Is Scottie Thompson the best Shooting Guard in the PBA?

(c) PBA Media Bureau

I told you, the 2018 Commissioner's Cup Finals could be the coronation of Earl Scottie Thompson as the new king of the Never Say Die.

He was unfazed by the size, fierceness and strength of his opponents. That made him a perfect match for Ginebra.

In the 2018 Commissioner's Cup, he was finally recognized as one of the elite players in the league when he was awarded as the Finals MVP!


In Ginebra, it is becoming much clearer that he is already as valuable as Greg Slaughter. It is still hard to conclude that he is already more impactful than Greg because coach Tim pointed to Greg's defense as the key in defeating San Miguel.

There is one more question that could be fun to answer. Is Scottie Thompson already the best shooting guard in the league?

Now, let us first organize things. I know that Scottie can play multiple positions, from point guard to small forward, but I pointed out shooting guard because that is his primary position.

Now, when we talk about gauging the players in a position in this modern times, we cannot put much value on the perceived role of the positions because basketball is becoming more and more versatile.

Shooting guard is not about shooting and scoring anymore. It can be a position of different skillsets.

HIS RESUME
Scottie Thompson is undoubtedly the best rebounding guard in the league today and may even end up as the best ever in the history of the league. He is not only the best in terms of position, he is already one of the top 5 rebounders in the league.

He was the fifth best in the 2018 Commissioner's Cup with 8.4 rebounds per game. Greg Slaughter was the fourth with 8.7. 0.3 difference in rebound between a 7-footer and a 6'2 guard? Wow.

Other than his rebounding, his defense also standout. His athleticism, relentlessness and basketball IQ has made him one of the best defender in the league. He is not a lockdown defender but in a switching and very complicated defensive environment today, he is thriving.

His playmaking is also elite. his 5.4 assists per game was the 12th best in the Commissioner's Cup. Scottie is good in decision making. He knows when to make the right pass or when to hold the ball longer.

His scoring is still below average. He is only shooting 28% from beyond the arc which is way below the acceptable level.

His midrange game and finishing in the basket also need some refinement. Overall, his basketball IQ helps him a lot in maximizing his scoring prowess.

HIS COMPETITION
His biggest competitions for the top shooting guard title are Marcio Lassiter and Paul Lee. Two phenomenal players with elite skills.

Paul Lee is one of the best jump shooter in the league. He can snipe threes way beyond the three-point line. His strength makes him capable of guarding small forwards and even power forwards. He is also savvy in creating for his teammates and can also fight for rebounds.

At the end of the day though, the resume of Marcio Lassiter is still too hard to pass-up in pushing Scottie as the best shooting guard in the league.

Marcio is the best shooter in the league. He is capable of hitting any kind of outside shot like catch-and-shoot, off-the-dribble, off-the-screen, off-the-break and even in the face of a defender.

His defense is better than Scottie. He knows how to lockdown a scorer and he is capable of running through screens, smoothly.

And lastly, his ball-handling and playmaking are underrated. When you watch him dribble through traffic, he looks like a point guard! He is very good at toying with defenses and taking advantage of cracks in the defense.

OVERALL
Scottie Thompson is a contender for the Top Shooting Guard citation but today, the throne is still with Marcio Lassiter. But, the moment Scottie improves the other area of his play, we could be having a new king sooner rather than later.