Bradley Beal is making moves up the pecking order of guards. Dime Magazine explains their rankings...
"For quite some time, the shooting guard position was a glamour one in the NBA. Quite obviously, the best player in the history of the game occupied the spot in Michael Jordan. After that, though, full-fledged superstars like Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade were perpetually in the mix when it came to “best in the world” discussions and the depth at the position was never in serious doubt.
Today, that’s no longer the case, as the top of the heap has taken a huge hit. James Harden is no longer an active member of the shooting guard fraternity, Bryant is retired, and Wade has morphed into something of a supporting character instead of a lead dog. Make no mistake, there is still a great deal of talent around the league on the wing, but with the muddy waters between what constitutes a “2” and a “3,” the debate rages on as to how we should classify and rank players."
So where did Dime rank Bradley Beal?
3. Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal is finally the player that many in the NBA world already assumed he was. To that end, the first four seasons of Beal’s career were impressive in that he was so young, but also underwhelming when compared to the other top-flight players at the position.
Beal posted a sub-standard 52.1 percent true shooting with a 14.3 PER in 247 games and, even without the health concerns that were vastly apparent, he was overrated as an achieved entity. Fast-forward to his fifth campaign and the still-young guard is tremendous.
Beal’s shot selection has matured, he has improved his playmaking and defensive skills, and the Wizards are better for it. This ranking might seem high, but if this new normal continues, it won’t be for long.