Mount Rushmore of Shooting Guards Since 2000

The shooting guard position has seen a big change, morphing from isolation scorers and mid-range specialists to more versatile offensive threats who can create, shoot from distance, and act as secondary facilitators. Continuing our Mount Rushmore 2000 series, we take a look at shooting guards who began their careers in 2000 or later, taking into consideration their individual dominance, influence on the game, and championship pedigree. 

*Mount Rushmore 2000 criteria requires players to have entered the league no earlier than the 2000 season*

The 2000s Mount Rushmore starts with a three-time NBA Champion, 13-time All-Star, and eight-time All-NBA member. Ironically, Wade wasn’t the best shooter despite playing the shooting guard position. The Miami Heat’s all-time leading scorer, Wade’s ability to score in a multitude of ways, playmaking, athleticism, and defensive tenacity helped him become one of the most dominant shooting guards of his era.

Some might argue that Harden should be listed as a point guard (and they might not be wrong); however, the Beard originally entered the league playing the off-guard spot and claimed his MVP award as a shooting guard during the 2017–18 season. In addition to winning the honor, Harden was a top-five MVP candidate on five separate occasions. Winner of three scoring titles, seven All-NBA First Team selections, and with his ability to draw fouls and get to the charity stripe (averaging 10-plus free throws per game seven times), Harden became one of the league’s most challenging players to guard.

He may be in the twilight of his career, but Thompson was half of “The Splash Brothers,” the greatest shooting backcourt of all time. Four championships, five All-Star selections, and a 60-point game on just 11 dribbles epitomized his catch-and-shoot greatness. An elite two-way player, Thompson was the prototype for the modern shooting guard—deadly from distance and a lockdown defender. Who can forget his 2015–2016 season in which he scored 27 points in a quarter, his back-to-back 40-point nights, consecutive seven three-pointers in the first round of the playoffs, followed by 11 threes in Game 6 of the Western Finals? If that wasn’t enough, later in that same calendar year, Klay knocked down 60 points in less than 30 minutes of court time.

One of the grittiest two-way players of his generation, Butler doesn’t have the scoring touch or the team success of his peers on this list, but few can question the importance and impact of “Jimmy Buckets” to his teams. The final pick of the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft, Butler has become a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection. Leading the Miami Heat to two NBA Finals appearances, Butler’s leadership, elite two-way play, and playoff heroics help cement his place among the elite shooting guards of the 2000s era.