NBA Draft 2012: Is Damian Lillard the League's Next Elite Point Guard?

Damian Lillard could very well develop into a first-class NBA point guard a few years from now.

The high-scoring Weber State product is projected to be a lottery pick in the upcoming 2012 NBA draft and is perhaps the best player available at his position.

Today's NBA is stocked full—incredibly full—of quality point guards.

The list includes guys like Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo. And you can't forget about Deron Williams, Tony Parker and the ageless two-time MVP, Steve Nash.

Lillard has the skills to join that star-studded group one day soon.

He’s not a pass-first floor general like Rondo and Nash, he’s more of an athletic, score-first point guard like Rose and Westbrook. Last season, Lillard was the nation’s second-leading scorer, as he averaged a superb 24.5 points per game.

The 6’3” Oakland, Calif. native is quick, can shoot, attack the basket and has the ability to create his own shot.

He shot 46 percent from the field as well as 40 percent from three-point land. In addition, Lillard is not someone you want to foul, since he hit nearly 90 percent of his free throw attempts this past year.

Lillard is clearly a top-notch scorer, but he’s surrounded by a couple of question marks.

Playing at Weber State, which is a part of the Big Sky Conference, he didn’t exactly play against the country’s best competition. Going up against schools such as Idaho State and Northern Arizona just isn’t the same as battling the Kentuckys and North Carolinas of the college basketball world.      

Also, Lillard hasn’t shown that he’s an excellent playmaker, since he averaged an unimpressive 4.0 assists per game. However, Rondo, who led the NBA in APG this season, averaged just 4.9 assists during his final year in college.

So, with that said, stats aren’t everything.

Lillard will likely be drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers sixth overall or the New Orleans Hornets at No. 10.

Whatever team he winds up with could be getting its hands on a future elite point guard.