Best Draft Prospects: Shooting Guards

SI Staff | Jun 18, 2012

Best Draft Prospects: Shooting Guards /

Best Draft Prospects: Shooting Guards

Bradley Beal

(Note: Most heights and weights are from the combine, with fractions rounded up. For the complete list of official measurements, click here .) Beal's year with the Gators was underwhelming in that he didn't live up to his reputation as a long-range marksman. But NBA teams remain high on his shooting ability, he shined in the NCAA tournament and he still averaged 14.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals for the season. Natural shooters with athleticism who hit the glass, defend and have a high hoops IQ are hard to come by, making Beal a possible top five pick.

Jeremy Lamb

He may not have progressed as much as many expected after Kemba Walker's departure, but Lamb's skill set, shot, athleticism and smooth scoring make him a potential top 10 pick. Lamb, however, will need to add muscle to his skinny frame.

Dion Waiters

Waiters was the James Harden of college basketball last season, a top-notch sixth man who averaged 12.6 points for a 34-3 Orange team. Despite Waiters' inconsistent shooting touch, some scouts view the athletic, dynamic scorer as a great fit for the NBA. He's expected to go from the mid-to-late first round but has ''lottery-type talent,'' one executive said. There are some questions about his style (lots of isolation play), and Waiters admitted that he "put myself before the team" during his freshman season. But some NBA personnel men point to his willingness to come off the bench as a positive sign that he's willing to do what's best for the team.

Austin Rivers

At a time when NBA decision makers are paying more attention to efficiency than ever, players like Rivers tend to split the room. Celtics coach Doc Rivers' son has all the talent and star power a team could want late in the lottery or in the middle of the first round, using his vast offensive repertoire to average 15.5 points for the Blue Devils while proving to be one of the most exciting players in the country. But he shot just 43.3 percent and dominated the ball in ways that he won't likely be able to in the NBA (at least not in his early years).

Terrence Ross

Ross is a dynamic player and possible lottery selection. He became a starter late in his freshman season and showed an immediate ability to produce on both ends. In his sophomore season, he averaged 16.4 points and shot 45.7 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range. He needs to work on his ball-handling, and one front-office man said Ross ''has the ability to be a really good defender if he just puts his effort into it.''

Will Barton

If you're looking for a natural scorer with a high ceiling in his all-around game who plays hard, Barton may be your man. He averaged 18 points (on 50.9 percent shooting and 34.6 percent from three-point range), 8.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals for the Tigers. His accuracy improved greatly from his freshman season, when he shot 42.8 percent overall and 26.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Evan Fournier

Because of his size and offensive skill set that has improved this season in the French League, the 19-year-old Fournier may be the only international player taken in the first round. He is a slasher with some playmaking skills, though his shot is mostly suspect.

Doron Lamb

He stands out with his shooting. Lamb is the top three-point shooter in Kentucky history at 47.5 percent, showing impressive consistency as he made 48.6 percent as a freshman and 46.6 percent as a sophomore. He led the Wildcats with 22 points in the national championship game against Kansas, one of his two 20-point games in the NCAA tournament.

John Jenkins

Jenkins joins small forward Jeff Taylor and center Festus Ezeli in giving Vanderbilt three potential first-round picks. Shooting is his strength: Jenkins hit 43.8 percent from three-point range in college, helping him average 19.5 points as a sophomore and 19.9 points as a junior. Whether Jenkins can become a more well-rounded player remains to be seen.

Orlando Johnson

The Loyola Marymount transfer needed only three years to become UCSB's all-time leading scorer, averaging 19.7 points as a senior to go with 5.8 rebounds. Johnson shot 39.7 percent or better from three-point range in his three seasons with the Gauchos, he's physically strong and he's capable of getting to the basket. In making a good impression in predraft workouts, Johnson is making a case for the first round.

Published Jun 18, 2012

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