Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM | June 21, 2006
The best word for this year's crop of shooting guards is balanced. There's a top-five pick in Brandon Roy, another handful of lottery possibilities in Ronnie Brewer, Rodney Carney and J.J. Redick, and depth throughout the first round. The group includes variety, with shooting specialists like Redick, athletes like Carney and do-it-all players like Brewer and Roy.
BRANDON ROY
From: Washington | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 215
With a brilliant senior season, Brandon Roy elevated himself from borderline first-round pick to one of the top players available in the 2006 Draft and an early favorite for Rookie of the Year. After the Huskies lost stars Nate Robinson and Tre Simmons, Roy emerged as their go-to player and responded by earning Pac-10 Player of the Year and AP First Team All-America honors. Roy averaged 20.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Ready to step in immediately, Roy may not develop into a dominant NBA player, but he should be a strong piece on a winning team.
RONNIE BREWER
From: Arkansas | Height: 6-7 | Weight: 220 | Top 15 Breakdown
While there is not a consensus that Ronnie Brewer is the second-best shooting guard available, there is a lot to like about the Arkansas product. Brewer rated as the second-best athlete tested at the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, according to DraftExpress.com. Brewer was nearly as versatile as Roy as a junior at Arkansas, averaging 18.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists, and is known for his defense. If Brewer can develop his shooting from the perimeter, stardom could be in the cards.
RODNEY CARNEY
From: Memphis | Height: 6-7 | Weight: 205 | Top 15 Breakdown
Ask scouts who the best athlete is in the lottery portion of this Draft and they're liable to answer Rodney Carney, but he scored just behind Brewer at the Pre-Draft Camp, ranking fifth. In Carney's case, besides scoring, the athleticism has not translated directly to his on-court performance; Carney was an inconistent defender and rebounder and not a great ballhandler. As a result, his measuring in at 6-4 and a half in Orlando could hurt him; though Carney has long arms and plays bigger than his height, that will make it difficult for him to regularly play small forward in the pros. Still, Carney is intriguing because in addition to his athleticism, he hit 39.5% of his 3s as a senior.
J.J. REDICK
From: Duke | Height: 6-4 | Weight: 190 | Top 15 Breakdown
Less than a week before the Draft, J.J. Redick remains one of the biggest and most important question marks. Is he a sharpshooter who will prove invaluable against double-teams? Or is he a poor defender whose weaknesses will be exploited in the cutthroat NBA? And how much will his recent issues - a sore back that has forced him to cancel multiple workouts and a DWI arrest - hurt Redick? This much is known - Redick can shoot better than almost anyone else in the world, a skill that allowed him to be all-everything during his final year at Duke. Beyond that, let me get back to you in five months.
SHANNON BROWN
From: Michigan State | Height: 6-4 | Weight: 205
A highly-touted prep prospect, Shannon Brown started for the Spartans about from the moment he stepped on campus, but it took a couple of seasons for him to emerge as a star. Last season, Brown averaged 17.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and was named All-Big Ten Second Team. Though on the small side for a two guard, Brown is a quality defender who was First Team All-Defense in the Big Ten. He has the ability to shoot the 3-pointer (39.0%), which is a combination teams are looking for with the success of Raja Bell and Bruce Bowen. Brown is one of two Michigan State shooting guards who figure to be taken in the first round next Wednesday, the other being ...
MAURICE AGER
From: Michigan State | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 202
... Maurice Ager, who also was named All-Big Ten Second Team (by media; Third Team by coaches). Ager is a similar player; while a little bigger and not in Brown's league defensively, he too is a fine athlete who shot well from the college 3-point line (37.6% as a senior, 38.0% career). Ager excelled in big games as a senior, most notably his 36 points against Gonzaga in a classic battle in the Maui Classic. Ager also had 27 in vain as the Spartans were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by George Mason in the Sweet Sixteen.
THABO SEFOLOSHA
From: Sweden | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 215
Sweden's Thabo Sefolosha is the top foreign wing prospect available in this draft class. His playing heritage is very diverse; in addition to the country he was born in, his parents hail from South Africa, he played in France and most recently spent the 2005-06 season in Italy. At 22, Sefolosha is relatively polished for an international prospect and was productive last season, averaging 12.0 points and 6.4 rebounds in Italian League play and shooting 43.6% from 3-point range. Because of his heady play, Sefolosha has drawn comparisons to Boris Diaw, but he's more traditional physically and not the multi-position specimen that Diaw is. Still, look for Sefolosha to go in the latter half of the first round.
MIKE GANSEY
From: West Virginia | Height: 6-4 | Weight: 205
The poor man's Redick, Mike Gansey emerged as a sensational shooter as a senior at West Virginia. Gansey canned 42.9% of his 3-pointers and an off-the-charts 65.8% inside the arc. Gansey wasn't facing the same defensive pressure as Redick, but his shooting efficiency was slightly better last season. Gansey's game is more rounded; he averaged 5.7 rebounds per game and is considered a solid defensive player. A scrappy type, Gansey had as efficient a scoring night as you'll ever see against Marquette on Jan. 14, scoring 33 points on 11-for-14 shooting, including 8-for-11 on triples.
JAMES WHITE
From: Cincinnati | Height: 6-7 | Weight: 200
An uber-athlete, James White lettered in 2004 for Cincinnati's track team, qualifying for the NCAA regionals in the high jump. Unfortunately, White did not participate in the NBA's Pre-Draft Camp testing, so we can't quantitatively compare his athleticism to the other top prospects at shooting guard. On the court, White averaged 16.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. At this stage, outside of his athleticism, he's a jack of all, master of none type. He's a possible pick in the late first round, but will more likely go early in the second.
HASSAN ADAMS
From: Arizona | Height: 6-4 | Weight: 220
The swingman known as "Hot Sauce" was one of Roy's top competitors for Pac-10 Player of the Year last season, averaging 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Hassan Adams is a highlight-reel athlete (he too was not tested in Orlando) who lived in the lane at times, but ended up averaging barely more than three free-throw attempts per game as a senior. If Adams can get to the line more and finish better in the paint (as he did as a sophomore, when he shot 54.2% from the field), his strong defense may allow him to fill an energy role off the bench a la Ruben Patterson.
OTHER SHOOTING GUARD PROSPECTS
Denham Brown, UConn - Started 96 games in NCAA career; member of Canadian National Team. Viktor Keirou, Russia - Averaged 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game in the Russian Superleague A. Dwayne Mitchell, Louisiana Lafayette - First Team All-Sun Belt performer started career at Auburn. Allan Ray, Villanova - Undersized point producer was First Team All-Big East as a senior. Curtis Stinson, Iowa State - Despite leaving after junior season, is 11th in Iowa State history in scoring and fourth in steals.
