since Michael Jordan. People around the NBA have said that Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant are the faces of the league until they retire.
Social media went ablaze with arguments over which guards throughout NBA history should be on the list. Smith is often at the center of all-time debates when he offers his thoughts, especially when it comes to the NBA. However, ranking players across era is frowned upon by some fans who consider it unfair.
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