Wednesday, August 29th, 2012 at 12:23 pm  |  211 responses

Mario Chalmers Says He’s a Top-10 NBA Point Guard


by Eldon Khorshidi | @eldonadam

Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers earned the respect and swayed the opinions of many fans during last year’s Playoffs, playing an instrumental role throughout the Miami Heat’s Championship run. In Game 4 of the NBA Finals, the Kansas product had a breakthrough 25-point performance, with 12 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. He followed that up with a solid 10 point, 7 assists, 2 rebound line in the series-clinching Game 5. And according to Chalmers, who will be entering only his fifth NBA season, he’s barely approached the surface in terms of his talent level and production potential. While he still has a lot of room to grow, Chalmers believes right now he’s already a top-10 NBA point guard.

More details, via BleacherReport.com:

Mario Chalmers: “[Rondo's] not the best, but he’s in the top five. There are a lot of great point guards in the league, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Steve Nash. There are a lot of great guards in the NBA so for him to say he’s the best is a pretty bold statement. I’d say that I am in the front end of the top 10. [By the end of my career] if I’m not the best, than at least one of the best.”

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  • brownballa64

    I’m not so sure about dragic. chalmers is good but you dont get to see it cause he’s surrounded by all stars. im not saying he’s in the top ten but i dont think he’s worse than dragic

  • chingy

    On offense definitely…on D? Not so much…26 is a bit low. I might have him above Jack and Felton.

  • Caboose

    Defense matters. He is so horrendously bad at D, it’s hard to put him that high. And to chingy, I could put him above those guys. 22ish is his max though.

  • Caboose

    I did, if you count him as a point guard. I usually see him as a 2 guard, but if you count him as a 1, I’d put him in the Dragic/Stuckey range.

  • Caboose

    Kinda missed Rondo and Rose…

  • Caboose

    Felton is not worse than Chalmers. The answer is DJ Augustin.

  • Caboose

    I forgot Collison on this list, just added him. Honestly, DJ Augustin is the only starting point guard who is worse than Chalmers.

  • -_-

    “im in the front end of the top ten” first claims he taught lebron the floater now this the day he says something that doesnt make him seem dumb or cocky is the day the bobcats win it all

  • Rainman

    Mr teague. Have u forgottent he fits he gave the bulls in that chicago-atlanta series? “the few times uve seen him play” seems to exclude that series im guessing? lol

  • The Nupe

    Funny how so many people play the “Ring” argument to say one player is better than another. e.g. Kobe has more rings than LeBron, so Kobe must be better etc. With that logic, shouldn’t the same people consider Chalmers to be better than Rose, Nash, Irving, Williams, Westbrook, Wall, Holiday, Rubio etc. The only starting point guards on equal footing would be Parker and Rondo – possibly D. Fish if he finds a starting spot somewhere. Personally I don’t believe for a second that Chalmers is a top tier PG, and never have I fell for the Rings argument to prove anything between MJ/LeBron/Kobe debates etc. Just saying, if the argument is used, then continue to use it. Using it with Chalmers just proves how weak the Rings argument is.

  • Jerome

    Most are smart enough to use the ‘inside their head voice’ tho.

  • patty valentine

    you dont even have to explai. he is stupid. thats it.

  • Caboose

    I know that you recognize the difference between the Kobe/LeBron ring argument and a Chalmers/Parker ring argument.

  • Jimbo

    Defence matters? May I draw your attention to Subject A: Mr. Steve Nash.

  • Redd

    I remember him driving a lot which as I said he’s somewhat decent at, I also remember JJ holding it down & Rose hitting 30s. You brought up something from 2 years ago Sir Stupid?

  • http://twitter.com/ec_lkhaa Will Lee

    this is too extreme

  • Marshall

    westbrook, rose, parker, rondo, paul, williams, john wall, brandon jennings, jason kidd, steve nash, kyrie irving, devin harris, ricky rubio….im sorry chalmers who?

  • Caboose

    Did you just compare Calderon’s offense to Steve Nash’s?

  • Tobi

    i dunno he may be top 10….but the front end?

  • Roscoe

    If Chalmers was a top 10 PG wouldn’t the Miami Heat be considered to have a big 4? The ball don’t lie.

  • toner

    What. A. Ball-Bag.

  • Jimbo

    No, I just compared Nash’s defence to Calderon’s. Calderon averaged 8.8 assists per game last season on the… Raptors. The man is underrated.

  • Caboose

    Ok, couple things:
    1. Nash is a better defender than Calderon. By a good margin.
    2. Calderon’s offense is good. Not outstanding.
    3. He is underrated. But do you really think he’s better than Darren Collison? Mike Conley? Brandon Jennings? If so, I’m done arguing and you are clearly from Europe or Toronto.

  • The Philosopher

    LONG… LIVE… THE KING.

  • Quantumphysix

    Is it just me, or does Chalmers come across as a ****? What did Rondo say? C’mon SLAM, assume not all yr readers have ESPN!
    Look, I’ll just say it. Have a bit of dignity when you win, or lose. I absolutely understand that the L is full of legitimate superstars. Each one, could in theory, become a significant member of a championship team. Chalmers has game, no doubt. His shot selection is bad, but when open he will nail it. Chalmers has an essential ingredient to winning and it’s called clutch. Chalmers is clutch.
    BUT
    Mate, you’re not LBJ or Bosh or Wade. You will get touches and time, but ultimately you have to defer when the time comes. All the other PG’s who are world class don’t have that classification. Rondo, Paul, Williams have freedom at the end of the 24 to get the best shot. Chalmers does not, nor should have that role.
    That’s the difference.

  • 1982

    There’s no criteria for top point guards – some are scorers who can pass, some are passers who can score, and some are lucky to be on a team with Lebron, DWade, and Bosh.

  • sim888

    ….just say no to drugs Mario ;)

  • headlines

    I wish Stevenson had finished Chalmers in ’11… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-oTa01CI5A

  • pablasso

    Not even a starter on half of the league.

  • Ugh

    I’ll say this for LeBron – his presence makes his teammates seem WAY more valuable than they really are. Mo WIlliams somehow became an All-Star, Mario Chalmers thinks he’s a top 10 PG when he’s not even a starter, we know Boobie Gibson’s name. He’s like MSG – a flavour enhancer.

  • peak_fly

    dead. not lin not rubio. rio shined in the finals this year and played pretty good last year in the finals

  • str8 frm samoa

    This article is so funny haha

  • Max

    Lol, I’d even take Isaiah Thomas before him..

  • thecomputerdude

    In the words of Stephen A Smith….”Mario Chalmers!!!!!!?”

  • pposse

    in chalmers defense, he plays better defense than half of the pg’s in the league.

  • Rainman

    LOL why am i sir stupid? Creative. Just cudnt help reminding u

  • MUB_WAR

    ok chalmers

  • http://twitter.com/SUSPECTINT44 TedBurner

    This is the tomfoolery I’m talking about.He gets a chip riding shotty with the best player in the game. Damn sure contributed, but this is the true definition of gassed up

  • danpowers

    rose curry n billups are also better when they are hurt. to me there are more than 15 point guards better than chalmers. lets extend your list with brooks, lin, dragic, felton, kidd, collison, nelson, jennings, wall (in no particular order). then chalmers. i like chalmers tho. he is a good guy and id like to have him on my team if i was a gm. but maybe as a 20+mpg guy off the bench

  • Youngindy21

    DJ Augustin doesn’t start anymore. So that answer is not vaild. Plus even when Augustin did start he still put up better stats than Chalmers.

  • Youngindy21

    What do you mean if you count him as a point guard? He is the starting point guard for the Indiana Pacers. He probably won’t even play 2 guard at all with P. George and Green on the team.

  • aswd

    chalmers > jennings, lin, etc.

    chalmers is better then fucking jeremy shittbag

  • bike

    What he meant to say is he will be the purest of pure point guards.

  • Mike From Spain

    Last season Ridnour played a lot of SG, so he defended people much taller than himself. I think he did not do so horribly in that regard. Yes, I watched a lot of Timberwolves games (or at least read the analysis at Canis Hoopus when I missed the games).

  • FEARtheDEER

    meh. hes pretty good and he can hold his own, but honestly top 10? more like top 50 at the end of his career, he lacks consistency and a lot more

  • Mike From Spain

    Hear, hear. Cosign LakeShow. I think I prefer a slower or weaker player who tries very hard to someone with the athletic gifts who just doesn’t give a sh*t about D.

  • Mike From Spain

    Brandon Jennings is not that good. Yes, I am from Europe but…

  • Hah

    “Yeah, and I’m a Top 10 Center!” – Eddy Curry

  • Hah

    What makes Chalmers think he’s at the “front end of the top 10″ point guards? He’s barely a top 5 player on his own team.

  • HAH

    The “waiting to blossom” part is why John Wall is not a Top 10 point guard. You can’t give him Top 10 status based on potential. If he develops the mental toughness, the competitive drive, and puts in the work to take a leap forward like Derrick Rose did in his third year, THEN you can give Wall all the hype you want. But until then, it’s hot air.

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