Ranking the top 5 shooting guards for the 2023-24 season

The shooting guard position is one of the most timeless positions in all of basketball. The 2-guard is meant to be able to score and shoot at a high level and most importantly, complement the play of the point guard.

There are multiple types of 2-guards in today's NBA. You have your elite scorers who are the best perimeter scoring option for a team and know how to get a quick bucket. You also have your 3-and-D spot-up shooters to help complement a scoring point guard. 

The best of the best shooting guards are the types that can score at a high level and lead a team. The majority of them learn their best moves from guys like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan but have each blazed their own path.

Ranking the top 5 shooting guards for the 2023-24 season: 5. Donovan Mitchell

When it comes to unique players at the shooting guard position, Donovan Mitchell is one at the top of that list. Most shooting guards stand at around 6-foot-4 while Mithcell stands at 6-foot-1. Nonetheless, Mitchell came into the league as one of the best shooting guards in the league and a proven winner. 

Last season Mitchell had the best season of his career averaging a career-high 28.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 38.6 percent from 3, and 86.7 percent from the free throw line. All of his shooting percentages were career highs.

Mitchell is a four-time All-Star and has led his team to the playoffs every single year of his career but was never recognized as one of the best guards until last season. Last season Mitchell made his first All-NBA selection to the second team and finished sxith in MVP voting. 

Since LeBron James went to the Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the worst teams in the NBA. As soon as they got Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers finished with a 51-31 record, fifth-best in the NBA, making the playoffs without LeBron for the first time since 1998.

Mitchell can do just about everything, he can score from anywhere on the court at a high level, he is a solid playmaker and for his size, a really good defender. He will once again be expected to be the best player on the Cavs and lead them to be a top team in the NBA.

Despite all of his talent, Mitchell's intangibles are the reason he is only ranked number five for next season. Even though he's proven himself to be a good regular-season leader, in the postseason he has come up short

Mitchell has had two great playoffs in 2020 and 2021 but has failed to make an appearance in a conference finals. The past two postseasons he has been outplayed by Jalen Brunson. Last postseason, he underperformed tremendously against the Knicks in the first round losing in five games after the Cavs were in talks as a dark horse championship contender. 

Despite his struggles over the past two postseasons, Mitchell is going to have another great regular season and lead the Cavs to having one of the best records in the NBA. There will be four other shooting guards who will have better seasons than Donovan Mitchell.