Latest Shai Gilgeous-Alexander position ranking unjustly based on pizzazz, not play

At this point, it's inarguable that OKC Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the most well-rounded players in the entire NBA.

From his scoring prowess to his defensive chops, the 26-year-old has the ability to positively contribute to a game's ultimate outcome in virtually any way imaginable.

And yet, despite his astounding versatility and all-around attributes, SGA still finds himself being slightly overlooked.

Take CBS Sports' latest guard rankings list, for example.

Broken down by a panel of 10 NBA analysts, the publication listed who they believe to be the 10-best guards (point, shooting, and combo all included) currently in the league in ascending order.

After being slotted in at fourth overall on CBS' top-100 players list from earlier in the week, the Thunder star found himself ranking at number two, trailing only Dallas Mavericks centerpiece, Luka Doncic.

Now, the reasonings for why Gilgeous-Alexander placed within the top three in such a prominent piece were well thought out and explained by panelist, James Herbert, as he highlighted the reigning MVP runner-up's shooting efficiency (noting he shot 69 percent at the rim and 51 percent from midrange in 2023-24) and defensive ferocity (mentioned how he led the league in steals), among many other reasons.

For Doncic's rank at number one, however, it seems the trend is that of essentially every other casual viewer when it comes to the conversation of him vs. SGA.

Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander penalized for lack of flair and flavor

It goes without question that Doncic is one of the most fun players to watch in the modern era of the game. From his "finesse" to his ability to dish out "some of the best assists" you can imagine -- all quotes from the piece, mind you --, the 25-year-old is must-see television every time he steps onto the floor.

However, just because a player may be seen as more entertaining to watch, this does not mean they're objectively the better all-around player, and the constant comparisons and debates between him and the Thunder centerpiece are prime examples of this.

Doncic may be the player who is dropping the more eye-popping on-paper numbers such as, say, scoring feats of late (has averaged 33.1 points per game compared to Gilgeous-Alexander's 30.7 over the last two seasons), but he's doing so on a much higher number of shots, as he's hoisted up 233 more attempts than the OKC star, including 847 more shots and 316 more makes from 3-point range.

On top of this, while the Mavericks guard may be seen as the superior passer, as he dishes out nearly five more assists per 100 possessions (11.7 compared to 7.1), he does so while coughing up over two more turnovers and while boasting a usage rate nearly 10 percentage points higher based on these same metrics.

Despite what counting stats may suggest, it's undeniable that the Thunder guard is the more efficient offensive weapon compared to Doncic (ranks in with the best and third-best offensive standard deviation rate of all time) and, without question, is the superior talent on the less glamorous side of the ball.

Yet, even with all this data, people are and will continue to be quick to deem the Mavs star as the better player between him and SGA, all due to the simple fact that Doncic is more flashy and plays with a game that's more in-your-face exciting than OKC's centerpiece does.

So, yes, when it comes to the question of who's more fun to watch between Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander, it's not at all egregious to claim the former as the answer.

However, when it relates to who's the better player at the guard position, due to his enviably deep bag of tricks that even other stars around the association gush over and his mesmerizing, all-out efforts on the defensive end, there's a very strong case to be made that SGA is top dog when it comes to the pecking order of the NBA's backcourt talents.