Patrick Beverley knows a thing or two, about being a defensive guard in the NBA. It’s a role he played very well for years and Beverley was asked during a recent appearance on The OGs Show to name who he thinks are the three best defensive guards in NBA history in order.
“All time? Gotta go (Gary Payton),” Beverley said. “… I put Michael Jordan in there and I’m going Kawhi (Leonard) three if he’s considered a guard.”
(starts at 49:28 mark):
I am a bit surprised that Beverley didn’t put himself in there. This was a rare display of humility I suppose. As for the selections, the order that the 36-year-old went with was quite interesting.
Beverley believes that Gary Payton is the greatest defensive guard of all time. Payton certainly was one of the finest and most tenacious defenders of his generation. He won DPOY in 1996 and made the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times, which is tied for the most in league history.
One of the players whom Payton is tied with is Michael Jordan, who was second on Beverley’s list. Like the man above him, Jordan also won DPOY once, in 1988. He led the league in steals thrice (1988, 1990, 1993) too and only Chris Paul has done it more times.
Beverley’s former teammate Kawhi Leonard came in at three but I am not sure I’d call him a guard. Regardless, he is one of the best defensive players we have ever seen. Leonard won DPOY in 2015 and 2016 and has made seven All-Defensive teams (3x First Team, 4x Second Team) in his career.
Payton, Jordan, and Leonard are actually among only eight perimeter players to have won DPOY in NBA history, which tells you just how great they were at their best. With Victor Wembanyama looking poised to win the award for the foreseeable future, it seems unlikely we’ll get a ninth entrant on that list anytime soon.
Patrick Beverley Says Luka Doncic Is The Best Player He’s Guarded
During this episode of the podcast, Beverley was also asked who is the best player he has guarded over the years, and went with Luka Doncic. (starts at the 45:47 mark in the above video):
“Best player I’ve guarded… Luka,” Beverley said.
In typical Beverley fashion, though, he took a shot at Doncic as well when asked about the challenges he faced when guarding the Dallas Mavericks star.
“Just bigger and he flops,” Beverley said. “So, if you in the bonus and I’m a physical defender and he’s bigger and he flops, I can’t touch him. I can’t get my hands on him… If it’s a guy my size, I’mma just grab him, hit him, okay cool. If it’s a guy bigger than me, I’m gonna get up under him.
“But with Luka, he flops, so I can’t even be physical because as soon as I’m physical, he putting his head down, now they in the bonus,” Beverley stated. “… So I think it’s a mixture of his size and his ability to sell and get calls.”
Well, at least Beverley no longer has to worry about guarding a flopper like Doncic. In July, the controversial guard signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League after spending 12 seasons in the NBA.
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