Ranking The Top 10 Greatest 6'1" And Under Scorers In NBA History

Throughout NBA history, most short guards have been relied upon to pass the ball and facilitate their offense, but some short guards are elite scorers, too. In this article, we'll rank the top 10 best scoring guards with a height of 6'1" or under.

Honorable mentions go to Calvin Murphy, Ty Lawson, Darius Garland, Damon Stoudamire, and Michael Adams.

10. Kemba Walker (6'0")

Peak scoring season: 2018-19 (25.6 PPG, 42.5% FG, 35.6% 3PT, 84.4% FT)

Career Average: 19.3 PPG

Kemba Walker was drafted 9th overall in 2011 by the Charlotte Bobcats, who were by far the worst team in the league for his first two seasons. The lack of talent gave young Kemba the green light to shoot as much as he wanted. He averaged 16 PPG in his first four seasons, but with very poor efficiency (39% FG).

As Kemba improved, he scored more points and his efficiency increased. Walker averaged 23.2 PPG in the 2016-17 season, earning his first all-star appearance. His best season came in 2019, when he averaged 25.6 PPG on 43% FG.

Despite Kemba's success, the Hornets couldn't get past mediocrity and missed the playoffs over and over again. In the 2019 offseason, he was traded to the Boston Celtics and was able to contribute 20.4 PPG to the Celtics' 48-24 record. Boston made the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Heat in six games.

While he didn't find any prolonged success on a winning team, Kemba Walker was still a bucket-getter and is able to crack the tenth spot on this list.

9. Chris Paul (6'0")

Peak scoring season: 2008-09 (22.8 PPG, 50.3% FG, 36.4% 3PT, 86.8% FT)

Career Average: 17.0 PPG

Chris Paul's scoring is somewhat overshadowed by his phenomenal playmaking ability, but he was a good scorer, especially in his early 20s.

With the New Orleans Hornets, Paul had underrated explosiveness and athleticism that helped him offset his short height when driving to the hoop. In his first three seasons in the league, 28% of his field goal attempts came from inside the paint, and he shot a very efficient 66% in that range. Along with a proficient mid-range jumper, Paul averaged a career-high 22.8 PPG in the 2009 season.

As he aged, his explosiveness dwindled, and he relied more on his jump shot and floaters to score. He only attempted 10% of his shots in the paint as an LA Clipper, but he attempted nearly double as many threes as he did with the Hornets. Paul shot 39% from three and averaged 18.8 PPG during his time with the Clippers.

He didn't have one incredible standout season, but the scoring consistency throughout his career is enough to solidify him in the ninth spot on this list.

8. Tim Hardaway (6'0")

Peak scoring season: 1991-92 (23.4 PPG, 46.1% FG, 33.8% 3PT, 76.6% FT)

Career Average: 17.7 PPG

Tim Hardaway was drafted 14th overall in 1989 by the Golden State Warriors, where he quickly made his mark as one of the league’s flashiest and most dangerous scoring point guards. Standing just 6’0”, Hardaway was a blur in transition and impossible to stay in front of in isolation. His signature crossover became one of the most iconic dribble moves in NBA history.

Hardaway averaged over 20 PPG in each of his second, third, and fourth seasons, while also dishing out nearly 10 assists a night. He was the engine behind the high-powered “Run TMC” offense alongside Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin, often scoring in bunches with pull-up threes, floaters, and acrobatic finishes around the rim.

After a knee injury sidelined him for the entire 1993 season, many thought his scoring days were behind him. But Hardaway bounced back in Miami, and he averaged roughly 20 PPG in back-to-back seasons (1997 and 1998), earning two more All-Star appearances and helping lead the Heat to 61 wins in 1997.

Tim Hardaway finished his career with 15,373 points and five All-Star selections. His ability to break down defenses off the dribble and score in a variety of ways at just 6 feet tall lands him at the eighth spot on this list.

7. Tony Parker (6'1")

Peak scoring season: 2008-09 (22.0 PPG, 50.6% FG, 29.2% 3PT, 78.2% FT)

Career Average: 15.5 PPG

Tony Parker was a key part of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty. He fit well into the Spurs system that prioritized ball movement and balanced scoring. 

He only averaged 20+ PPG twice in his career, but he did it with great efficiency. He led all NBA point guards in FG% in the 2006, 2009, and 2011 seasons.

Since the Spurs played a balanced offensive attack, they didn't constantly rely on Parker to score bucket after bucket. If he played in a different system that needed his scoring more, he likely would have averaged over 25 points per game if he wanted to. 

When the Spurs did need Tony Parker to score more, he did. In the six games without Tim Duncan in the 2008-09 season, Parker stepped up and averaged 29.7 points, 8.7 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. This shows he was very capable of scoring more when he was needed to. 

Don't underestimate Tony Parker's scoring ability.

6. Gail Goodrich (6'1")

Peak scoring season: 1971-72 (25.9 PPG, 48.7% FG, 85.0% FT)

Career Average: 18.6 PPG

Another short guard who was very efficient was Gail Goodrich. Goodrich played with the Los Angeles Lakers the majority of his career, and had six separate seasons scoring 20+ PPG.

Goodrich was a skilled scorer who could score in a variety of ways. He was known for his smooth, left-handed jump shot, but he also excelled at driving to the basket and finishing.

His best season came while playing with the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers, one of the greatest teams in NBA history. The Lakers had two legendary players that Gail played alongside: Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. The Lakers finished with a dominating 69-13 record that season, and Goodrich impressively led the team in scoring. 

In the 1972 finals vs. the Knicks, Goodrich once again led the team in scoring with 25 PPG as the Lakers easily won the championship. Wilt Chamberlain won Finals MVP because of his rebounding and defensive contributions, but the Lakers couldn't have done it without Gail's scoring ability.

 

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5. Isiah Thomas (6'1")

Peak scoring season: 1982-83 (22.9 PPG, 47.2% FG, 28.8% 3PT, 71.0% FT)

Career Average: 19.2 PPG

Isiah Thomas was one of the most skilled and fearless small guards the game has ever seen. Standing just 6’1”, Thomas played his entire 13-year career with the Detroit Pistons and became the face of the "Bad Boys" era that won two championships.

While Isiah was a gifted passer and playmaker, his scoring ability was just as important to Detroit’s success. He averaged over 20 PPG in five different seasons, often doing it against the most physical defenses of a rough 1980s era. Thomas had a quick first step, soft touch on his mid-range jumper, and a crafty finishing package around the rim.

His most legendary scoring performance came in the 1988 NBA Finals. In Game 6 against the Lakers, Thomas scored 25 points in the third quarter alone on a badly sprained ankle. He finished with 43 points, and although the Pistons lost that game and the series, it remains one of the most memorable finals performances in league history.

Thomas got his redemption the very next year, leading the Pistons to back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990. Isiah earned his first Finals MVP award by averaging 27 PPG in the 1990 Finals vs. Portland Trail Blazers.

4. Isaiah Thomas (5'9")

Peak scoring season: 2016-17 (28.9 PPG, 46.3% FG, 37.9% 3PT, 90.9% FT)

Career Average: 17.5 PPG

At No. 4, we have Isaiah Thomas once again, but this one has an extra 'a' in his name. Isaiah Thomas may not have had the sustained scoring success of Isiah Thomas, but at his peak, he was a more dominant scorer.

Despite being one of the shortest players in NBA history, Thomas was a talented three-level scorer who could get buckets from anywhere. He could drive to the rim through contact, pull up from deep, or hit quick mid-range jumpers off the dribble. His scoring instincts, speed, and body control made him nearly impossible to guard for the taller defenders. 

Thomas' 2017 season was magical. His 29 points per game were the third highest in the league, only behind Russell Westbrook and James Harden. He also led the league in 4th-quarter scoring and finished 5th in MVP voting.

Isaiah’s single greatest game came in the 2017 playoffs, when he dropped 53 points against the Wizards just one day after his sister’s tragic death. It was a legendary performance that showed both his mental toughness and elite scoring.

Unfortunately, injuries quickly derailed Isaiah's career. He suffered a right femoral-acetabular impingement with a labral tear (some sort of hip injury) at the end of the 2017 playoffs, which he played through, but playing through it made the injury more severe.

He was never the same after that 2017 season, but the brilliance he showed that year cemented his place as one of the greatest short-scoring guards in NBA history.

3. Trae Young (6'1")

Peak scoring season: 2019-20 (29.6 PPG, 43.7% FG, 36.1% 3PT, 86.0% FT)

Career Average: 25.3 PPG

At just 6 feet 1 inch tall, Trae Young has been one of the best scorers in the NBA over the past few years. He has averaged over 24 PPG each season of his career since his rookie year.

His great ball-handling has allowed him to create space for a jumper or to drive to the hoop. His acceleration and speed make it easy for him to blow past his defender and find an open floater or layup.

Trae has also relied heavily on pick-and-rolls throughout his NBA career to both score and pass. His deep shooting range forces defenders to guard him tightly from 30 feet out, so when he comes off a screen, they must pick their poison; either give him space to fire or let him drive for a floater. In the 2022-23 season, he led all players in points scored off of pick and rolls with 14.3 of his 26.2 PPG coming from pick and roll plays.

Despite his scoring success, his career efficiency numbers have only been around league average. Trae's career TS% (true shooting percentage) of 57.9% is only 0.05% above the average 57.4% across all players in the league for the last six seasons. This is largely due to his favorite shots being deep threes and floaters, which are two of the most difficult and inefficient shot types in the NBA.

Despite the mediocre efficiency, Trae's elite scoring skills have still been valuable to the Hawks, which earns him the 3rd spot on this list.

2. Tiny Archibald (6'1")

Peak scoring season: 1972-1973 (34.0 PPG, 48.8% FG, 84.7% FT)

Career Average: 18.8 PPG

Scoring Titles: 1 (1973)

In the 1972–73 season, Tiny accomplished something that has never been done before or since: he led the entire NBA in both points and assists per game. His incredible 34.0 PPG and 11.4 APG made him the only player in NBA history to top the league in both categories in the same season. That year, he also shot over 48% from the field and carried an otherwise weak Kings team almost entirely on his back.

Archibald was a blur in transition, had a deadly pull-up jumper, and could finish creatively around the rim with either hand. Despite his size, he wasn’t afraid of contact and lived at the free-throw line. He led the NBA in free throws made in 1972, 1973, and 1975.

Later in his career, he adapted his game as he joined the Boston Celtics. While he no longer had the same scoring volume, he became a steady floor general and helped lead Boston to the 1981 NBA Championship, starting all 82 games that season and averaging 13.8 PPG and 7.7 APG in the playoffs.

He may have been tiny, but his scoring numbers were massive. His elite scoring ability at just 6'1" secures him the 2nd spot on this list.

1. Allen Iverson (6'0")

Peak scoring season: 2005-06 (33.0 PPG, 44.7% FG, 32.3% 3PT, 81.4% FT)

Career Average: 26.7 PPG

Scoring Titles: 4 (1999, 2001, 2002, 2005)

Allen Iverson is way ahead of all other players on this list in terms of statistical scoring accomplishments and scoring titles. His four scoring titles are tied for third all-time in NBA history.

The early 2000s were the slowest-paced and lowest-scoring era in NBA history, which makes Iverson's incredible scoring numbers even more impressive. If his 33 PPG season in 2005-06 was adjusted to the pace of today's NBA, hypothetically Iverson would have averaged 38.6 PPG!

The only knock on Allen Iverson's scoring is that he never had high efficiency for being such a high-volume scorer. This is true; in his best seasons from 1999 through 2007, his FG% was actually below the league average FG%, but that doesn't exactly tell the whole story for his scoring impact.

During Iverson's time in Philly, the 76ers were a very defensive-minded team outside of him. His other four teammates in the 2001 76ers starting 5 were Eric Snow, George Lynch, Tyrone Hill, and Dikembe Mutombo. All of those teammates were good defenders, but none of them were reliable scorers. This meant the Sixers' offense was completely in the hands of Allen Iverson, which is why he shot at such a high volume. His efficiency wasn't very good, but it was decent enough to raise their offense to 13th best in the league, which was all they needed to win since they already had a great defense. 

Allen Iverson’s high-level scoring numbers and willingness to carry an entire offense in a slow defensive era cement him as the number one short scorer in NBA history.