The shooting guard position is filled with versatility.
There are elite scorers such as Anthony Edwards, Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker. And there are also elite defenders in the mix such as Stephon Castle, Amen Thompson and Derrick White.
In this article, I'll be ranking the top 10 shooting guards entering the 2026-27 season. The order was determined by multiple factors such as individual success last season, injury concerns, player trajectory and contributions to winning.
Let's get into it:
NBA position rankings:Point guard
Thunder mailbag: Why OKC Thunder should one day retire Lu Dort's jersey | Carlson
Honorable mentions
Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kon Knueppel are two risers who finished just outside of the top 10. Alexander-Walker won the Most Improved Player award last season, while Knueppel earned an All-Rookie first team selection.
Tyler Herro and Norman Powell are also two former All-Stars who narrowly missed the cut, and Josh Hart deserves a shoutout as well. He helped New York win its first NBA championship since 1973 last season.
Top 10 NBA shooting guards for 2026-27 season
Points; Assists; Rebounds; Steals; Turnovers; Field Goal Percentage; 3-Point Percentage; Free-Throw Percentage; Games Played
No. 10: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
2025-26 stats: None
Fresh off of a torn Achilles that sidelined him for all of last season, I had Tyrese Haliburton at the 10th spot on my point guard rankings. And I'm taking a similar route by selecting Lillard, who missed all of last year with the same injury.
Yes, Lillard is much older at age 36. But he was still averaging nearly 25 points per game prior to getting hurt, and his shooting looked as lethal as ever when he won last season's 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend.
No. 9: Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
2025-26 stats: 21.5 PTS; 5.7 REB; 3.8 AST; 1.5 STL; 1.8 TO; 47 FG%; 37.9 3P%; 88.6 FT%; 66 GP
There weren't a lot of bright spots last season for the Pelicans, who finished 11th in the West with a 26-56 record, but Murphy was one of them.
Murphy averaged a career-high 21.5 points, and he played in 66 games after logging fewer than 60 games in each of the previous two seasons. He's a good-sized wing who can put the ball through the hoop, and he's also a solid defender. That's enough to rank ninth on this list.
No. 8: Derrick White, Boston Celtics
2025-26 stats: 16.5 PTS; 5.4 AST; 4.4 REB; 1.1 STL; 1.7 TO; 39.4 FG%; 32.7 3P%; 90.2 FT%; 77 GP
White is talented enough to be higher on this list, but he'll have to work his way up after last year's showing. He had high expectations but was highly inefficient, shooting a career-low 39.4% from the field during the regular season and 32.1% during the playoffs.
Of course, White still made the All-Defensive first team with averages of 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals, and he should be leaned on offensively again this season with Jaylen Brown now gone. If he can hit his shots, he could enter the top-five conversation.
No. 7: Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic
2025-26 stats: 20.1 PTS; 4.1 REB; 4.1 AST; 1.0 STL; 2.0 TO; 48.4 FG%; 39.1 3P%; 90.8 FT%; 82 GP
Unlike White, Bane was a source of consistency last season. He was the only player who suited up for all 82 games on an Orlando team that dealt with a ton of injuries, and he delivered on both ends of the floor.
Bane averaged 20.1 points while flirting with shooting splits of 50-40-90. He was also a tone setter on defense with his strong motor and physicality, making him an invaluable contributor.
NBA power rankings after free agency: Can AJ Dybantsa, Wizards make immediate noise?
No. 6: Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
2025-26 stats: 18.3 PTS; 7.8 REB; 5.3 AST; 1.5 STL; 2.4 TO; 53.4 FG%; 21.6 3P%; 77.9 FT%; 79 GP
Thompson expanded his offensive game last season. The third-year guard averaged a career-high 18.3 points, and he averaged a career-high 5.3 assists for a Houston team that lacked facilitators.
Thompson also shined on the other end as someone who can guard multiple positions and be disruptive. And at only 23, he should continue to get better.
No. 5: Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
2025-26 stats: 23.3 PTS; 5.5 AST; 4.7 REB; 1.1 STL; 3.0 TO; 49 FG%; 36 3P%; 87.1 FT%; 51 GP
Reaves was playing at an All-Star level before he suffered a calf injury in December. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds on 50.7% shooting from the field (36.5% from deep) through his first 23 games.
Those numbers took a slight dip once Reaves returned. But with a clean bill of health and LeBron James now gone, the stage is set for him to have a strong season and possibly earn his first All-Star selection.
No. 4: Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
2025-26 stats: 16.7 PTS; 7.4 AST; 5.3 REB; 1.1 STL; 3.2 TO; 47.1 FG%; 33.2 3P%; 73.4 FT%; 68 GP
San Antonio made a massive leap last season by reaching the NBA Finals. And while Victor Wembanyama gets most of the credit, Castle's strong play shouldn't be overshadowed.
The second-year guard finished efficiently around the rim, facilitated at a high level, crashed the glass and played elite defense. And he did all of that while contributing to winning, which earns him the fourth spot at only 21.
NBA power rankings after free agency: Can Giannis Antetokounmpo lead Heat to title?
No. 3: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
2025-26 stats: 26.1 PTS; 6.0 AST; 3.9 REB; 0.8 STL; 3.1 TO; 45.6 FG%; 33 3P%; 87.3 FT%; 64 GP
With Kevin Durant no longer in the mix, Booker returned to being the undisputed top scoring option last season. And he handled it well, averaging 26.1 points and leading the Suns to an unlikely playoff berth.
Phoenix ultimately got swept by OKC in the first round, and that lack of postseason success is what made me place Booker just below the top two players on this list. But that's admittedly splitting hairs, considering all three guys have a case to be ranked first.
No. 2: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
2025-26 stats: 27.9 PTS; 5.7 AST; 4.5 REB; 1.5 STL; 2.8 TO; 48.3 FG%; 36.4 3P%; 86.5 FT%; 70 GP
Mitchell earned an All-NBA second team selection while averaging 27.9 points, and he led the Cavaliers to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2017-18.
Sure, Cleveland had an underwhelming showing when it got swept by New York. But Mitchell still proved he's one of the most unguardable scorers in the NBA and one of the best players at his position.
No. 1: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
2025-26 stats: 28.8 PTS; 5.0 REB; 3.7 AST; 1.4 STL; 2.9 TO; 48.9 FG%; 39.9 3P%; 79.6 FT%; 61 GP
Like I mentioned, it's hard to rank the top three players on this list. But I'm giving the No. 1 spot to Edwards, who has the most complete case.
Edwards averaged the most points per game of the bunch at 28.8, which was a career high. He was the better defender of the bunch, using his strength and athleticism to be effective. And while Minnesota didn't reach the conference finals like Mitchell and Cleveland did, it took San Antonio to six games in the second round.
It was a strong season by Edwards, who would've at least earned an All-NBA second team selection had he met the 65-game criteria. And life should be even easier for him this season with LaMelo Ball now on the team, allowing him to shoot off the catch more and save some energy for his defense.
NBA power rankings: Can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder reclaim the throne?
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who tops 2026-27 NBA shooting guard rankings? Anthony Edwards or Donovan Mitchell?