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Point Guard 101 WIth Steve Nash

By Stefan Swiat, Suns.comPosted: Feb. 26, 2012

Besides being inundated with questions and comparisons to the Knicks Jeremy Lin, Suns floor leader and legend-in-residence Steve Nash gave his take on the state of the point guard position in the league.

The heady playmaker said that the position has “never been stronger.”

"The position is at an all-time high," he said. "They have the most talent and depth and almost every team has a terrific point guard."

For his money, Nash believes that the Nets’ Deron Williams and the Clippers’ Chris Paul are the best two out there for a running team.

That doesn’t leave out his appreciation for the Bulls’ Derrick Rose and the Thunder’s Russell Westbrook. It’s just that he views them in a different vein.

“I don’t really consider Rose and Westbrook point guards in a way,” he said. “They are great, great players, but they both average 20-plus points a game.

“They are kind of do-everything guards. It’s almost like they started a new category.”

Besides the current crew of point guards, which he puts on the level with anyone he’s ever went head-to-head with, Nash names former Jazz playmaker John Stockton as the best he's ever competed against. The fact that there is an abundance of floor generals right now, isn’t a surprise to Nash, who has seen trends come and go in his 15-plus seasons in the NBA.

“It used to be a game dominated by two-guards,” Nash said. “Now there are not that many classic two-guards anymore. It’s cyclical.”

For all the young point guards out there, Nash believes that being a leader and being competitive are the two most important traits that a playmaker needs.

“If they have those (qualities) in their make-up,” Nash said. “Teammates will respond to them and they have a chance to be great.”

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