2009 NBA Draft: Point GuardsBy: Adi Joseph

Everyone has a favorite. Some like the Spanish kid with the old-time flair. Others
prefer the renegade who spurned college even after the NBA tried to force it on
him, or the sharpshooter who doesn’t look nearly old enough to have passed
the age limit requirements. You’ve got the high-scoring athlete from Wake
Forest or the scrappy mid-major veteran. Then there’s the lightning-quick
playmaker from Syracuse. Or the lightning quick playmaker from North Carolina.
Or the lightning-quick playmaker from UCLA. Heck, there’s even his partner
in crime, the freshman with the potential.

No two people seem to come up with an agreement on the 2009 NBA Draft class’s
collection of point guards. But most would agree the group has more depth than
any other position in the draft. Potentially as many as 11 lead guards could
wind up in the first round of Thursday’s draft, and disputes about the
competition seem likely to dominate draft-night conversations.

That’s where we come in, here to sort out the mess with NBADraft.net’s
final point guard rankings for the 2009 NBA Draft.

1. Ricky Rubio 6-5 190 PG Spain 1990

The Ricky Rubio saga began when, as a lanky 14 year old, the Spanish point
guard was already playing in his country’s professional leagues. By age
16, he was a sensation. The fans were calling him “La Pistola,”
a reference to NBA legend Pistol Pete Maravich. Here is the favorite son of
Spain: a soccer country’s first true basketball prodigy. These days, Rubio,
18, is beginning to shape into a man. He’s 6-foot-5, 190 pounds. His defense
and feel for the game seem almost innate, partially a product of his early development.
After an Olympic experience last summer spread his name and had many international
fans and scouts considering him for the first pick of the 2009 or 2010 draft,
things have leveled out a bit. Rubio has the potential to be a star, but he’s
also not without flaw. His jump shot is still raw, and he would benefit greatly
from some time with an NBA trainer to work on those lanky, thin arms and legs.
But many consider Rubio the second best prospect in the draft, behind Blake
Griffin. He’s got an unbelievable feel for the game as a teen, and his
passing skills and defense are advanced well beyond his years. Plus, any team
to pick him will have a brand new legion of fans following La Pistola’s
every move.

Likely range: Top 5

2. Brandon Jennings 6-1 170 PG USA
1989

The experiment has come to an end. The results will be determined Thursday
night. Jennings became the first top American high school prospect to eschew
a year in college in favor of the professional leagues of Europe since the age
limit ban last summer, after he bolted from a prior commitment to Arizona. His
year abroad had its ups and downs, as he struggled for playing time against
veterans and came out with only flashes of brilliance. But Jennings is the draft’s
most athletic point guard and his creativity and vision as a playmaker are second
to none.

Likely range: Mid Lottery

3. Stephen Curry 6-3 181 PG/SG Davidson
Jr.

No player has drawn more hype since the close of the college season than Curry.
Despite his boyish figure and an NIT appearance last season, the high-scoring
junior declared for the NBA Draft with lottery aspirations. Now, his stock has
climbed to the point where he may be a top-5 pick. Curry is the best shooter
in the draft, and his transition to point guard last season was rather seamless.
One of the safer picks in the draft, Curry lacks the upside of some but could
be a great fit in a modern pick-and-roll-based NBA offense.

Likely range: 2-7

4. Jonny Flynn 6-0 196 PG Syracuse So.

The feistiest player in the draft is also one of its smallest. Flynn barrels
through the lane with the aggression of a ravenous bear, even though he’s
often the shortest player on the court. His size might have been a bigger issue
in the past, but the success of Chris Paul has popularized the super-speedy,
undersized point guard. It also helps Flynn’s case that, unlike many shorter
point guards, he’s a great athlete (highest vertical in Chicago draft
combine), and a hardnosed defender, using his strength, athleticism and 6-foot-4
wingspan to guard taller opponents. While Flynn does play out of control at
times, his penchant for big-game performances gives him a bright future.

Likely range: Lottery

5. Jeff Teague 6-2 175 PG Wake Forest So.

Perhaps the highest rated player who probably should have spent another year
in college, Teague burst into everyone’s top 10 prospects list midseason
after a huge start lifted the Demon Deacons to a 16-0 start as the final unbeaten
in Division I. He drew comparisons to seemingly every high-caliber scoring point
guard ever along the way, oozing potential with every quick, athletic drive
or smooth, accurate three-pointer. The second half of the season exposed Teague’s
flaws, though. And while he’s still a fantastic scorer, his decision making
and shot selection have come under fire.

Likely range: 10-20

6. Eric Maynor 6-3 164 PG VCU Sr.

Maynor ranks as possibly the best senior in this draft class, which says more
for the status of college basketball than anything else. But he’s a savvy
guard with great instincts who appears ready to step in and play significant
minutes as a rookie. Long-term, Maynor’s potential is limited by his thin
physique and lack of athleticism. But his defensive prowess and ability to rise
to the occasion in big moments are well documented and there’s no reason
to believe he can’t be a long-time NBA point guard.

Likely range: Mid- to late-first round

7. Ty Lawson 6-0 197 PG North Carolina Jr.

Quite possibly the fastest player in the draft, Lawson was the guiding force
for North Carolina in its NCAA Championship run last season. After two years
as a questionable prospect with major holes in his game, the stocky Tar Heel
guard worked on his jump shot and defense to thte point where he became one
of the most efficient players in the NCAA. There are still concerns about whether
he’ll be able to get off his jumper against taller opponents, but then
again, that assumes those opponents can keep up with him.

Likely range: Mid- to late-first round

8. Darren Collison 6-1 166 PG UCLA Sr.

In Flynn and Lawson, you have two point guards with good skills and incredible
speed who have suffered because of their height. Collison has all that, but
he’s also 30 pounds lighter and significantly weaker than his track star
contemporaries. The collegiate star, who was a major force in three Final Four
runs for the Bruins, would have been best off leaving after his sophomore year
(a surefire top 20 pick). But time has exposed Collison’s greatest weakness,
which is, of course, weakness. Collison is a winner, though. And he should make
a great reserve for years to come.

Likely range: 25-40

9. Toney Douglas 6-2 182 PG/SG Florida
State Sr.

Douglas sets himself apart from the rest of this list with his defense. And
though he’s not a true point guard by any means, his ability to play the
combo guard position and lock down any opposing point guard make him a very
valuable commodity the draft’s middle 20 picks. Former combo guard and
Pistons GM Joe Dumars is said to be very enamored with him. Douglas also proved
himself a more than capable scorer, as he dominated at times in the ACC, carrying
Florida State to a shocking regular season, culminating in a No. 5 seed in the
NCAA Tournament.

Likely range: Between 20-40

10. Jrue Holiday 6-4 199 PG/SG UCLA Fr.

If Curry has gained the most hype since the end of the NCAA season, Holiday
is following close behind. Perhaps the biggest underachiever on an underachieving
UCLA team, Holiday received some praise for his selflessness but more criticism
for his confidence on offense and an inconsistency that plagued him all year,
culminating in an 0-for-8 performance against USC in the Pac-10 Tournament.
He scored 20 points just once, against Florida International, (averaging 5.6
ppg over the final 12 games) and was relegated to shooting guard because of
Collison’s veteran presence. Not exactly lottery pick type numbers.

Likely range: Between 11-25

Honorable Mention:

AJ Abrams, Wink
Adams, Josh Akognon, Rodrigue
Beaubois, Patrick Beverly, Nick
Calathes, Nando De Colo, Eric
Devendorf, Henry Dugat, Brandon
Ewing, Daniel Hackett, Lester
Hudson, Cedric Jackson, Dominic
James, Curtis Jerrels, Sergio
Llull, Chris Lowe, Rudy
Mbemba, Patrick Mills, Jeremy
Pargo, AJ Price, Tyrese
Rice, Ronald Steele, Ben
Woodside