Top Point Guards in coming draft:

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#1
This next draft is heavy with big men from Centers to SF's with a sprinkling of SG's thrown in. However, there are some PG's that can play in the NBA, and possibly a few that will excell. Its early, but not to early to take a look at who might go in the first round, and who the sleepers might be.

1. Marquis Teague: Kentucky, PG, 6'2", 189 lbs. Teague came out as the highest rated PG in highschool. And after a shakey start, he's starting to settle down and look like what most scouts invisioned. He has a lot going for him. He's a terrific athlete with good leaping ability and great end to end floor speed. He has terrific handles, and a ankle breaking crossover. So he a perfect fit for Calapari's dribble drive offense. Unfortunately he started out by throwing the ball to everyone that wasn't a teammate.

He has since recovered from that start, and is looking like a legit PG. His shooting percentage is not what it should be, but its improving. He has a nice stroke, and has no trouble creating for himself. His turnovers are way down and he should have more assists than he does. He's also a very good defender with excellent lateral movement and quick hands. He may not have the stats of some of the others, but I have him rated number one on overall potential.

2. Kendall Marshall: North Carolina, PG, 6'3", 186 lbs. There are certain players you just love to watch, and Marshall is one of those guys. He has great passing skills and outstanding court vision. You take Marshall off of the North Carolina team, and they're championship hopes go out the window. He has that big an impact on the team. Harrison Barnes was struggling to find himself last season until Kendall became the starter. Suddenly Barnes looked like one of the top players at his position in college. While Marshall only averages around 6 pts a game, he's not a bad shooter when left open. So he'll keep you honest.

He's averaging around 11 assists a game against around 2.5 turnovers a game. So whats not to like. The big question mark, and where have you heard this before. Is can he defend at the NBA level. Maybe! He's an average athlete as far as foot speed and leaping ability go. But at the college level, he holds his own, and what he gives you on the other end far exceeds potential weakness on defense. I really like this kid, and I do think he'll be a first round pick. He's a skilled, creative passer who seems to have eyes in the back of his head at times. And he seldom makes mistakes. His ballhandling is average, but adequate for now.


3.Aaron Craft: Ohio St., PG, 6'2", 190 lbs. If there's one word to describe Craft, its efficient! He's just solid. He's one of those guys you put on the floor and he'll give 5 or 6 assists and only 1 or 2 turnovers. He'll score you 10 ppg, grab a few rebounds, and while he's doing all that, he'll shut down the other teams PG. He's just a terrific defender, and may be the best defensive PG in college.

Last season he shot a respectable 46% overall and 38% from the three. So he's not a liability offensively. He has a solid build and is very strong. He's blessed with terrific lateral mobility and very quick hands averaging just under 3 steals a game. He has good basketball IQ, and lets the game come to him. He's not flashy, but he gets the job done.


4. Shabazz Napier: UCONN, 6'1", 171 lbs. Shabazz will remind you somewhat of Kemba Walker. Maybe UCONN has a machine that turns them out. Out of Kemba's shadow, he's making a name for himself. He's averaging 15.5 PPG, and 7.8 APG along with 2.2 SPG. He's another of those very quick, he was here a moment ago, PG's. He's excellent at driving and dishing, and dangerous because he's equally good at taking it all the way to the basket. He has very good handles, and is a good passer who doesn't turn the ball over as much as one would think off his style of play. Like Kemba, he playes with an almost cocky attitude.

I don't know if he'll come out this year, but if he does, I have to think that someone will take a shot at him in the first round. He's too talented to pass up if you need a PG.


5. Tu Holloway: Xavior, PG, 6'0", 185 lbs. Tu is a very good shooter, and could be better with better shot selection. He's shooting around 39% from the three this season. Tu is more of a shoot first PG, but, he is a very good passer, and a good leader, putting aside the riot he helped start a couple of weeks ago. He playes with a chip on his shoulder and at the college level, he's a good defender. He's a good athlete, but not in the same mode with Teague or Napier. He's one of those guys that more quick than fast.
He's a tough little player with a very good mid-range game. I see him going in the second round.


6. Myck Kabongo: Texas, PG, 6'1", 170 lbs. I really liked this kid coming out of highschool, and although I have him at number 6, he could be much higher by draft time. He's an outstanding athlete, who is lightning quick with great instincts on both sides of the ball. He reminds me a great deal of Rondo, and thats the kind of potential I see in him, except with better offensive skills at the same age. He struggled in his first few games, but is starting to find his way.

His shooting needs some work, especially from beyond the arc where he's shooting around 30%. He's averaging around 5.5 assists a game while turning the ball over 3 times a game. He has the potential to be a lockdown defender. But at the moment thats all it is, potential. He's definitely fits the mode of a pass first PG, and has good instincts in that area. He's very young, and obviously he has some work to do.


7. Scott Machado: Iona, PG, 6'1", 180 lbs. He's a player I'm sure a few of you have never heard of. He has great court vision, and terrific passing ability to go along with very good handles. He's averaging around 10 assists a game and only 3.5 turnovers. He's also averaging around 14 PPG, and is shooting lights out. 47.7% overall, and 41.5% from the three. He's shooting much better this season than last. Part is the work he put in, and part is better shot selection.

His critics Question his defense, but in the games I've watched, which are few compared to the more well known teams, he's played well defensively. He needs to get stronger, but I see no reason why he can't play defense in the NBA. He's a good athlete, but not an exceptional one. Iona has a very good team this season, and could be a very dangerous team in the tourney. March maddness could be a springboard for Machado if he plays well, and helps carry Iona deep into the tourney.


Jordan Taylor: Wisconson, PG, 6'3", 195 lbs. Jordan is an efficient player at the point. He seldom turns the ball over. He's averaging 4.5 assists to 1.7 turnovers this season. Although his shooting is a little down so far this season, he can light it up when he gets hot. last season he averaged over 40% from the three. He's a solidly built player, and uses his strength when attacking the basket.

Athleticly he's average to slightly above average. As a result I'm sure there will be the usual questions about his ability to defend at the next level. I've seen him play quite a bit and I have no problem with his defensive effort. I like Taylor, who can be a lot of fun to watch when he gets on a roll.
 
#2
I think if youre going for a safe bet at PG, it would be Craft. I don't think I could have said it any better myself then the way you put it..he is extremely efficent. Just always seems to get the job done on offense while shutting down whoever he is guarding.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#3
I think if youre going for a safe bet at PG, it would be Craft. I don't think I could have said it any better myself then the way you put it..he is extremely efficent. Just always seems to get the job done on offense while shutting down whoever he is guarding.
Yep, I agree. Not flashy, just consistent game after game. In the grand scheme of things, he probably means more to that team than Sullinger does.
 
#4
Great write up Baja. Will be interesting to see which way we go depending on our pick. I feel after taking Jimmer and depending on his development this season we may very well take a 3/4 in the upcoming draft
 
#5
Great thread. I wouldn't mind Craft either. If we were to get a PG, I'm hoping its a defensive one that can pass, with high IQ.

I'm curious what the SF's are like in this years draft aswell... Bajaden you should do one of those threads up!
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#6
Great thread. I wouldn't mind Craft either. If we were to get a PG, I'm hoping its a defensive one that can pass, with high IQ.

I'm curious what the SF's are like in this years draft aswell... Bajaden you should do one of those threads up!
I'm going to do a thread on every position. I started with the PG position, which happens to be the weakest of the bunch. Its a very good draft for bigs, including SF's. Up next, SG's
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#8
do you expect any to be a sleeper in the draft???
Of those I listed, I would say Scott Machado. He's not a sleeper in his conference, but not many in the nation have seen or heard of him. Of course you never know how good a player is until you see him against top competition. In two out of conference games, one against Purdue and the other against Maryland, he played well.

Against Purdue he put up 14 points, 11 assists and 2 turnover. Against Maryland, he had 15 points, 15 assists, and 0 turnovers. He's also shooting lights out this year shooting 47.7% overall and 41.5% from the three. The question is, can he do it at a higher level. I've only seen him play 4 times this year, so I have a small slice to work with. But I think the kid is talented, and certainly athletic enough to have his game translate to the NBA. I guess we'll see. Thats why he's considered a sleeper.

However, if Iona makes a big splash in the tourney, and Iona is a very good team, his stock could start rising with national exposure.
 
#10
I watched Aaron Craft in the Penn St game. It was hard to get a read on Craft's physical tools because Penn St had no energy. Craft had a on-court personality of a methodical glue guy. He worked within the team, played some good D, and did what needed to be done. He did get caught in a trap once. I wonder about his passing skill and accuracy on longer passes. He went for a long alley oop and ended up having his pass go right into the basket. He willingly fed the post, making pretty good feeds in doing so.I'm not sure if there will be first round interest in him or if he even becomes an undrafted rookie FA. The game was so non-competitive and emotionless that I couldn't get a read on how he could handle NBA speed or athleticism.
 
#11
I'm kind of skeptical of Kendall Marshall, he might be a decent player, but I'm just not so sure he has the athleticism and/or advanced ball handling skills to get to the basket at the NBA level.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#12
I'm kind of skeptical of Kendall Marshall, he might be a decent player, but I'm just not so sure he has the athleticism and/or advanced ball handling skills to get to the basket at the NBA level.
I'll put it this way, if Ricky Rubio can play in the NBA, then so can Marshall. His ballhandling is fine, and he's without a doubt the most creative PG in college. The biggest question mark among the scouts is his ability to play defense at the next level. In college he's been more than adequate. What he lacks in athleticism, he makes up with smarts. He's very clever at playing the passing lanes, and making his man go in the direction he doesn't want to go. He's a good student of the game.

Now how all that will translate to the NBA is the question. I personally have no doubts about his playmaking abilities. North Carolina and especially Harrison Barnes were just floundering along until he was put into the starting lineup last season. They immediately became a very good team, and Barnes started to look like the player he was touted to be. Marshall isn't that bad a shooter either. He just seldom takes a shot. At the college level, calling Marshall decent is an insult. He is without a doubt the best playmaking PG in all of college at the moment. I realize that Scott Machado has him beat slightly in total assists per game, but Machado isn't playing against the same competition that Marshall is.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#13
I watched Aaron Craft in the Penn St game. It was hard to get a read on Craft's physical tools because Penn St had no energy. Craft had a on-court personality of a methodical glue guy. He worked within the team, played some good D, and did what needed to be done. He did get caught in a trap once. I wonder about his passing skill and accuracy on longer passes. He went for a long alley oop and ended up having his pass go right into the basket. He willingly fed the post, making pretty good feeds in doing so.I'm not sure if there will be first round interest in him or if he even becomes an undrafted rookie FA. The game was so non-competitive and emotionless that I couldn't get a read on how he could handle NBA speed or athleticism.
You'll have to watch Craft play more. Ohio St. is on all the time so it shouldn't be a problem. Craft is considered by just about all the scouts worth their salt as one of the best defensive PG's in college. As a PG he's not as fancy as some of the others, but he's effecient.

As for the draft? I really think Craft will stay in college for at least another year, maybe two. He's hinted as much, so where he'll go in the draft is probably a moot point. If he were to declare, then I see him as a mid to lower second round pick. Of course all that can change with a great performance in the tournament, and with good workouts.
 
#14
I'll put it this way, if Ricky Rubio can play in the NBA, then so can Marshall. His ballhandling is fine, and he's without a doubt the most creative PG in college. The biggest question mark among the scouts is his ability to play defense at the next level. In college he's been more than adequate. What he lacks in athleticism, he makes up with smarts. He's very clever at playing the passing lanes, and making his man go in the direction he doesn't want to go. He's a good student of the game.

Now how all that will translate to the NBA is the question. I personally have no doubts about his playmaking abilities. North Carolina and especially Harrison Barnes were just floundering along until he was put into the starting lineup last season. They immediately became a very good team, and Barnes started to look like the player he was touted to be. Marshall isn't that bad a shooter either. He just seldom takes a shot. At the college level, calling Marshall decent is an insult. He is without a doubt the best playmaking PG in all of college at the moment. I realize that Scott Machado has him beat slightly in total assists per game, but Machado isn't playing against the same competition that Marshall is.
Don't get me wrong, on the college level, I'm a fan of Marshall, I admire his type of game. However, Rubio's ability to break down defenses and go in any direction at the drop of a hat with his dribble, is paralleled only by the elite PG's in the game. That's the difference between the two, Marshall's handle is fine, but can he create off the dribble well enough to make up for his lack of shooting and finishing ability? Nevertheless, I think he'll be good enough to justify going where he's being projected at the moment.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#15
Don't get me wrong, on the college level, I'm a fan of Marshall, I admire his type of game. However, Rubio's ability to break down defenses and go in any direction at the drop of a hat with his dribble, is paralleled only by the elite PG's in the game. That's the difference between the two, Marshall's handle is fine, but can he create off the dribble well enough to make up for his lack of shooting and finishing ability? Nevertheless, I think he'll be good enough to justify going where he's being projected at the moment.
I guess we'll see. PG and Center are the two hardest positions to predict in my opinion, unless the player just blows you away. I think people tend to forget that Shaq didn't even start at LSU, and there were people that questioned his dedication coming out of college. So there aren't any guarantee's on any player. There's just less risk involved with some. I've watched Marshall play a lot this year and last. Maybe close to 40 times. And he's made a believer out of me. He's not fancy like Rubio, but he's extremely effecient, and very smart. How well that will translate to the NBA is anyone's guess, but I wouldn't bet against him.

Now would I use a lottery pick on him? Probably not, unless I was just desperate for a PG. Which we're not. Could we use one? Sure! But we're not desperate. Personally I think Marshall will fall somewhere between Jose Calderon and Steve Nash. If you get a chance, check out Scott Machado from Iona. I think the kid is pretty good, and he can shoot the rock as well. Weaker conference, so projections are always hard, but in the second round, he could be a steal. He leads the NCAA in assists. He's not a bad defender either.
 
#16
Really like what I see out of Marshall in this Clemson game. He navigates the floor well, immediately reverses the ball, and sees where guys moving will be. He refuses to take open shots though, and I do wonder if he'll be able to beat his man with a drive at the NBA level, but he's shown he can beat his man with the pass.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#17
Really like what I see out of Marshall in this Clemson game. He navigates the floor well, immediately reverses the ball, and sees where guys moving will be. He refuses to take open shots though, and I do wonder if he'll be able to beat his man with a drive at the NBA level, but he's shown he can beat his man with the pass.
His outside shot is definitely off this year, shooting just under 30%. But last season he shot around 37% from the three. One difference I think is that a lot of his three's this year are last resort shots when there was nothing else and the clock was running. Funny how people will comment that he passes up open shots, but seldom does anyone make that same observation about Steve Nash, because, well, he's Steve Nash.

But your right, his whole focus seems to be on setting up his teammates, and his own shot is almost an afterthought. Something he'll have to balance better in the NBA to keep the other side honest.
 
#18
His outside shot is definitely off this year, shooting just under 30%. But last season he shot around 37% from the three. One difference I think is that a lot of his three's this year are last resort shots when there was nothing else and the clock was running. Funny how people will comment that he passes up open shots, but seldom does anyone make that same observation about Steve Nash, because, well, he's Steve Nash.

But your right, his whole focus seems to be on setting up his teammates, and his own shot is almost an afterthought. Something he'll have to balance better in the NBA to keep the other side honest.
Well he'll have to find a solution to players going under the screen on him.

He does seem adept at getting to his spots on the floor in order to move the defense. It's not always about beating your man, but sifting the team defense around to get guys looks. He looks like he understands that already.
 
#19
hi guys :)
i'm an italian fan of our Kings.
well, i'm watching some matches about ncaa and now the final tournament.
a question about pg's: i was impressed about craft, marshall, waiters (even if i don't consider dion a "pure" pg, by the way i support syracuse and he reminds me some of westbrook) and scott machado(but this one i've seen him only on the highlights against byu) . but my fav's luke loucks. this guy is growin' up really good on the last matches.
i've seen him in all the acc's games and he was gorgeous! he played a great acc tourn with an amazing final against nc! he's about 6-4/5, he can score, rebounds and he's got an amazing vision with high bb-iq.
in the end, assuming we need a 3 spot (i really like kidd-gilchrist) and assuming that waiters and marshall will be on the first round this draft, there are some possibilities to pick one of loukcs, craft (he'll stay another year in college?) or maybe machado on the second round?
'cause i think we need a real pg (IT doesn't convince me as well) to fit the team.

p.s:sorry for my english :)

Dan
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#20
hi guys :)
i'm an italian fan of our Kings.
well, i'm watching some matches about ncaa and now the final tournament.
a question about pg's: i was impressed about craft, marshall, waiters (even if i don't consider dion a "pure" pg, by the way i support syracuse and he reminds me some of westbrook) and scott machado(but this one i've seen him only on the highlights against byu) . but my fav's luke loucks. this guy is growin' up really good on the last matches.
i've seen him in all the acc's games and he was gorgeous! he played a great acc tourn with an amazing final against nc! he's about 6-4/5, he can score, rebounds and he's got an amazing vision with high bb-iq.
in the end, assuming we need a 3 spot (i really like kidd-gilchrist) and assuming that waiters and marshall will be on the first round this draft, there are some possibilities to pick one of loukcs, craft (he'll stay another year in college?) or maybe machado on the second round?
'cause i think we need a real pg (IT doesn't convince me as well) to fit the team.

p.s:sorry for my english :)

Dan
Well, I loved Florida St, and had them in the championship game with Kentucky. Shows what I know. I like Loucks, but I don't think he's in the same class with Craft, who is a tremendous defender, or as good a distributer as Machado. I'm not a huge fan of Waiters.
 
#21
Again, like the SFs list, my list is based on which PGs I think will stay in the draft, as well as those that will definitely be in the draft. I'm thinking this will be a weak class of PGs. Could be a polarizing list...

1) Damian Lillard
2) Trey Burke
3) Tony Wroten
4) Ray McCallum
5) J'Covan Brown
6) Tu Holloway
7) Maalik Wayns
8) Erving Walker
9) Kendall Marshall
10) Dee Bost