Insider Special: Top 10 SG's

By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider


Quick. Name the last great shooting guard to come out of the NBA draft.

Don't pause to flip through your draft guide.

Just give me his name.

Is it LeBron James or Dwyane Wade? Technically neither player is a two, though they're certainly able to play that position. Before that? The 2002 draft was a total wash. Jason Richardson and Joe Johnson (2001)? Desmond Mason and Michael Redd (2000)? Richard Hamilton (1999)? Ron Artest (1999)?

Good? Sure. Great? Hamilton may be on his way after an brilliant playoff run this year. No one else, not even Artest, is there just yet.

Rewind back to 1998 and we can start talking. Vince Carter went fifth that year, though his greatness may forever be limited to Nike and Gatorade commercials. Paul Pierce is the truth, but nine teams didn't believe that on draft night.

Rewind back one more year and you'll find Tracy McGrady on the board at No. 9. Two more years to 1996 and I can give you Allen Iverson (1st overall), Ray Allen (5th ) and Kobe Bryant (13th).

Go back any further and Alzheimer's sets in.

I give this illustration only to point out an obvious disconnect from the lores of scouting wisdom and reality. To quote more than one NBA scout, good shooting guards are a dime a dozen.

Unlike the rare centers and point guards who only appear in leap years when there's a full moon, shooting guards are everywhere. They grow on trees. Take a shot on the big kid who can't tie his shoes. Grab your two guard of the future off any NBDL roster.

It just isn't true. These days, superstar two guards appear to be just as rare. That's partly because the college ranks aren't being bolstered by high school and international prospects at this position. Most 18-year-olds drafted in the NBA still tend to be 6-10 or taller.

This year, there are eight or nine two guards capable of being drafted in the first round. For the first time in a while, several of them have a chance to be stars The top spot on the board goes to a kid from Arizona (Andre Iguodala) who's averaging just 12.7 ppg. Luke Jackson looks like another Mike Miller. The next kid on the list is still trying to find a way to defect from Moscow. The best prospect on the list may be an 18-year-old McGrady clone playing at a prep school in Connecticut who few people have ever heard of.

TOP 10 SHOOTING GUARDS
Rank Name Ht, Wt - Age School/Team/Country
1. Andre Iguodala 6-7, 217 - 18 Arizona
His stock has risen steadily with workouts. The fact that he's shooting the ball much better seals the deal. Draft range: 3-10.
2. Luke Jackson 6-7, 212 - 22 Oregon
Has helped himself as much as anyone in the draft. A better athlete than you think. Draft range: 9-20.
3. Sergey Monya 6-8, 220 - 21 Russia
The most NBA ready Euro in the draft. He shoots, he dunks, he'll break you.Draft range: 10-15.
4. Kirk Snyder 6-7, 228 - 21 Nevada
Another high riser. He can do a little bit of everything well, which gives teams a lot of flexibility. Draft range: 10-20.
5. J.R. Smith 6-7, 227 - 18 Brunswick, NJ
Big-time athlete with deep, deep range. Has some star potential. Draft range: 13-22.
6. Dorell Wright 6-8, 215 - 18 South Kent Prep (CT)
He looks like a Tracy McGrady clone in high school. Will it translate in the NBA? Draft range: 20-30.
7. Romain Sato 6-3, 204 - 23 Xavier
Has been working out great, but measured awfully short at the Chicago pre-draft camp. Draft range: 28-50.
8. Kevin Martin 6-7, 185 - 21 Western Carolina
One of college basketball's most lethal scorers. Can his body handle the rigors of the NBA? Draft range: 28-59.
9. Delonte West 6-3´ - 21 St. Joseph's
Didn't do enough to impress in Chicago. Needs to turn into a point guard. Draft range: 29-59.
10. Tony Allen 6-0, 195 - 22 Oklahoma State
Good athlete, great defender, but I'm not sure about the upside. Draft range: 30-59.

Others to watch: Rickey Paulding; Andre Emmett, Texas Tech; Tim Pickett, Florida State; Nate Robinson, Washington; Ricky Minard, Morehead State; Nick Jacobson, Utah; Tony Bobbit, Cincinnati; JaQuan Hart, Eastern Michigan; Marcus Vieira de Souza, Brazil; Desmon Farmer, USC, Michel Morandais, Colorado; Dijon Thompson, UCLA; Delonte Holland, DePaul; Mickael Gëlabale, France; Brandon Mouton, Texas; Bernard Robinson Jr., Michigan; Julius Page, Pittsburgh; Marko Tomas, Zagreb (Croatia); Armands Skele, Latvia