The NBA’s point guard debate rarely settles. Every dominant season invites another round of comparisons, and every ranking inevitably leaves out an obvious player. That was also the case when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s father, Vaughn Alexander, named his top guards in the league, leaving Luka Doncic off the list entirely. 

He even explained the one quality he believes separates the very best from everyone else. The conversation unfolded during N30N’s livestream on Kick, where the streamer asked Vaughn to name his top point guards in the NBA amongst the active players.

Vaughn wasted no time placing his son on top, “Shai, of course,” before following with Cade Cunningham and Ja Morant.

Luka Doncic’s omission seemed glaring, considering the Slovenian’s regular knocking at the MVP doors. Anyway, Vaughn didn’t disagree with Luka’s offensive brilliance. Instead, he offered a different standard.

“Wasn’t he top three this year in voting? Something like that, top three, top four. He’s in the conversation, bro. But, you know, you gotta play defense, bro, right? You gotta, it’s both sides, man.” 

With one sentence, he explained why Luka Doncic failed to crack his personal top three.

The exchange resonated because the comparison between SGA and Luka has become one of the defining conversations in today’s NBA over the last few seasons. Luka Doncic appeared destined to become the next face of the league. The guard’s historic scoring production and elite playmaking vouched for it. 

That landscape took a drastic turn with the rise of Shai, who not only elevated his individual game but also took the OKC Thunder to new heights. He collected two back-to-back MVPs and established himself as the new standard of excellence.

Both guards have consistently ranked among the NBA’s most efficient offense machines. Yet Vaughn’s comments suggest that offensive brilliance alone doesn’t determine greatness. 

The numbers help explain that argument. 

During the 2025-26 season, Luka Doncic and SGA posted nearly identical offensive efforts, with Luka leading the league with points per game and total points and closely followed by Shai. Defensively, however, the gap widened considerably. 

SGA finished with a defensive rating of 108.7, while Doncic’s sat at 113.6. Those figures reinforce Vaughn’s belief that complete players separate themselves through impact on both ends rather than offensive production alone.

Of course, Luka Doncic’s defensive reputation has taken quite a few hits, especially because of the role he plays.

Few players shoulder a heavier offensive workload. That responsibility has often fueled the argument that his defense is less about effort and more about conserving energy across the long season. Even so, opponents have repeatedly targeted him in isolation, making it an unavoidable talking point.

Plus, here’s the thing: Luka Doncic receives a lot more criticism than players like Jalen Brunson and Nikola Jokic, who are known for their offensive skills but are also not-so-involved defensively.

While Brunson and Jokic’s skills and greatness don’t get questioned as often, criticism regarding Doncic’s defense seems to affect his position. No doubt, the Dallas player has made efforts to improve his defense.

For instance, he underwent a physical transformation last summer and has been improving his defense. It will be interesting to see what he can produce here onwards.