Let’s be honest here, ranking the West’s elite guards in 2025 isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about understanding who controls the tempo consistently, who makes their teammates better when the margin for error disappears, and who carries the kind of gravitational pull that shifts entire defensive schemes.
So, after a couple of beers for yours truly, here’s my stab the conference’s guard royalty stands right now (apologies to the injured Kyrie Irving who just missed this list with injury).
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
The current reigning NBA Finals MVP and league MVP, Thunder’s conductor orchestrates chaos with surgical precision. SGA has evolved into that rare breed of scorer who doesn’t just put up numbers as empty calories. He dictates when and how his team gets those numbers. His scoring average hovers in the low-30s, but what separates him isn’t the volume; it’s the calculated aggression. Every drive feels inevitable, every pull-up jumper carries the weight of someone who knows exactly what he’s hunting.
AND YOU CAN’T TOUCH HIM OR ELSE IT’S A FOUL APPARENTLY.
4 players in '24-'25 scored 70%+ of their FGM on unassisted buckets...
— NBA University (@NBA_University) July 31, 2025
- SGA: 76.2% unassisted FGM—56.9 eFG%
- James Harden: 73.8%—50.1 eFG%
- Trae Young: 71.0%—49.1 eFG%
- Jalen Brunson: 70.6%—55.1 eFG%
Creating almost everything for themselves... pic.twitter.com/Hy1IHE3mK5
MVP. Champion. Finals MVP
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 23, 2025
SGA cements the trifecta as the 2025 #FinalsMVP pic.twitter.com/nRDDQhQaE2
What makes SGA terrifying for opposing coaches? He’s reached that LeBron-esque stage where he can simply decide to take over a quarter, and there’s very little you can do to stop it.
2. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Here’s where my Warriors bias crashes headfirst into cold, analytical reality—and somehow, both sides win.
Steph in Year 16 remains the most dangerous offensive weapon in basketball, even if the raw explosion has mellowed into something more surgical. That 24+ points per game doesn’t capture the full terror he unleashes. Curry’s gravity warps defenses in ways that make advanced metrics weep with joy. Teams still send help defenders scrambling 35 feet from the basket because they’ve seen what happens when you don’t.
Stephen Curry joined some ELITE company last night pic.twitter.com/og3CsW7QUh
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 2, 2025
The man revolutionized basketball, and he’s still out here casually redefining what “old” looks like for a superstar. When Curry’s rolling, the Warriors transform from a solid playoff team into appointment television.
3. Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Ant represents everything beautiful about basketball’s future. He’s got that rare combination of explosive athleticism and genuine basketball IQ that makes veterans nod in respect. Edwards doesn’t just score folks, he performs. Every poster dunk feels like a statement, every clutch three carries the swagger of someone who genuinely believes he belongs on this stage.
Most career 40-point games among players under 24 years old:
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) July 30, 2025
19 - Anthony Edwards
9 - Cam Thomas
9 - Jalen Green
6 - Paolo Banchero
6 - Tyrese Maxey
*active players pic.twitter.com/bnCmgqCJry
The Timberwolves have found something special in Edwards’ two-way development. He’s not just Minnesota’s leading scorer; he’s their emotional engine, the guy who sets the tone with his energy and backs it up with legitimate all-around production. He also pushed them to the Western Conference finals for the second straight season, showing that he’s turning into a tested playoff performer.
4. James Harden (Los Angeles Clippers)
The Beard continues to prove that basketball IQ ages like fine wine. Harden averaged 22.8 points and 8.7 assists per game last season. Those numbers that tell only half the story of his continued excellence. What separates him in this veteran stage isn’t just the step-back three that still haunts defenders’ dreams; it’s his evolved understanding of when to hunt his own shot versus when to orchestrate for others.
BREAKING: 11-time NBA All-Star James Harden is declining his player option and intends to sign a new two-year, $81.5 million contract to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/qQMwkkMjMs
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025
At 8.7 assists per game, Harden remains one of the league’s premier playmakers, threading passes that create easy buckets and keeping the Clippers’ offense humming even when Kawhi Leonard need maintenance. His 35.2% three-point shooting keeps defenses honest, and that 87.4% free-throw percentage reminds everyone that some skills never fade.
The Clippers built their championship window around veterans who know how to maximize their remaining prime years. Harden embodies that philosophy perfectly.
5. De’Aaron Fox
Fox’s 2024-25 season reads like watching a master craftsman adapt to a completely new workshop. The February 3rd trade to San Antonio could have derailed everything, but Fox transformed potential disruption into basketball artistry. Those 17 games in silver and black tell the real story: 19.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds while orchestrating an offense around Victor Wembanyama’s otherworldly talents. The chemistry felt immediate and natural, like watching two virtuosos discover they speak the same basketball language.
His first game with SAS against Atlanta was pure magic: 24 points, 13 assists, and 3 steals, making Fox the first Spurs player ever to deliver 20+ points and 10+ assists in his debut.
Here’s the cruel irony: Fox battled through everything with a lingering pinky tendon injury from Sacramento’s training camp. By mid-March, the Spurs chose wisdom over short-term gains, shutting him down for season-ending surgery. Those final 18 missed games represent opportunity cost, but they also signal San Antonio’s conviction. Fox isn’t rental property, he’s a cornerstone of their championship blueprint.
More from goldenstateofmind.com:
- Video: How the Warriors reinvented “3-1” and crushed Cleveland
- Warrior Wonders: Curry, Green make history while beating Portland
- Klay Thompson and Draymond Green make All-Defense Second Team
- BreakingT releases new “Forgot About Dray” tee to honor Draymond Green
- Andre Iguodala says Steph Curry is the second-greatest player ever
