2009 NBA Draft: Point Guards

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

	Brandon Jennings

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