Even more than other positions, point guards shouldn't be measured by stats. It's not how many points you score. It's how smart you are, how much better you make your teammates and how well you lead your team. In our opinion, these 10 point guards did it better than anyone in league history.

His honors (three-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star), stats (19.5 ppg, 11.2 apg, 7.2 rpg) and championships (5) only begin to explain Magic's impact on the game. At 6-9, he could do anything on a basketball court, but he was the very best at the two skills most important for a point guard — passing and leading. He ran the fastbreak like a maestro. He delivered to Kareem in the halfcourt or posted up himself. He never shied from the moment, rising to the occasion in big games. More than anything, he loved playing basketball, and millions loved watching him. That's why his legacy will always be as outsized as his ever-present smile.

At 6-5 and 220 pounds, the Big O was a force of nature at a time when players weren't nearly so strong and athletic. Combined with his high basketball IQ and indomitable will, Robertson's physicality made him virtually unstoppable. He averaged 25.7 points, 9.5 assists and 7.5 rebounds for his career and became the first (and maybe last) player to average a triple-double for an entire season in 1961-62. He won just one MVP award and one title, so he can't stand on top of this list. But nearly 50 years ago, he set a standard for the position that no one's been able to match since. Well, maybe one person . . .

He never won a championship and he benefited from playing with Karl Malone. Let's get those knocks on Stockton out of the way. They're both true, but they're not enough to bump him from his rightful place among the league's all-time greats. Besides his NBA records for assists (15,806) and steals (3,265) — neither of which will be touched any time soon — he was an outstanding shooter (51.5%), a tenacious (some would say dirty) defender, a mean screen-setter and a winner. He led the Jazz to 19 playoff appearances in 19 seasons, with Michael Jordan costing him two titles. If you really want to find something that detracts from his legacy, start with his fashion-backward "short shorts".

Forget about the travesty of his coaching and front office careers for a moment and remember what a great little point guard Zeke was. Not only was he a creative playmaker and clutch shooter, he was a feisty defender and tough-as-nails competitor. A 12-time All-Star, he ranks fifth in league history in assists and ninth in steals, but it was his attitude that set the tone for the Pistons for 13 years. Despite his 1,000-watt smile, he fit right in with the rest of Detroit's "Bad Boys," whom he led to championships in 1989 and 1990.

Though he was quieter about it, Frazier was every bit the equal of Gary Payton as a defender. His specialty was lulling the opposing point guard into a sense of complacency, then lunging for steals with lightning-fast precision. He also was an outstanding scorer and passer, though his stats don't reflect how well he led the Knicks for a decade. The epitome of cool and class, he always elevated his game in the playoffs and keyed New York's championship runs in 1970 and 1973.

As a ball-handler and passer, the Cooz was way ahead of his time. In an era when point guards walked the ball upcourt right-handed and dumped it inside to big men, he raced around, dribbling ambidextrously and firing behind-the-back and no-look passes to his teammates. He sparked Boston's offense during its dynasty, just as Bill Russell anchored the defense. Cousy's shot selection and defense may have been suspect, but he revolutionized the position and made basketball a much more entertaining spectator sport.

If this list was based solely on offense, Nash would be in the top three or four. One of the greatest playmakers and most accurate shooters in league history, he got off to a slow professional start but blossomed in Dallas and became a genuine superstar in Phoenix. Only the second point guard (Magic Johnson was the first) to win multiple MVP awards, Nash will try to add an elusive championship ring to his resume after a trade to the loaded Lakers.

In 18 NBA seasons, Jason Kidd has gone from a dynamic, end-to-end dervish to a wise old head and money 3-point shooter. The Mavericks almost surely would not have won the 2011 title without his steady leadership, his savvy decision-making and his clutch shooting in the playoffs. The only NBA player to total 15,000 points, 7,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists, Kidd will try to add chemistry to a dysfunctional Knicks roster as he nears his 40th birthday.

"The Glove" relished playing defense, which isn't something you can say about most of the guys on this list, and he had the quick hands, wiry strength and swagger to make life miserable for opposing point guards. The only PG to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, Payton also racked up nearly 22,000 points and 9,000 assists in his career. And on both ends of the court, he never shut up. One of the great trash-talkers of all time, he stands third on the NBA list for technical fouls (behind Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Sloan).

Also No. 10 on our Top 10 Coaches list, many fans forget that Wilkens had a long playing career of distinction — nine All-Star games, second in MVP voting (to Wilt Chamberlain, in 1968), season assist leader (1970). An excellent defender, capable scorer and savvy floor leader, Wilkens is one of the few great players who also became a great coach. Indeed, his NBA career, which spanned 45 years as a player and head coach (1960-2005), is unmatched for its combination of longevity and achievement.