Top Guards in the NBA Draft

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jun 23, 2008

Top Guards in the NBA Draft

Derrick Rose

If, as many expect, the Bulls pick the Chicago native, Rose would become the first guard since Allen Iverson (1996) to be selected No. 1 overall in the draft.

O.J. Mayo

Timberwolves assistant GM Fred Hoiberg described the Trojans' freshman as being the "ultimate competitor" along with having a "beautiful" shooting stroke. The question with Mayo is how much -- and how effectively -- he'll be able to play point guard in the NBA.

Jerryd Bayless

The 6-3 Bayless has the size of a point guard but the scoring ability of a shooting guard. He has drawn some comparisons to 6-3 Bulls guard Ben Gordon, the third pick in the 2004 draft, who has averaged 18.0 points in his first four seasons.

Russell Westbrook

The 6-3 combo guard didn't dazzle with big college stats, but he has climbed the draft board thanks to his defense and potential to play point guard on a regular basis. And one GM said the "underrated part of his game is that Westbrook can make shots."

Eric Gordon

The explosive scorer will have no trouble adjusting to the deeper three-point line in the NBA. Gordon made 70 three-pointers as a freshman and also attempted 277 free throws, the fourth most in school history.

D.J. Augustin

No combo guard here: Augustin is a true floor leader who is also a scrappy defender. His lack of size (5-11, 171 pounds) is a concern, but Augustin can neutralize that in part with his solid jump shooting.

Courtney Lee

One of the few seniors getting first-round consideration, Lee averaged 20.4 points in 30.0 minutes last season. The 6-5 Lee, who shot 48 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range as a senior, might be able to contribute immediately off the bench in the NBA.

Brandon Rush

A big guard (6-6, 210 pounds), Rush is physically ready for the NBA. Along with being a strong defender, Rush shot better than 40 percent from three-point range all three seasons at Kansas, where he won a national championship as a junior.

Chris Douglas-Roberts

The 6-7 swingman is a scorer through and through, though his long-range shooting needs work. He was instant offense at Memphis, where he averaged 18.1 points in 28.7 minutes as a junior last season.

Mario Chalmers

A solid all-around guard, the NCAA tournament hero could join Kansas teammates Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur as first-round picks.

J.R. Giddens

The 23-year-old boosted his stock at the Orlando predraft camp. The 6-5 senior guard from New Mexico could squeeze into the first round based on his ability to stuff the stat sheet -- he averaged 16.3 points (on 51.6 percent shooting), a Mountain West-leading 8.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks.

Kyle Weaver

Coming from Washington State, it's not surprising that Weaver is a strong defender. His deep jumper is lacking, though he did improve his three-point shooting from 23.7 percent as a junior to 36.4 percent as a senior.

Jamont Gordon

Gordon drew some criticism for skipping the Orlando predraft camp, but he's still regarded as a likely second-round pick. The 6-4 combo guard averaged 17.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists last season.

Malik Hairston

The 6-6 Hairston played in the frontcourt at Oregon, but he reportedly has shed about 15 pounds (to 205) in anticipation of a move to shooting guard. Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan told the Oregonian that Hairston, the Ducks' sixth all-time leading scorer, will develop into a rotation player in the NBA.

Mike Taylor

Taylor is bidding to become the first D-League player selected in the NBA draft. Taylor was dismissed from the Iowa State team before his senior season last July, a few weeks after the 2007 draft. So the 6-1 point guard is draft-eligible this year, and he's coming off a D-League season in which he averaged 14.5 points (on 48.2 percent shooting) and 4.3 assists.