This yr’s level guard class is a stable one with one high 3-5 choose (Reed Sheppard) and some potential lottery picks, together with 5 inexperienced room invitations. Total it’s one of many extra gifted positions for this yr’s draft.
1. Reed Sheppard 6-3 180 PG/SG Kentucky Fr.
Sheppard is the very best rated level guard, and in addition the very best rated faculty prospect on this yr’s draft. He enters the NBA with only one season of school expertise beneath his belt and might want to time to regulate to the velocity and athleticism of the NBA. However his effectivity and potential as a two means scoring level guard are extraordinarily engaging. An “analytics darling”, he clearly benefited taking part in on one of the crucial gifted rosters within the nation and coming off the bench, as he was not anticipated to hold the load. Groups going through Kentucky may sport plan in opposition to him, however not key on him the best way another prospects drew practically all the opposition’s consideration. That being mentioned, Sheppard’s effectivity numbers and analytics soar off the chart. He’s an elite degree shooter, and in addition had excessive degree effectivity stats from a defensive and rebounding standpoint. At 6’3, with brief arms, he’s a smaller level guard, however proved himself as a succesful defender in one of many nation’s greatest conferences.
2. Carlton Carrington 6-5 195 PG/SG Pittsburgh Fr.
Carrington is among the high long run prospects on this yr’s draft. He’s nonetheless obtained a methods to go earlier than reaching his potential. He struggled for stretches of the yr together with his taking pictures effectivity, however working the PG place within the ACC as a freshman, required a number of adjustment. He’s a pure playmaker with superb imaginative and prescient and passing expertise. He’s additionally a a lot better shooter than his statistics would point out. He proved that by showcasing some ofthe greatest numbers taking pictures on the NBA Draft Mix. Energy might be a key think about his growth, however Carrington is shaping as much as be among the best worth picks, particularly if he falls out of the lottery on draft night time.
3. Isaiah Collier 6-4 205 PG USC Fr.
Collier got here into the season as many recruiting checklist’s high highschool senior prospect.He’s at all times in assault mode and has a relentless fashion of utilizing his phsyicality on drives to the rim. He struggled with effectivity and can want time to chop down on turnovers and enhance his effectivity as a scorer. He’s a fireplace plug bodily with wonderful physique power. He’s an underrated passer, and was extra seeking to get his personal pictures at USC, however the imaginative and prescient and passing capability is there for him to hone. If he buys in as a defender and group participant, there’s lots to love about his potential to reinforce a group’s backcourt on the subsequent degree.
4. Rob Dillingham 6-2 165 PG Kentucky Fr.
Dillingham epitomizes the time period “all fuel, no brakes”. The inexperienced room invite may positively find yourself going within the lottery, however there’s some indications that he could slide some on draft night time, because the mix measurements weren’t so type to him, as he has a sub 8 foot (7’11.5) standing attain. He’s not bashful, taking part in with a number of confidence and swagger. He’s obtained a number of velocity and shiftiness to shake defenders and free himself for pictures. He’ll must harness the wildness and turn out to be a extra considered playmaker and choice maker, however the makings are there for him to interrupt the pattern, and be a excessive degree, smaller level guard in at this time’s NBA.
5. Nikola Subject 6-6 200 PG KK Crvena Zvezda 2005
He’s very precocious as a ground common, having mastered the choose and roll at a younger age, and exhibits a soccer mid-fielder’s imaginative and prescient and playmaking capability. With a even wingspan to his top, (not the 7-foot wingspan that generated a number of unrealistic hype), Subject has good however not nice measurement as a lead guard. He;’s similar to Kolek from a ability set perspective, however youthful and fewer confirmed, plus coming off an harm. The place the issues lie are associated to his well being, and the truth that he misplaced a full season of growth. He got here again from harm after which re-injured himself. Subject is effectively preferred amongst European scouts for his potential, however the reality stays that he didn’t play lengthy sufficient for Purple Star to show himself on the highest degree, making drafting him excessive an enormous leap of religion.
6. Tyler Kolek 6-2 195 PG Marquette Sr.
Kolek is an absolute pure as a playmaker. His imaginative and prescient and passing capability is on one other degree. It’s as if he’s taking part in chess, whereas others are taking part in checkers. He passes teammates open for straightforward appears and runs the choose and roll like one of many high passing level guards within the NBA. The place there are issues are together with his velocity and athleticism to make the most of his ability degree and stand out in opposition to elite degree athletes. He’s a throwback, and performs with a excessive degree of depth. He can knock down open pictures and create, however the important thing might be studying to regulate to taking part in in opposition to superior athletes on the subsequent degree.
7. Trey Alexander 6-4 190 PG Creighton Jr.
Alexander is shaping as much as be a possible steal within the second spherical. He’s a protracted, facilitator with a easy ground sport. He improved lots on his taking pictures and exhibits the flexibility to create pictures for himself in isolation. The place he struggles is creating nice separation in opposition to high defenders, as his first step is under common. He figures to be a man that may take a while to regulate to the velocity on the subsequent degree. He’s fairly ball dominant, and with out elite velocity, gamers like him usually wrestle to create offense with the identical effectiveness. On the brilliant facet, his 6-10 wingspan and pure capability to play level guard, assist his trigger.
8. AJ Johnson 6-5 165 PG/SG Illawarra Hawks, NBL 2004
Johnson is that this yr’s swing for the fences choose within the second spherical. He’s a participant with unimaginable size as a combo guard and a really easy offensive sport. However he clearly received’t be contributing a complete lot for a number of seasons. Johnson measured out with a 6-9 wingspan and a 8’6 standing attain, nice numbers for a 2-guard, and much more spectacular for a combo. Johnson wants a superb state of affairs, with a group dedicated to creating him over the long run. With a second spherical deal, there’s an opportunity that he’ll fall by the cracks, so it is going to be as much as him to mature rapidly and discover a good state of affairs to develop, with future time spent within the G League.
9. Ajay Mitchell 6-3 180 PG/SG Santa Barbara Jr.
Mitchell is a candy taking pictures lefty out of mid main Santa Barbara who put up 20 ppg. He’s thought of a probable second rounder with an out of doors probability to sneak into the late first, drawing curiosity from groups comparable to Boston. Whereas he lacks ultimate velocity and athleticism, Mitchell exhibits a heady really feel for the sport and a powerful ISO sport to create and knock down pictures on the perimeter. Type of a poor man’s Andrew Nembhard when it comes to fashion and physique kind, however slightly smaller and fewer bodily.
10. Tristen Newton 6-4 190 PG/SG UConn Sr.
Newton is a winner having performed a component in again to again UConn title groups. He took on a much bigger function this yr and proved that he can’t solely be an efficient scorer however distributor as effectively. He has wonderful measurement for a combo guard at 6’4 with a 6’7 wingspan and eight’4 standing attain. He’s not the quickest participant, however he possesses lateral velocity and shiftiness. At 23, there’s a component of what you see is what you get, however a number of the attraction is that he has expertise taking part in at a excessive degree. He ought to present some regular play as a comparatively polished rookie coming off the bench.
Honorable Point out:
Reece Beekman 6-2 195 PG Virginia Sr.
Beekman is an fascinating participant. He struggles to shoot and rating however has very excessive degree defensive skills. He made some main strides offensively this yr, placing up 14 ppg, up 5 from final yr, and a stable determine within the Virginia offense. He nonetheless struggles from behind the three level line at 31% and his shot wants enchancment, as he tends to look to drive and solely shoot threes when needed. Beekman’s capability to run the PnR has proven regular enchancment and there’s optimism that he can develop right into a again up level guard on the subsequent degree if his taking pictures improves.
