There are a number of directions that the Nuggets can go with the 20th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, and the point guard spot is a definite possibility. With Allen Iverson being the main focal point of the Nuggets backcourt, Denver must look for a complimentary point guard to play alongside the future Hall of Famer. Point guards currently on the Nuggets roster are Anthony Carter, Chucky Atkins and Taurean Green -- however, none of those three players stand taller than 6-2 (Carter), which can make for undoubtedly the shortest backcourt in the NBA when teamed with the 6-0 Iverson. Selecting 20th overall, Denver will have an opportunity to land a very solid point guard that will be given a chance to earn a starting spot earlier in his NBA career than most other 20th picks.

Although it's hard to give a young point guard the keys to an NBA team, it's becoming more and more common in the league nowadays. New Orleans and Utah each made the Western Conference Semifinals behind the stellar play of Chris Paul and Deron Williams, two starting point guards with just three years of NBA experience. Although Paul and Williams appear to be the kinds of point guards that come around once in a blue moon, that doesn't mean there aren't plenty other young point guards making early contributions to their teams success. Other young point guards making a splash in the league are: Boston's Rajon Rondo (21st overall pick), Cleveland's Delonte West (24th) and Daniel Gibson (42nd), Golden State's Monta Ellis (40th), Houston's Luther Head (24th), the L.A. Lakers' Jordan Farmar (26th), Memphis' MIke Conley (4th) and Kyle Lowry (24th), New Jersey's Devin Harris (5th) and Marcus Williams (22nd), Orlando's Jameer Nelson (20th), Portland's Jarrett Jack (22nd) and Sacramento's Beno Udrih (28th). This list of rising point guards is a clear indication that the Nuggets won't need to be in the lottery to find their point guard of the future.

With that in mind, there is basically only one point guard in this year's draft that is projected in the mid-to-late first round. With Ty Lawson, Lester Hudson, Jeremy Pargo and Rudy Mbemba all pulling their names out of the draft, only Kansas' Mario Chalmers stands to break into the first round behind the backcourt stars of Derrick Rose, Jerryd Bayless, Russell Westbrook and D.J. Augustin at the top of the draft. Although Chalmers will most likely be the best available point guard for the Nuggets to consider on draft night, it wouldn't come as a surprise to anyone if someone like Westbrook or Augustin dropped all the way to the Nuggets at 20 -- it's happened before. For example, Marcus Williams was projected as a Top-10 pick in 2006, however he slipped out of the Top-10 and plummeted to the New Jersey Nets, who happened to be in the market for a point guard, at the 22 spot.

Having said that, here is a closer look at the only point guard likely to be on the Nuggets' radar when the 20th selection rolls around:

	Height / Weight: 6-2 / 190 College: Kansas Hometown: Anchorage, AK Age: 22 NBA.com: Video | Profile
Career Highlights: Named Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 NCAA Tournament Final Four ... Earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors and league All-Defensive Team honors as a junior ... Named Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and earned Third Team All-Conference and All-Defensive Team honors as a sophomore ... Earned All-Defensive Team, All-Rookie Team and Third Team All-Conference honors from The Associated Press as a freshman ... Led the Big 12 in steals all three seasons. Currently ranks as the second all-time leader in steals in Kansas history with 283 and holds the single season mark for steals in a season with 97, set during his sophomore and junior seasons. Also ranks sixth all-time in three-point field goals made (180), 12th in assists (420) and 24th in scoring (1,341 points). What Scouts Are Saying: James Burbridge on NBADraft.net lists his strengths as: good size for a point guard, excellent anticipation on defense, finished as the second leading scorer on an NCAA National Championship team, was second on the team in assists behind starting PG Russell Robinson (so the ability to play PG seems to be there). According to DraftExpress.com, his weaknesses include: a good but not great athlete, not a true point guard, an average (advanced) ball-handler, struggles with creating shots for both himself and others, lacks a mid-range game. Chad Ford of ESPN.com has Chalmers listed as the No. 5 ranked point guard in the draft and the No. 18 overall prospect.

Other PG Prospects to Watch: Mike Taylor (Iowa State/Idaho Stampede); .

Other Prospect Pages: Shooting Guards | Small Forwards | Power Forwards | Centers