5 Shooting Guards from the 2010s that need Player Comparisons

2010s Shooting Guard Player Comparisons

Continuing this series of 2010s players that need player comparisons, the next stop on this continuation of articles is the shooting guard position. The 2010s shooting guards saw a boom in production thanks to the decade's floor spacing trends, so there were plenty of off-guards that thrived this decade.

That being written, we've done plenty of comparisons we've done of shooting guards in this decade already. Zach LaVine, Devin Booker, Dwyane Wade, James Harden, Klay Thompson, and JJ Redick have already received comparison episodes.

If you'd like to listen to any of those while reading this article, please click on the Apple Podcast or Spotify links. Also, for rules about how this article works, please refer back to the 5 Point Guards from the 2010s that need Player Comparisons.

5. Tyreke Evans

Why?

Tyreke Evans was the definition of an NBA enigma due to his skill set and how his career played out. He was the Rookie of the Year for the 2009-10 season after averaging 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. However, due to injuries and being stuck on bad teams, Evans never quite reached the peaks his rookie year suggested he was capable of.

That being written, he had a solid 2010s until he was disqualified from the NBA in 2019 due to a drug problem. He was reinstated in 2022 but never played in the NBA again. During the 2010s decade, he averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. With those numbers, one could argue that if Evans had played in the 2020s, he could have been a star; instead, he played for teams such as the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, and Indiana Pacers.

Who?

Evans played in the wrong decade and would have thrived in today's game. With that in mind, here are some interesting player comparisons for the versatile wing.

• Current Player: RJ Barrett

• Former Player: Larry Hughes

4. Kevin Martin

Why?

Like Evans, Kevin Martin was also stuck on bad teams for the first half of his career in the 2000s, when he was the primary option on the Kings. However, in the 2010s, he became one of the better sixth men in the league.

During that decade, he was a key piece on the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and then returned to the Kings for a season. In the 2012-13 season, he finished fourth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. It should also be noted that during that decade, he averaged 17.3 points on 38.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line.

Who?

There are two ways to do comparisons for Martin. One could look at him as a primary scorer or as a supercharged sixth man.

Current Player: Tyler Herro

Former Player: Allan Houston

3. Eric Gordon

Why?

The common theme for shooting guards on this list is that, at least for one stint in this decade, they were stuck on a middling team, and Eric Gordon wasn't the exception to this rule. He and Evans were actually teammates on the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans, and Evans had to be out of position at the 3-spot. That being written, Gordon had the potential to be an All-Star, but injuries stole his athleticism at a young age.

Gordon really made his mark in the NBA by being an elite sixth man as a member of the Rockets. He even won Sixth Man of the Year in Houston when the Rockets were arguably the second-best team in the Western Conference at the time, and was runner-up for the award again a year later during the 2017-18 season. During this past decade, he averaged 16.6 points while shooting 36.8 percent from downtown.

Who?

There are a couple of different ways one could find Player Comparison. However, let's look at finding a proper role later in his career and his role as a scoring sixth man.

Current Player: Norman Powell

Former Player: Ben Gordon

2. Monta Ellis

Why?

I would be remiss if I failed to include Monta Ellis on this list. It can be argued that Ellis is one of the great NBA players who was never named an All-Star. He lost his franchise player status with the Golden State Warriors to Stephen Curry back at the beginning of the 2010s.

During the beginning of the 2010s, he was averaging around 24 points per game, and for the decade, he averaged 17.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. However, due to the league shifting to more of a perimeter-focused game and his lack of a consistent 3-point shot, he slowly faded from the limelight, but during his peak, he could score with the best of them.

Who?

Finding a modern guard who isn't a good 3-point shooter and a ball-dominant guard is tricky, but not impossible; the same could be said for former players as well. He's a player who can score, but due to limitations in other areas of his game, he never became a star.

Current Player: Collin Sexton

Former Player: Dana Barros

1. Victor Oladipo

Why?

Victor Oladipo is quickly fading from the memories of NBA fans, but during the 2010s, Oladipo was becoming one of the up-and-coming stars in the NBA. Despite being a bit of a journeyman at first, the shooting guard found his niche with the Indiana Pacers, where he earned accolades such as two All-Star appearances, one All-NBA, one All-Defensive Team, and the Most Improved Player award.

At his peak, Oladipo was a two-way star for a small-market team that had been searching for an identity since the departure of Paul George. In Oladipo's best season, he averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and led the NBA with 2.4 steals. However, injuries were the doom of the former All-Star, which caused him to fall out of the league rather quickly.

Who?

Oladipo falls into the category of player's who's prime was stolen by injuries. However, that shouldn't be the focus of this comp; instead, his play style should be.

Current Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Former Player: Eddie Jones

Do you agree that these are the five 2010s shooting guards that we should be doing comparisons for? Comment your thoughts and let us know if we should do a different player or a different comparison.