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In the NBA, amongst the five different positions, the shooting guard is denoted by two. With the core of his task hinged on scoring points, the shooting guard is also tasked with the responsibility of maintaining a tight defense. Creating a steal and possibly leading a fast break in the opponent's court is also a possibility for a shooting guard.
Many shooting guards have gracefully made a name for themselves in the NBA. Some of the notable ones are Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Reggie Miller and Manu Ginobili. Modern-day shooting guards making a splash in the NBA right now include James Harden, Bradley Beal, Paul George and Klay Thompson.
Below are the top three shooting guards in the Western Conference who are 30 years old or over.
Top three shooting guards in the NBA's Western Conference aged 30 or over
#3 Will Barton
Denver Nuggets shooting guard Will Barton declared himself available for the 2012 NBA draft and was selected as the 40th overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers. Barton had a slow start as he was plagued with injuries and fewer game appearances while at the Blazers. His rookie season was poor, as he averaged 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game in 73 appearances for the Blazers.
The People's Champ's career took off when he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. In his debut season for the Nuggets, he averaged 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He has spent eight seasons thus far with the Nuggets and has averaged 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists with a field goal accuracy of 43.8%.
The 30-year old has started this season on a high, aiding the team in their two-game victories with an average of 16.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
#2 Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon was drafted into the NBA in 2008 by the L.A. Clippers as their first-round pick. The shooting guard was quick to show the stuff he is made of, as he recorded a remarkable 16.1 points in his debut season in the NBA, shooting from the field at a 45.6% accuracy. Due to his performance, he was selected into the 2009 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
In the 2016-17 NBA season, The Hobbit, as he is nicknamed, joined the Houston Rockets on July 9th, 2016 and was named the Sixth Man of the Year. Gordon had scored an average of 17.8 points per game in only 27 appearances and 13 starts. In the Rockets' win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 22nd, Gordon came off the bench to register 22 points to help the team clinch the win, finishing as the second-best scorer of the night. He sank in 4-of-6 shots from behind the arc, posting a 66.7% three-point shooting percentage.
#1 CJ McCollum
Portland Trail Blazers faithful and loyal shooting guard CJ McCollum tops our list of best shooting guards aged 30-years and above. McCollum has spent eight complete seasons in the NBA, all of which he spent with the Blazers.
McCollum had very little playing time in his first two seasons, which hampered his productivity. In 2015-16, he had a starter role, featured in 80 games and got started in all 80 appearances, recorded 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists and has seen then never taken his feet off the gas. His performance was rewarded with the 2016 Most Improved Player Award.
The shooting guard finished the previous season with a career-high 23.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists. With the commencement of the 2021-22 NBA season, McCollum currently averages 31.0 points in two games played by the Blazers, recording 34 points and 28 points respectively.
