Draft Preview: Point Guards
Part 3 of 3
Jun 28 2005 10:14AM
NEW YORK, NY, June 24, 2005 --What would be the point? Already thriving with the superb Stephon Marbury -- the team’s premiere player and unquestionably one of the best in the NBA at the position -- why would Knicks President, Basketball Operations Isiah Thomas spend one of his trio of valued selections on a quarterback on June 28th?in a league with not enough team-first point guards, you can never have too many team-first point guards
the Knicks backup point position could be solidified
a talented reserve with a somewhat different type of game could provide the team, with a dangerous change-up
Marbury plays far more minutes than anyone else on the Knicks and, in order to stay fresh, could probably use some rest at times
Stephon is a sizzling scorer and could be used some at the two guard position, giving the team a different look.
Point is, it could happen. So let us count the ways:
These will be the top point guards available on Tuesday night:
Player |
Career Summary |
|
1. |
Chris Paul (6-0, Wake Forest)
|
A creative passer who leads like a veteran, defends as if he means it, and has shot a superfine 47.4 per cent from behind the arc last season. Even better, as a mere 20 year-old sophomore, he has barely scratched the surface of his ultimate potential so far. PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: Top three. |
2. |
Deron Williams (6-3, Illinois)
|
Big-bodied, powerful, Mark Jackson play-alike but not quite as creative as the league’s second all-time leading assist-ant. Come to think of it, who is? PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: 4-7. |
3. |
Raymond Felton (6-1, North Carolina)
|
The stocky but sneaky-quick Felton is a powerhouse playmaker who can shock you in transition. His outside shot, still questionable but clearly on the improve, was the last weapon he’s added to his considerable arsenal. PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: 6-10 |
4. |
4. Monta Ellis (6-3, Lanier H.S., Miss.)
|
Electric scoring machine -- a genius at creating his own shot at the high school level -- has added 7.9 assists per game to his already outrageous statistics (38.4 ppg., 6.9 rpg, 4.5 spg) as well. “I know how to run a team,” he says. “They only moved me to the ‘two’ as a junior because I was the best shooter we had.” PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: 12-20. |
5. |
Roko Leni Ukic (6-5, Croatia)
|
Highly regarded European quarterback with long arms and great size. Extremely aggressive and pleasingly creative, his game has been growing in leaps and bounds of late. Twenty-one year-old has been flirting with the NBA for years -- and he is more than ready now according to scouts.
PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: 16-23. |
6. |
Jarrett Jack (6-3, Georgia Tech)
|
Another power point with great size – he is a muscular 202 pounds -- who has picked up his shooting last season (44.2 per cent in treys). JJ may not be the most creative player in the draft but he is take-no-prisoners tough at both ends of the floor. PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: 18-30. |
7. |
Luther Head (6-3, Illinois)
|
Not a pure point but has handled the seed a lot for the 37-2 Fighting Illini. Head is a very athletic leaper-defender who’s hoop-smart and owns a softy of an outside shot. PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: Late first-early second round. |
8. |
Nate Robinson (5-9, Washington)
|
“Nate The Great” is a tiny, extra-aggressive super-athlete who is more of a compulsive scorer than a pure point at this point. Could be a steal as an off-the-bench tempo-changer. PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: Early-to-late second round |
9. |
Daniel Ewing (6-3 Duke)
|
Another entry in the “not-really-a-point but a great athlete” category, Ewing is a savvy scorer-energizer with great hops. PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: Early-to-late second round. |
10. |
John Gilchrist (6-3, Maryland)
|
This is yet another ultra-physical power point from the quarterback-rich ACC. Gilchrist is an in-your-shirt on-the-ball defender and an improving shooter who can play both guard spots with equal elan. PROBABLE DRAFT SPOT: Mid-to-late second round. |
NEXT BEST: Chris Thomas (6-1, Notre Dame), Filiberto Rivera (6-2 UTEP), Will Conroy (6-3, Washington), Travis Diener (6-0, Marquette), Anthony Roberson (6-2, Florida), Aaron Miles (6-1, Kansas).
