NBA DRAFT: Shooting Guard Prospectus
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by user NBA Draft Blog
This has been the glamour position for two decades in the NBA. MICHAEL JORDAN revolutionized the sport at shooting guard, and we’ve seen CLYDE DREXLER, RAY ALLEN, and ALLEN IVERSON thrive at the position. This year we witnessed KOBE BRYANT drop 81 points in a single game, and DWYANE WADE become a champion from the position. It is now, and has been for a long time, in vogue to employ a dynamic player at shooting guard. But this year, the pickings are slim, and it looks highly unlikely that the next great shooting guard will be found in the 2006 NBA Draft.
The best shooting guard from this crop appears to be BRANDON ROY from the University of Washington. Roy is a jack-of-all-trades type. He is a sound defender, has 3-point range, can drive and dish and rarely has a bad game. He is, for lack of a more appropriate definition, solid. But Roy does not resemble a future NBA star in the league. He looks like a good, everyday starter, but not a star. Solid is a very good thing to be, and in this draft, it will have to be good enough. The next best shooting guards all have questions that a team will need to accept to draft the player. J.J. REDICK was outstanding in college. He has one the most perfect jump shots you will ever see, and he often inflated his 26.8 PPG average by nailing contested 3-point shots from 30 feet out. But Redick is small at 6’4 and 195 lbs. He will be a serious liability on defense and therefore, will be relegated to a role of gunner off the bench. If your team is seeking depth from this position via the draft there is talent available, but if your team wants to find a star here, the options are somewhat bleak.
Here are five good picks from the shooting guard position:
~ BRANDON ROY, 6’6, Washington: Has a well-rounded game and is very mature. Should have a long, successful career in the NBA.
~ RONNIE BREWER, 6’7, Arkansas: Has the versatility that NBA scouts love. Handles the ball like a point guard, but has the size and scoring ability of a shooting guard. His father, RON BREWER, played 8 seasons in the NBA.
~ J.J. REDICK, 6’4, Duke: Few players, at any level, shoot the ball better than Redick. Extremely competitive and will work hard to prove the skeptics wrong. Doesn’t have ideal size.
~ MAURICE AGER, 6’4, Michigan St.: An excellent athlete and a proficient scorer. A bit undersized and, for some reason, he seems to have underachieved in college.
~ THABO SEFOLOSHA, 6’6, Switzerland: His stock has improved after a good season in the Italian pro league. He has nice athleticism and defensive skills, but he needs a lot of work on his offensive skills.
Date
Sun 06/25/06, 1:23 am EST
