The best point guards, 23-and-under

In the past decade, there's been several different factions of star guards. The beginning of the 2010s saw the rise of the athletic freaks — Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and John Wall. In the middle of the decade, game-breaking shooters and dribblers like Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard rose up the ranks. This whole time, Chris Paul — the Point God — has been lurking in the shadows, making every single team reach their highest outcome by getting the absolute most out of his teammates.

Late into the 2010s and into the 2020s, we've been blessed with a new crop of guards who blend these archetypes with newfound size and play styles. The position, traditionally assigned to the shortest and fastest players on the floor, has taken on a whole new meaning.

With the All-Star and All-NBA conversations starting up, I think it's the perfect time to separate this group of age-23-and-under point guards into a few categories — not for what they could eventually be, or what they have been, but for who they are today in comparison to each other and the league at large.

The Young Guns

Young guards in the NBA struggle taking care of the ball. Still, everyone on our list qualifies because not only do they meet the eye test, but the eye test confirms that through their turnover struggles they lead all qualifiers in assists per game.

Kevin Porter Jr. finds himself at the bottom of our list, but he's no scrub. He just isn't a winning player yet. Forced into the point guard role by Houston's front office, the Rockets believe in him as a long-term star and foundational piece of the rebuild. At 5.8 assists per game, he's the one running everything for the Rockets — a team desperate to play at a pace that follows their namesake. KPJ is by far the most skilled playmaker on a team full of bucket-getters.

No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham is going to be just fine. Even though he's committing close to four turnovers a game, Detroit's young star has shown the poise of a veteran. The offense runs through him. He's got the ultimate green light, but doesn't use it. Cade's patient almost to a fault — right now, he waits until the end of games to try and take over. When the Pistons are finally able to open up their checkbooks and add another piece through the draft, I think we'll see the full Cade Cunningham experience. For now, he's still figuring it all out.

Orlando's Cole Anthony came out of nowhere to start the season and hasn't let up. He's over 20 points and six rebounds per game. His shooting has exploded in his sophomore season. The Magic have to be ecstatic looking up and down their roster and seeing him and Wagner as foundational pieces.

Can't Miss Connectors

There's still a place for point guards who move the ball and get on with it. They can score when they need to, but why would they? These guys will never become heliocentric offensive engines like the others on this list, but they're damn good in their role already — and will be for a very long time.

It's been a bit of a slow burn for Tyrese Haliburton. He's looked awesome since the moment he stepped on an NBA court. The issue arose at the start of this season, when it seemed as if he had it a wall — news flash, every young guard hits a wall. A streak of games without De'Aaron Fox propelled Haliburton to temporary stardom. The second half of December saw him reach double-digit assists numberous times. He's sitting at 6.8 assists per game and only 2.2 turnovers (the lowest mark of any on this list). If Sacramento is going to make everyone available, they should probably reconsider for #0.

Josh Giddey isn't just a TikTok star. He's one of the most gifted passers in the league. He's got a long way to go as a scorer, but the promise he has shown in the first 32 games of his career as a passer open up an opportunity for him to jump into rare air. Recently, Jonathan Tjarks spoke on the Upside High podcast about Chet Holmgren, and how "when you're tall and you can dribble, it doesn't matter how fast you are." That's great, because the legit 6'8 Giddey is as slow as rocks. OKC has a star point guard who just needs some agility training to become one of the league's elite primary creators.

Budding Superstars

These guys are almost there. Being so young, teams with these guys have to be happy about what's in front of them. To be a star, you have to be one of the best in the world at what you do. To be a superstar, you have to be the best at multiple things on a consistent basis.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has found himself atop the NBA's best drivers over the last several seasons. SGA was quickly labeled as a funky player because of his off-kilter timing and acrobatic finishes. Recently, Shai has added a nasty stepback jumper to go with all of his ridiculous finishes and floaters. The Thunder are a long way from competing, so his brilliance will fall under the radar — but Shai has the goods and is more than deserving to be in this conversation.

Darius Garland is a name that the average sports fan doesn't know yet — but they should. After a slow rookie season, Garland has exploded into the engine of a Cavaliers team worth believing in. He's equally as dominant as a playmaker and scorer. He's blessed with the same floater gene as many of these guys on this list. Garland racks up assists in the pick and roll to Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Most importantly, he's a joy to watch.

LaMelo Ball is the most intriguing long-term option on this list, but for right now he's just a hair below the cream of the crop. LaMelo's presence is felt on every possession of every game. There's no telling what he might do. Among all 11 qualifiers on this list, LaMelo is third in both rebounding and assists to go with his 19.3 points per game. Incredible vision, deep-range, and a growing around-the-basket game make him a must watch — it's the consistency that is holding him back from being in the top tier.

Cream of the Crop

Three 23-and-under point guards stand out. You can probably guess who they are.

Luka Doncic has been the golden child. Unprecedented production in his second and third seasons propelled Dallas to all-time offensive efficiency numbers. He has elevated his game to new heights as the roster around him has fallen apart. This season, however, Luka's lack of conditioning has his All-Star status a bit questionable. Recurring ankle injuries are often a symptom of a player who's not treating his body well in the offseason. The preseason favorite for MVP has been great when available. The issue lies in that for Luka, great isn't good enough. He's supposed to be an all-timer.

Trae Young is as polarizing as they come. The league's worst defender just so happens to be the best offensive point guard in the NBA this season. 28.4 points and 9.5 assists. His ability to shoot from anywhere on the court opens up driving lanes, and his combination of insane floater touch and passing vision allow him to singlehandedly break the game. The issues surrounding his defense have not been overblown — he's genuinely horrendous on that end and does nothing to compensate for his size. Atlanta may be sliding, but they would be in the Orlando-Detroit group without him.

At last, Ja Morant tops the list of 23-and-under point guards right now. He's the NBA's Ferris Bueller — the nerds love him, the real hoopers love him, both current and former NBA players love him. Morant blends a rare combination of fluidity and ferocity. One possession, he'll copy a Kyrie Irving drive to a T. The next, he'll punch on someone like 2011 Derrick Rose. On the third, he'll use all of his attention to drop a dime to a wide-open roll man. He's playing the best ball of his young career, and his team is winning because of it. For guards 23-and-under, Morant is ahead of schedule. His fearlessness might get him in trouble, but I'm not worried. The only thing we should be afraid of is how high he will climb.