2021 NBA Draft: Positional Breakdown: Guards
This year’s crop of playmaking guards is as deep as any draft class in recent memory. This guard class a variety of different body types and skill sets that fit with many different teams. This class elite defenders, great passers, and high efficiency scorers. The best part about this class is the number of guys that can come in and contribute from day one in the NBA.
FIRST ROUND LOCKS:
Davion
Mitchell-CG-Baylor
6'1.25''/202/6'4.25''
Jr./22.8
14.0 PTS 5.5
AST 1.9 STL
Hometown: Hinesville, GA
NBA Comparison: Joe Dumars/Stronger Avery Bradley
ROLE: Starting Combo guard and potential All Defensive Player
BEST TOOLS: Elite Defender/Playmaking/Leadership/Hustle
Mitchell is the type of gritty player that is
easy to root for. He was the story of the NCAA tournament as he led Baylor to a
National Title. He is a great competitor and is good an on-ball defender as we
have seen. His upside is limited due to his age and lack of size, but he should
be a great pro.
I don’t see the Donovan Mitchell comparisons
as I don’t think Davion could ever develop into a go to scorer (he has never
been that). But I think in the right situation on a veteran team he could be
Dumars like as a third scoring option and excellent primary defender. I think
at worst he is a stronger Avery Bradley.
James
Bouknight-SG-UConn
6'4.75''/190/6'8.25''
So./20.8
18.7 PTS 5.7
REB
Hometown: Brooklyn, NYC
NBA Comparison: Tim Hardaway Jr./Jordan Clarkson
ROLE: Starting Shooting Guard that would be an ideal #2/3 option on
a good team
BEST TOOLS: Scoring/Elite Athletic Ability/Ball Handling
Bouknight knows how to use his elite athletic
tools to get to the basket at will. He is a walking bucket getter that can
score in a variety of ways. He is a little slender, but he makes up for it by
playing with toughness and confidence. The Brooklyn native plays with some
playground edge to his game (think Kemba Walker). His long range jump shot and
his defense are still very shaky at this point.
Josh Giddey-CG/SF-Adelaide 36ers/NBL
6'8''/205/6'8''
INT/18.8
10.8 PTS 7.4
AST 7.4 REB
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
NBA Comparison: Tomáš Satoranský/Shaun Livingston
ROLE: Starting Point Guard but not a primary scorer
BEST TOOLS: Playmaking/PBasketball IQ/Passing
Giddey is the mystery man of the draft in many
ways. There is a level of concern as similar young playmakers like Dante Exum
and Emmanuel Mudiay struggled after being highly touted. Giddey had a good year
in his single season at the top level of the NBL in Australia. Scouts know he
has the height and playmaking skills. He is probably the riskiest lottery pick
in this draft but his upside as a playmaker is only matched by Cade Cunningham.
I think he will figure it out in the NBA, but teams will need to be patient.
Keon
Johnson-SG-Tennessee
6'4.75''/185/6'7.25''
Fr./19.3
11.3 PTS 3.5
REB 1.1 STL
Hometown: Shelbyville, TN
NBA Comparison: Leandro Barbosa/Ricky Davis
ROLE: Starting Shooting Guard and top defender
BEST TOOLS: Elite Athletic Ability/Defense/Hustle
Johnson set the combine record with his
vertical of 48 inches. The term explosiveness is the best way to describe what
he will bring to a team. He should be very good on defense, but scouts wonder
if he can develop a consistent jump shot.
The comparison of Barbosa may seem like a
little low for a potential lottery pick but people forget how good Barbosa was
in Phoenix from 2006-2010. Barbosa was arguably the fastest player in the
league before he was hit by injuries. I also compared him to Ricky Davis who at
his peak was as good of an athlete as any in the league and was a consistent
scorer. Both Barbosa and Davis had long NBA careers
Jared
Butler-CG-Baylor
6'3.75''/193/6'4.0''
Jr./21.8
16.7 PTS 4.8
AST 2.0 STL
Hometown: Reserve, LA
NBA Comparison: Ben Gordon/Nolan Smith
ROLE: High End 6th/7th Man/Low End Starting
Shooting Guard
BEST TOOLS: Scoring/Defense/Hustle
Butler was named the Final Four Most
Outstanding Player (MOP) after leading Baylor to National Title. He was the
leading scorer on the team and projects as an instant offense guard at the next
level. He has some size and athletic limitations so the right fit will be very
important.
 |
| Mann vs Springer |
Tre Mann-CG-Florida
6'4.25''/178/6'4''
So./20.4
16.0 PTS 5.6 REB 3.5 AST
Hometown: Gainesville, FL
NBA Comparison: Brandon Knight/Austin Rivers
ROLE: Instant offense bench player, Great 6th/7th man
BEST TOOLS: Scoring/Elite Ball Handling/Mid Range Shooting
Like fellow Floridians in Knight and Rivers, Mann is a great isolation scorer that has a knack for getting smooth buckets. But also like Knight and Rivers, he can have trouble with consistency and will need the right fit to be productive in the NBA.
Jaden
Springer-SG-Tennessee
6'4.25''/202/6'7.75''
Fr./18.8
12.5 PTS 1.2
STL 81.0%-FT 43.5%-3PT
Hometown: Charlotte
NBA Comparison: Gary Harris/Daequan Cook
ROLE: High End 6th/7th Man and Top Defender
BEST TOOLS: Defense/Shooting/Length
Springer is almost the opposite of his college
teammate Keon Johnson as he relies on control and fundamentals to have an
impact. He has the ideal height and wingspan to be a great on ball defender.
His shooting percentages were very good, but he did not take a lot of shots.
His offensive projection is very much a mystery right now. Some list him as a
point guard though he did not really create in his one year at Tennessee.
FIRST ROUND BORDERLINE:
 |
| Preston vs fellow prospect Dosunmu |
Jason
Preston-PG-Ohio
6'4”/181/6'8.5''
Jr./21.9
15.7 PTS 7.3
REB 7.3 AST
Hometown: Orlando
NBA Comparison: John Starks
BEST TOOLS: Playmaking/Scoring/Hustle
Preston’s story is utterly amazing. In
high school he was 6’0”/140 and barely played.By chance, he plays in an AAU tournament
with his best friend and then he ended up working his way up on a Prep team and
he uploaded videos to get noticed by Ohio. He is a great all-around player that
can fill up the stat sheet. He has above average athletic traits but is still
very slender.
The best comparison I could find that combines
his game and story is that of Starks. Similar to Preston, Starks had no college
offers out of high school and went to three small colleges before playing at OK
St then had to play in the CBA and WBL before he finally broke through as a
great player on the Knicks throughout the 90’s.
Ayo
Dosunmu-CG-Illinois
6'5''/194/6'10.25''
Jr./21.5
20.1 PTS 6.3
REB 5.3 AST
Hometown: Chicago
NBA Comparison: Reggie Jackson/Derrick White
ROLE: Instant offense bench player, Great 6th/7th
man
BEST TOOLS: Playmaking/Length/Defense
Like Jackson and White, Dosunmu is an
extremely long guard with great college production. Like those guys Dosunmu is
also a gamer that plays best down the stretch and seizes big moments. He has
limitations as an athlete and as a shooter.
Sharife Cooper-PG-Auburn
6'1''/180
Fr./20.1
20.2 PTS 8.1
AST 4.3 REB
Hometown: Powder Springs, GA
NBA Comparison: Brandon Jennings/TJ Ford
ROLE: Low End Starting Point Guard
BEST TOOLS: Playmaking/Scoring/Elite Ball Handling
Cooper is highest rated TRUE point guard in
this class. He can really create and is an ambidextrous dribbler and finisher.
He is great in the pick in roll and can hit a mid range shot. That is very
important considering he was horrible from downtown. Obviously his biggest
weakness is his lack of size and defensive potential.
Josh Christopher-SG-Arizona St.
6'4.5''/215/6'9.25''
Fr./19.6
14.3 PTS 4.7
REB 1.5 STL
Hometown: Carson, CA
NBA Comparison: DeShawn Stevenson
BEST TOOLS: Athletic Ability/Strength/Scoring
Christopher will play in the league due to his
combination of size and athleticism. Many scouts are not sure if he can develop
a consistent jump shot. If he can develop that, he could be the steal of this
draft. Though he should still have a long career, as we have seen plenty of
athletes stick in the league like Stevenson.
Joel Ayayi-CG-Gonzaga
6'5''/180/6'7''
Jr./21.3
12.0 PTS 6.9
REB 2.7 AST 1.1 STL
Hometown: Paris, France
NBA Comparison: Delonte West
BEST TOOLS: Basketball IQ/Slashing/Hustle
Ayayi did all the little things that Gonzaga
needed. He is very slender but knows how to use his body to get where he wants
on the court. He was also an excellent rebounder for his size.
David Johnson-CG-Louisville
6'4.75''/203/6'10.5''
So./20.4
12.6 PTS 5.8
REB 3.2 AST
Hometown: Louisville, KY
NBA Comparison: Lance Stephenson
BEST TOOLS: Defense/Toughness/Playmaking
Scouts who are high on Johnson love his toughness
and versatility. He has the length and size to guard the one through the three.
Like Stephenson, he can carve out a nice role in the league as an energy guy on
defense and playmaker on offense.
Rokas Jokubaitis-PG-Zalgiris/Lithuania
6'4''/185
INT/20.7
7.5 PTS 3.4
AST
Hometown: Mažeikiai, Lithuania
NBA Comparison: Beno Udrich
BEST TOOLS: Playmaking/Basketball IQ
Like Udrich, Jokubaitis is a big lefty point
guard with a great feel for the game. He has athletic limitations, but he has an
advanced skill set for his age. He is also seasoned playing in the EuroLeague
and in Lithuania’s top division. He is an ideal draft and stash option as he
signed a 4 year deal with FC Barcelona.
GETTING DRAFTED BORDERLINE:
Aaron Wiggins-SG-Maryland
6'5''/190/6'9.75''
Jr./22.5
14.5 PTS 5.8 REB
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
NBA Comparison: Sonny Weems
BEST TOOLS: Length/Athletic Ability/Mid Range Shooting
Wiggins has some nice tools and is seasoned playing major minutes in the Big Ten. His shooting was inconsistent but he improved his passing and rebounding every year at Maryland and also shows good potential as a defender.
Daishen Nix-PG-G League Ignite
6'4.25''/226/6'6.75''
GL/19.7
8.8 PTS 5.3
AST 5.3 REB
Hometown: Anchorage, AK and Las Vegas
NBA Comparison: Isaiah Briscoe
BEST TOOLS: Passing/Size
Nix is a true pass first point guard that
struggled as a shooter. He is built more like a linebacker than a point guard.
He’s has size but is not a great athlete nor is a good defender. His NBA fit is
really a mystery right now. We have seen similar sized players like Marcus
Smart and Dion Waiters have success in the league. But Nix doesn’t defend like Smart
nor has the instant offense chops like Waiters.
Juhann
Begarin-SG-Paris BB/France
6'5''/195/7'0''
INT/18.9
11.7 PTS 3.5
REB 2.9 AST
Hometown: Les Abymes, Guadeloupe
NBA Comparison: Christian Eyenga
BEST TOOLS: Athletic Ability/Length
Begarin is the biggest project of any player
that has a chance to be drafted. He has incredible athletic tools and the ideal
body of a shooting guard. However right now he is an unpolished raw player. He has yet to face
top competition in Europe as he is still in France’s Pro B division. Despite
all of this, he still has a good chance to be drafted due to his potential.
McKinley Wright-PG-Colorado
6'0.25''/192/6'5.25''
Sr./22.7
15.2 PTS 5.7
AST 4.3 REB
Hometown: North Robbinsdale, MN
NBA Comparison: Isaiah Canaan
BEST TOOLS: Playmaking/Toughness/Defense
Wright is a small true point guard that will
need to use his toughness and playmaking in order to make a roster. He was a
very consistent player in his four years at Colorado.
David Duke-CG-Providence
6'5.5''/204/6'8.75''
Jr./21.7
16.8 PTS 6.3
REB 4.8 AST
Hometown: Providence, RI
NBA Comparison: Trenton Hassell
BEST TOOLS: Playmaking/Basketball IQ/Versatility
Duke has ideal size and can play both guard
spots. He improved every year at Providence where he filled up the stat sheet. His
shooting efficiency numbers were not great so he will need to improve his shot
in order to play in the league.
Scottie
Lewis-SG-Florida
6'5.25''/188/7'0''
So./21.3
7.9 PTS 3.1
REB 1.6 STL
Hometown: The Bronx, NYC
NBA Comparison: Matisse Thybulle
BEST TOOLS: Elite Length/Defense/Athletic Ability
Lewis struggled on offense in his two years at
Florida. He will get a chance to play in the league if he can carve out a role as
a feisty on ball defender. He improved his stock at the combine where he was
the fastest player in the sprint and had the fourth best vertical. With those
numbers, along with his 7 foot wingspan, he has a chance to hear his name
called on draft night.
DJ
Steward-CG-Duke
6'1.75''/162/6'7''
Fr./19.8
13.0 PTS 3.9
REB 2.4 AST
Hometown: Chicago
NBA Comparison: Quinn Cook
BEST TOOLS: Scoring/Length
Steward had a solid year at Duke but needs
a lot of work with his passing skills. He’s too small to play shooting guard, so
he will need to develop more in order to succeed a second unit point guard.
Carlik Jones-PG-Louisville
6'1''/174/6'5''
Sr./23.7
16.8 PTS 4.5
AST 4.9 REB
Hometown: Cincinnati
NBA Comparison: Patty Mills
BEST TOOLS: Leadership/Toughness/Scoring
Jones lack of measurables will likely lead him
to go undrafted, but he has a great shot at a two-way contract given his skill
set and versatility
Jose
Alvarado-PG-GA Tech
6'0.25''/175/6'1''
Sr./23.4
15.2 PTS 4.3
REB 2.8 STL
Hometown: Brooklyn, NYC
NBA Comparison: Patrick Beverly
BEST TOOLS: Elite Defender/Hustle/Leadership
Alvarado is a great on ball defender that is
also great a reading passes and getting steals. He is a decent playmaker and
scorer on offense but his shot at the league will be dependent on his elite
defensive prowess.
A.J. Lawson-SG-S. Carolina
6'7"/179/6'6.75''
Jr./21.0
16.6 PTS 4.1
REB
Hometown: Brampton, Ontario
NBA Comparison: Alexey Shved /Tarence Kinsey (also a South
Carolina alum)
BEST TOOLS: Hustle/Scoring
Lawson is a solid player, but his lack of
strength and length really hurts his chances of sticking in the league. Like
Shved and Kinsey, he may have more success overseas than as a role player in the NBA
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