Consensus Player of the Year Trey Burke was the best player in college basketball last year on the second best team in the country. Burke is score first point guard who can score in a number of ways, including from deep, where he shot 38% from 3. Burke is quick and a good ball handler who excels in the pick and roll. Burke is a good distributor as well and can run a team, really. The only concern is his lack of elite size and athleticism, which can cause Burke to struggle as a finisher.
2. Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse So. (6-6, 184)
After an up and down season, Michael Carter-Williams is one of the more divisive prospects in the draft. Really though, he really just needs to improve his shooting and gain some more refinement as a point guard. Other than that, he's an elite, explosive athlete with rare size for a point guard and a very intruding set of skills. Carter-Williams is a pure point guard with outstanding court vision, he is a great defender and finisher at the rim. Carter-Williams has played only one season as a point guard and the jumper isn't broken, so issues are fixable.
3. Shane Larkin, Miami So. (6-0, 171)
Larkin flew under the radar all season, yet was probably the second best point guard throughout the course of the season behind Burke. After blowing up the combine by testing out as the best all around athlete (including a 44-inch vertical), Larkin is finally receiving his due. The complete package as a point guard, Larkin is super quick, a very good shooter, defender, and passer. If he was two inches taller he'd be a top 3 pick.
4. Dennis Schroeder, Germany (6-2, 165)
Dennis Schroeder is one of the best combinations of upside and present ability, he is already a pretty polished point guard with good ball handling skills, shooting and passing ability. Schroeder is also a very good, intense defender. However, at only 19 he's got good upside, especially as a finisher when his frame fills out more.
Tier 2: Mid-to-Late First Round
5. Isaiah Canaan, Murray State Sr. (6-0, 188)
If you're looking for the next Damian Lillard, Isaiah Canaan may be it. Canaan is a score first point guard with great quickness and athleticism; he is particularly dangerous in transition. He is also a very good shooter with NBA range. He is undersized, but has the length and quickness to be a good defender. I don't know if he's a starter, but as a scoring, change of pace backup Canaan is the best in this draft.
6. Pierre Jackson, Baylor Sr. (5-11, 176)
Like Canaan, Pierre Jackson is a very quick and athletic, yet undersized point guard with a well rounded offensive game. Jackson is really hard to stay in front of, not only because of the quickness, but because his shooting ability, opponents can't go under screens against him. Jackson also has solid court vision and is unselfish. Size will be an issue on defense, but Jackson gives good effort and is certainly quick enough.
7. B.J. Young, Arkansas So. (6-4, 179)
There isn't a player in this draft with a more explosive first step than B.J. Young, he is an advanced ball handler who has a number of ways to break a team down via the dribble. Once Young gets to the rim, he is a good finisher as well. The jumper needs a lot of work, but as a change of pace point guard who can push the tempo off the bench for an fast-paced team, Young could have a ton of value.
Tier 3: First Round Bubble
8. Myck Kabongo, Texas So. (6-3, 180)
It's hard to tell whether Myck Kabongo is as flawed as he's looked at times, or if the mess at Texas has been dragging him down. Kabongo certainly has talent, he's got great speed and quickness as well as court vision and an unselfish playing style. If he can improve his jumpshot and cut down on turnovers, he could be a really solid player.
9. Nate Wolters, South Dakota State Sr. (6-5, 196)
Workouts will be huge for Wolters who needs to show he can defend NBA athletes while also being able to score on them. The latter shouldn't be a problem, he quick, crafty, and a good shooter, it's the former that's the issue.
10. Ray McCallum, Detroit Jr. (6-2, 191)
A nice mix of upside and ability, Ray McCallum is a solid point guard with quickness, explosivness, passing ability and a high basketball IQ. All which can turn him into a solid backup point. However, if he can Improve his shooting, McCallum could be a could be a good NBA player.
11. Peyton Siva, Louisville Sr. (6-1, 181)
Peyton Siva isn't a great shooter and he he can be somewhat wild, but there's no denying he has some attributes that can help a team. Siva is an intense, disruptive defender as well as a deadly transition player who excels at getting into the paint and finding teammates. Siva is also a leader on the court and off that teams love.
12. Lorenzo Brown, North Carolina State Jr. (6-5 189)
For a big, pass first point guard Lorenzo Brown isn't as highly thought of as you'd expect. There are a couple reasons for this, firstly he's not a great shooter or decision maker, but the most troubling thing is the way that a very talented Wolfpack team crashed and burned with Brown at the helm.
13. Matthew Dellavadova, St. Mary's Sr. (6-4, 205)
Matthew Dellavadova is the best pick-and-roll point guard in the draft, a wizard with the ball that can kill defenders that go under or over screens. He is great at finding teammates when he gets in the lane and can hit 3s when given space. If Dellavadova was a better athlete he'd be a first round lock, but teams worry about his ability to defend.
14. Phil Pressey, Missouri Jr. (6-0, 177)
Another undersized guard, Phil Pressey is a very good passer, when he wants to be, and that's really the issue. Pressey shouldn't be taking many shots, he's not a good shooter or finisher, yet he's great at getting into the paint and finding shooters and cutters. If he can learn to pick his spots better,
Pressey could be a decent third point guard.
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