The Hoop Post Top 25 New York City Point Guards of All Time 

We honor the best point guards to ever come out of New York City. These point guards were leaders, great decision-makers, and stood out in their communities. They were gifted to play this sport and showcase their talents. There are so many talented points we can go on and discuss. Here is the one who stood out. Yes, not all of them made it to the NBA, but they were great in high school and college. Here is the top 25:

1. Kenny Anderson: Kenny ranks number one on this list. Here is a guy who had that special talent when I first saw him at Molly HS. As a freshman, he didn’t play in the first quarter. He will sub in the second quarter and once he checks in, he dominated on the court as a scorer and a leader. Anderson helped Molloy to the CHSAA City Championship and was First Team All City in 1986. It was the start of his becoming a New York City basketball legend. He played at Georgia Tech, led them to the final four, and played two seasons. Then in 1991 he was drafted second overall by the New Jersey Nets and became an All-Star team in 1994. He played in the NBA for 14 seasons, averaging 12.6 points and 6.1 assists.

2. Bob Cousy: Known as “The Houdini of the Hardwood,”  went to Andrew Jackson High School and was cut from the school team in his first two years. He joined a youth basketball team in Queens, where he developed his skills and made the team in the 11th grade. In his senior year, he led Jackson to the Queens divisional championship, scoring more points than any other New York City high school basketball player. He was even named captain of the Journal-American All-Scholastic team. He played his collegiate ball at Holy Cross and with the Boston Celtics as a six-time NBA champion, including an NBA MVP award.

3. Stephon Marbury: Marbury starred at Lincoln, in which he was Mr. Basketball in New York State and McDonals All American. He led Lincoln to the 1995 PSAL City and State Championship. He played at Georgia Tech and was the top freshman in the nation in 1996 and was selected as the number four overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ray Allen on draft night. Marbury was a two-time NBA All-Star and a member of the 2004 USA Olympic basketball team. In his NBA career, he averaged 19.3 points and 7.6 assists per game before heading to China and becoming one of the greats in the Chinese Basketball Association. 

4. Dewayne “Pearl” Washington: Pearl Washington played at Boys and Girls High, in which he was phenomen. He had a great handle and broke down defenders. His playmaking skills were superior on the court. He took his talents to Syracuse and was one of the greats to play there. Then played in the NBA for New Jersey and Miami. RIP Pearl. 

5. Sue Bird: Bird played at Christ the King High School in Queens and was a great scorer and knew where to dish the ball to. Also, Bird can shoot from beyond the arc. She played at Connecticut and became a star, leading the Huskies to an undefeated season in 2002 and being named college basketball player of the year. Bird was drafted first overall pick by the Seattle Storm in 2002 and had a 20-year tenure with the same franchise where she became an WNBA All-Star and champion as well. 

6. Nate “Tiny” Archibald: Tiny grew up in the South Bronx and played high school basketball for only one-and-a-half seasons at Clinton in the Bronx. He was cut from the varsity squad as a sophomore and turned out to be an All City player in 1966. He went to Arizona Western for a year and transferred to the University of Texas at El Paso to play for Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins. He spend 14 seasons in the NBA with the Cinncinatti and Kansas City/Omaha Royals as well as the Boston Celtics. In 1991, Archibald was enshrined into the New York City and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

7. Mark Jackson: Jackson is one of the greatest assist players in the game of basketball. He was an All City player at Loughlin and helped his squad capture the New York State championship in 1983. Jackson played at St. John’s, where he was a standout at the helm and a member of the 1985 Final Four team. Jackson spent several years in the NBA and was one of the top assist players in the NBA today. In 1988 was named NBA Rookie of the Year and 1989 he was named NBA All Star as a member of the New York Knicks.

8. Kenny Smith: The Lefrak City native played for the legendary Jack Curran at Molloy High School. In 1983, Smith led Molloy to the 1983 CHSAA City Championship game. That year he was All-City and McDonald’s All American. Smith took his talents to North Carolina and was an All American. Then he had an outstanding career in the NBA, in which he became a two-time NBA champion for the Houston Rockets. 

9. Rod Strickland: Rod will go down as one of the best point guards in New York City. He started at Rice High School in his freshman year, then transferred to Truman and led the Mustangs to the 1984 PSAL City Championship as well as the New York State title. He transferred to Oak Hill Academy in 1984 in his senior campaign. He played college ball at DePaul and was a First Team All-American, averaging 20.0 points and 7.8 assists. Strickland helped lead the Blue Demons to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1988, he was drafted by the New York Knicks. He spent 17 years in the NBA as one of the best underrated players in the league. Strickland averaged 13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 30.7 minutes of floor time per game.

10. Sebastian Telflair: Telflair attended Lincoln High School and led the Railsplitters to three PSAL City championships. He was Mr. Basketball USA, McDonals All American MVP, and a finalist for the 2004 Naismith Award. Telfair became the first player in New York City History to skip college (committed to Louisville) and go straight to the NBA from high school. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 13 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft and played in the league for nine seasons. 

11. Lenny Wilkens: Wilkens was an All City player at Boys High in 1956, he was a two-time All-American and led Providence College to two consecutive NITs in 1959 and 1960. He finished as the second-leading scorer with 1,193 points. Lenny Wilkens was drafted as the number six overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft by the St. Louis Hawks. Wilkens spent eight seasons with the Hawks, four with Seattle, two with Cleveland, and one with Portland. He became a nine-time NBA All-Star. Then he spent 26 seasons as a coach in the league. In 1979, he coached the Seattle SuperSonics to the NBA Championship. Lenny Wilkens has been inducted three times into the Basketball Hall of Fame: in 1989 as a player, as a coach in 1998, and in 2010 as part of the 1992 US Olympic Team for which he was an assistant coach. His number 19 was retired by the Seattle SuperSonics. 

12. Kenny Hutchinson: Kenny “Hutch” is among the best point guards in the Class of 1983 who was a great scorer who had that toughness to his game and gave people the business. He was First Team All-City and Honorable Mention All American. Due to Ben Franklin in Manhattan closing down, he had to transfer to King. Hutchinson, along with Walter Berry, led Franklin to the 1982 PSAL City Championship. Hutchinson played his college ball at Arkansas and was a contributor to the program. 

13. Nancy Lieberman: Known as “Lady Magic,” she was an All-City at Far Rockaway High School in Queens in 1976. The 5-foot-10 point guard played physically and aggressively on the court. You couldn’t find a player who didn’t fear anyone and gave you the business. She started at Old Dominion University, where she was the top player in women’s basketball. Played in professional men’s leagues where she held her own in the USBL and Washington Generals. The Hall of Fame inductee played in the Women’s Professional Basketball League, Women’s American Basketball Association, and Women’s National Basketball Association. 

14. Rafer Alston: Known as “Skip To My Lou,” Alston had some great ball-handling skills and was quick on the court. He was a standout at Cardoza, then went to Ventura JC in California, then transferred to Fresno St., where he became the focal point of Jerry Tarkanian’s squad. Then went in the 1998 NBA draft and was selected in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks. He didn’t make the cut and played in the CBA, and in 1999 he was part of the And 1 Mixtape tour for a few seasons and became a legend. Then played in the NBA as a role player for the Orlando Magic when they went to the 2009 NBA Finals. He had a good NBA career playing with the Bucks, Raptors, Heat, and Rockets. 

15. Kemba Walker: Played at Rice HS in Harlem in which he was an All City player and a McDonald’s All American player in 2008. Then he went to UConn and became the star of the 2011 NCAA championship team where he was named the Most Outstanding Player. Walker was selected by Charlotte in the 2009 NBA Draft. He was a four-time NBA All-Star and was nominated as a two-time NBA sportsman of the year. 

16. Greg “Boo” Harvey: “Boo” Harvey became an elite point guard from New York City, became the top player in 1985. He was an Honorable Mention All-American the same year and led Jackson to the 1985 PSAL City Championship. Harvey played two years at San Jacinto Junior College in Texas, in which he helped the program win the NJCAA Championship. Also a junior college All American then transfer to St. John’s, where he was first team All Big East as a senior and was the recipient of both the Naismith Award and Haggerty Award.

17. God Shammgod: Shammgod played his high school basketball at LaSalle and in 1995 he was First Team All City and McDonalds All American. Went to Providence and carried the Friars to the Elite Eight in the 1997 NCAA Tournament. He was known as Shammed Wells in high school changed his name to God Shammgod and played in the NBA with the Washington Wizzards for eight seasons. 

18. Butch Lee: Lee was an All City Player at Clinton, in which he led his squad to the 1973 PSAL City Championship. At Marquette, he led the Warriors to the 1977 NCAA championship. Then he played for the Puerto Rico Olympic Team in 1976. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks as the 10th overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Then he became a part of the Los Angeles Lakers 1980 NBA Championship team. After that, he played in Puerto Rico, where he had a great career.

19. Kenny Satterfield: Satterfield led Rice to the 1999 CHSAA City Championship and was All American and New York City player of the year. Then he moved on to play at Cincinnati and became one of the elite players in college basketball. Then he entered the 2001 NBA Draft and was selected in the second round by the Denver Nuggets, in which he played a couple of seasons. Then had a long career playing overseas.

20. Kenny Patterson: Kenny “P” had a mad handle and was quick on the floor. In 1981 he was named All-City and played at Forest Hills High School in Queens. He took his talents to DePaul and became a star on the Ray Meyer squad from 1981 to 1985 in which the Blue Demons went to the NCAA Tournament for three of the four seasons.

21. Kareem Reid: Kareem Reid was a standout from St. Raymond’s High School and led the Ravens to the CHSAA Championship in 1993. In 1984, he was named McDonald’s All American and one of the top players in the city. He became a four-year letterman at Arkansas. He became a New York Streetball Legend known as “The Best Kept Secret.”

22. Andre Barrett: Barrett was a standout at Rice High School in Harlem. He was an All-City and All-American, leading Rice High School to two CHSAA City and New York State titles in 1999 and 2000. Barrett played at Seton Hall University and in the NBA with the Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, and Toronto Raptors. 

23. Ricky Sobers: Ricky Sobers was an All City player at Clinton high school in the Bronx, in which he led the Governors to the 1971 PSAL City Championship. Then he went to the College of Southern Idaho JC and transferred to UNLV. At UNLV, he was the 1975 WCC Player of the Year. Then he was drafted in the first round by the Phoenix Suns in 1975, in which he played 12 seasons in the NBA. 

24. Taliek Brown: Taliek Brown played at St. Johns Prep in Queens where he led them to the CHSAA B Division City Championship in 1999. He was named All City and All American that same season. Brown was a floor general, great ball handler, and great scorer. He played for the University of Connecticut, in which he helped the Huskies win the 2004 NCAA championship. Then he spent nine years playing overseas.

25. Artie Green: Green played at Taft in the Bronx in which he led the program back to back PSAL City Championships in 1974 and 1975. Green was First-Team All City in 1974 and 1975 and the top point guard for the two seasons. Then he went to Saddlebrook JC two season and transferred to Marquette. At Marquette he was a standout for two and was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1981.

We want to give honor to the players who didn’t make the top 25. Here is the Honorable Mention list: Ed Cota, Dave Edwards RIP, Niesha Butler, Jamaal Tinsley, Omar Cook, Erik Barkley, Arnold Bernard, Craig “Speedy” Claxton, Derrick Phelps, Khalid Reeves, Adrian Autry, David Cain, Steve Burtt, Kevin Williams, and Vern Flemming.