If there’s one position in the starting lineup the Cavaliers will not be looking for help in Thursday night’s NBA Draft, it’s point guard.
Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving, the No. 1 overall choice a year ago, has that spot held down nicely.
It’s probably a good thing, too, because point guard is far and away the thinnest position in this year’s draft.
“It’s a weak draft, top to bottom, point guard-wise,” Pro Basketball Draft’s Joe Kotoch said.
Weber State’s Damian Lillard, a 6-foot-2¾, 189-pounder who could go as high as No. 6 to Portland, is considered to be at the head of the class.
Like many point guards, Lillard was a score-first player in college, but is considered to be an excellent penetrator who rarely makes mistakes and plays with a high basketball IQ.
Lillard is also regarded as a hard worker who shoots with range and has good physical strength, but his weakness is said to be court vision, which is pretty important for a point guard.
“He plays with a chip on his shoulder and wants to prove people wrong,” Kotoch said. “He can score from all over the court. He’s going to be a really good point guard.”
The most classic point guard available in the draft, North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall, will go fairly soon after Lillard is taken.
After that, things get real sketchy, real quick.
Kentucky’s Marquis Teague, who had first-round picks all around him as the Wildcats won a national championship, will probably go somewhere in the top 30 picks.
Washington’s Tony Wroten, who is 6-6 and long and just turned 19 in April, could sneak into the first round on potential alone.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Kansas’ 22-year-old Tyshawn Taylor could go in the first round based on physical and emotional maturity, plus the fact he helped the Jayhawks get to the national championship game.
None of the point guards taken Thursday, however, are expected to come anywhere close to matching Irving’s exploits as a rookie.
“It’s just a weak class,” NBA scouting director Ryan Blake said.
Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4061 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com.
TOP POINT GUARDS
• Damian Lillard, Weber State, 21 (6-2¾, 189): Could go as high as No. 6 to Portland
• Kendall Marshall, North Carolina, 20 (6-4¼, 198): Point guard in truest sense
• Marquis Teague, Kentucky, 19 (6-2, 180): Had ton of talent around him
• Tony Wroten, Washington, 19 (6-6, 203): Bit raw, but just turned 19 in April
• Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas, 22 (6-2, 193): Could sneak into first round
NBA DRAFT
• WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m.
• WHERE: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.
• TV: ESPN
• ROUNDS: 2
• CAVS PICKS: 4, 24, 33, 34
Recent Comments