NBA Draft 2016: Top 5 Shooting Guard Prospects Heading into CBB Season
There happens to be an interesting storyline tied to each of the following 2-guards projected to declare for the 2016 NBA draft, a group that offers a diverse mix of talent.
Three of our top five are returning prospects with something to prove. One would have likely gone first-round last year had an injury not set him back. We also have an international riser and a high-profile freshman.
Expect scouts to have already begun following them leading up to the start of the 2015-16 season.
5. Grayson Allen, Duke, Sophomore
Allen's freshman role was limited—until the Final Four, when he put up nine points in 16 minutes against Michigan State before erupting against Wisconsin in the title game. Allen scored 16 big points in 21 minutes, a performance that opened eyes and raised the bar for 2015-16.
He'll start his sophomore year with a much bigger role and the attention of NBA scouts.
| Birthday | Height | Weight (lbs) | Wingspan |
| October 8, 1995 | 6'5" | 200 | 6'6.5" |
He doesn't have great size or length, but Allen is a phenomenal all-around athlete. Winner of the 2014 McDonald's All-American Dunk Contest, he can really elevate.
He's unsurprisingly dangerous in transition or whenever a lane opens up. Allen happens to have a good feel for ducking and side-stepping defenders, resulting in high-percentage finishes on the break (1.33 points per play in transition, according to DraftExpress' Mike Schmitz).
And with a quick first step, he explodes off the bounce and can turn the corner on his defender.
Attacking, Shot-making
Allen is tough to stay in front of and difficult to challenge at the rim without fouling. Though not the slickest shot-creator, he can get to the rack off line drives when given space to make a move.
This year, scouts should expect to see Allen's shooting percentage rise. With a good-looking jumper out to the arc, you get the impression his 34.6 percent mark from last year was just a result of limited rhythm.
In the three games in which he played at least 20 minutes, he averaged 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from deep.
Assuming freshman Brandon Ingram emerges as Duke's go-to option, look for Allen to provide support as a top complementary scorer.
Motor
A relentless motor helps diminish concerns over average size and limited playmaking skills. Coaches are bound to value his intensity and competitive edge.
He plays an in-your-grill style of defense and looks for opportunities to hit the floor.
Even if he struggles to expand his offense, Allen may have a chance at carving out an NBA role as an energy specialist. For what it's worth, he'll be a fan favorite wherever he winds up.
NBA Draft Outlook
He lacks mismatch tools and visible upside, but for a general manager looking to add a spark, Allen could be an answer.
Becoming a bigger threat with the ball and more consistent shooter would ultimately help him maximize his stock. Consider the mid-first round a ceiling projection for his 2016 draft outlook.
Allen's NBA Comparison: Gary Harris
4. Buddy Hield, Oklahoma, Senior
It wasn't enough to move the NBA draft-stock needle, but Hield put up big numbers at Oklahoma for the second straight year (17.4 points per game).
We aren't likely to learn anything new in 2016. After 2,873 career minutes, his strengths and weaknesses are fairly well-defined.
However, tightening a few specific screws could ultimately allow those strengths to look more attractive on NBA draft night.
| Birthday | Height | Weight (lbs) | Wingspan |
| December 17, 1993 | 6'4.5" | 215 | 6'8.5" |
Though an inch or two shorter than you'd like your shooting guard to be, Hield has a solid 215-pound frame and the athleticism to match.
A lack of height doesn't project to be much of an issue on defense. He uses his length to pester and his strength and competitiveness to get physical on the perimeter.
It wouldn't be shocking to see Hield's struggles at the rim continue (50 percent in the half-court, according to Hoop-Math.com), but luckily he's well-rounded enough offensively to compensate.
Scoring
The appeal to Hield ultimately stems from his shooting and shot-making ability, having knocked in at least 90 threes in back-to-back years. He's wired with confidence, which can lead to questionable shot selection, but also scores points in bunches and makes jumpers under pressure.
He does most of his damage spotting up, though he's become a threat to pull up off a few rhythm dribbles.
The other big chunk of Hield's offense comes in transition, where his 196 possessions ranked third in the NCAA, according to DraftExpress' Mike Schmitz. And it's not just easy layups and dunks. He hit 38 threes within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock last year, according to Hoop-Math.com.
Hield could stand to improve his one-on-one attack in terms of being able to create higher-percentage looks, but quite frankly, that won't be his job in the pros.
Role-Player Potential
More than his upside, it's Hield's role-player potential that's so convincing. Credit his shooting, athleticism, defensive tools and motor. Though he's been somewhat inefficient (career 42 percent from the floor), that could change in a role that allows him to play to his strengths instead of his weaknesses as a shot-creator.
NBA Draft Outlook
After presumably failing to get assurance last May that he'd be taken in 2015's first round, Hield will have one last chance to make an impression. And on a team with four returning starters, this could be his best opportunity.
Carrying the Sooners deep into March (or April) would certainly reflect favorably on his stock.
Either way, he'll likely be competing for position somewhere in the Nos. 20-30 range. Otherwise, you have to imagine he'll be one of the first off the board in Round 2.
Hield's NBA Comparison: Jodie Meeks
3. Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey, 1997
Despite playing just 11.6 minutes a game last year with Anadolu Efes, Korkmaz has turned heads over the years in FIBA play.
In 33 games dating back to the Under-16 European Championships in 2013, he's averaged 16.6 points for Turkey. Korkmaz erupted a few times earlier this summer, having gone for at least 20 points in matchups against Bosnia-Herzogovina, Serbia, Lithuania and Greece.
Now eligible for the 2016 draft, he's emerged as an international prospect to watch and a legitimate threat to crack June's lottery.
| Birthday | Height | Weight (lbs) | Wingspan |
| July 24, 1997 | 6'7" | 185 | N/A |
He isn't particularly strong, but Korkmaz is an exciting athlete fueled by quickness, agility and leaping ability.
Super-coordinated and fun to watch in the open floor, where he can take off from far away, Korkmaz is also shifty enough to do some shaking-and-baking in the half-court. And though he isn't as likely to explode to the rack when the game slows down, his first step still poses a threat to perimeter defenses.
Physically, there will be questions regarding his ability to take contact, but impressive bounce and 6'7" size should help neutralize those concerns.
Shot-making
Korkmaz's identity is ultimately built around shot-making. If he can get it off, chances are he can hit it.
He knocks down jumpers and floaters in a variety of ways, whether he's off balance, set, challenged or on the move.
Korkmaz doesn't quite handle the ball on a string but can create enough separation to consistently find himself shots in the offense.
And he's developed some lethal shooting range, having nailed 42.3 percent of his threes (78 attempts) in 2014-15 and 45.2 percent of them in June's World Championships.
Playmaking
He's no point guard, but Korkmaz is crafty with the ball and willing to give it up. He averaged three assists this summer during the European Championships, looking confident as a setup man off the dribble.
Korkmaz would seem like an appealing 2-guard to have in a system that frequently ran ball-screen offense.
NBA Draft Outlook
At 185 pounds without major defensive potential, Korkmaz doesn't quite ooze upside, but it's easy to envision him fitting into the NBA game. Draft eligible for the first time, it's not set in stone that he'll declare in 2016, though he did tell DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony in July that he's interested.
Assuming we see similar flashes of prowess in 2015-16, expect to hear his name heat up around June's international withdrawal date.
Korkmaz's NBA Comparison (blend): Marco Belinelli/Gordon Hayward
2. Caris LeVert, Michigan, Senior
A season-ending foot injury in January may have delayed LeVert's estimated time of arrival in the NBA, but it shouldn't stop him from getting there. Reportedly healthy entering his senior year, he'll have the chance to restore his stock and image as a desirable future pro.
Before going down, LeVert had established a handful of NBA-friendly qualities and strengths, including his physical tools for the position.
| Birthday | Height | Weight (lbs) | Wingspan |
| August 25, 1994 | 6'7" | 205 | 7'1" |
At 6'7" with a reported 7'1" wingspan, LeVert operates over defenders with tremendous size and length. He's still a bit skinny, but not as thin as he once was. He's also fairly young for a senior (just turned 21 in August), and should still have time left to put on additional bulk.
Athletically, he plays with a nice bounce to his step. Though not overly explosive, he's quick, shifty and capable of rising up for finishes above the rim.
Offensive Versatility
Despite being Michigan's go-to scorer, he's also the team's top playmaker, having averaged 3.7 assists prior to last year's injury.
Coach John Beilein frequently used him as a pick-and-roll ball-handler (29.7 percent of LeVert's offense, according to DraftExpress' Mike Schmitz). LeVert is dangerous in space off ball screens, isolation (1.18 points per play, according to Schmitz) and transition. He does a nice job of keeping his head up and locating teammates off the dribble.
A credible shooting stroke completes the sales pitch. LeVert knocked in at least 40 percent of his threes in back-to-back years, showing the confidence to rise and fire one-on-one along with the range and accuracy to spot up from the wing or corner.
Fundamentally, he'll need to improve his mid-range game—he made fewer than 32 percent of his two-point jumpers in each of the past two years, according to Hoop-Math.com.
However, between his long-range shooting, passing skills and athleticism, LeVert should essentially enter the league wearing a life jacket.
Defense
He's flashed the potential to become a defensive asset, thanks to foot speed and length on the perimeter.
Tough to shake, LeVert should be able to interchangeably guard both 2s and 3s. He'd also racked up 32 steals in 18 games as a junior. LeVert can irritate ball-handlers with pressure and cause panic during hard closeouts.
NBA Draft Outlook
He'll need to stay on the floor—LeVert's foot injury was his second in as many years. But a full season of good health and production could erase concerns over his durability.
LeVert's versatility would seemingly fit into any NBA system. Even if he never breaks out as a team's go-to offensive option, his shot-making, playmaking and defense should hold enough value when making the transition. A bounce-back season could result in lottery consideration.
LeVert's NBA Comparison (blend): Jamal Crawford/Evan Turner
1. Malik Newman, Mississippi State, Freshman
Scouts have been able to watch Newman score for years—he averaged 16.2 points (in 22 minutes) for Team USA at the 2013 FIBA Americas and 14.9 points at the 2014 World Championships.
His knack for getting buckets won't stop at Mississippi State, who will suddenly receive an injection of firepower in the backcourt.
| Birthday | Height | Weight (lbs) | Wingspan |
| February 21, 1997 | 6'4" | 179 | 6'5" |
Newman's punch packs speed, quickness and athleticism. He's lightning in the open floor, where he picks up easy buckets before defenses can set and blurs off the bounce. He's the type of guard who can explode to the rack for a dunk with the game slowed down in the half-court.
Adding strength will be a priority, as you don't typically see off-guards under 6'5" and 190 pounds. However, Newman ultimately fits the mold of a combo, a term that's seemingly become more accepted in today's NBA.
Playmaking
His handle is world-class. Newman has a terrific command of the ball, capable of freezing the defense with a change of speed and direction. He lacks facilitator instincts, but his ability to blow by and get to spots naturally results in drive-and-dish assists.
Between his dribble creativity and playmaking potential, coaches may feel comfortable letting him run the show as lead guard (4.8 assists, 2.7 turnovers per 40 minutes at 2014 World Championships) for brief stretches. Some might even prefer he do it on a more regular basis, given the rise in scoring point guards across the league.
Scoring
A lethal one-on-one scorer, Newman can light it up in a hurry by easily separating into jumpers and runners.
He's a constant threat to pull up, whether it's in ball-screen situations or transition. And with a quick first step, he's become proficient in the lane using touch off one foot.
A weapon out of both isolation and pick-and-rolls, Newman projects as an option coaches can feature or go to for a basket.
An accurate stroke from deep also allows Newman to score off the ball. He's an excellent shooter, another strength that should help compensate for a lack of traditional height.
NBA Draft Outlook
He'll likely battle some inefficiency at Mississippi State, where he'll be the focus of opposing defenses. But unless his decision-making and shot selection set off alarms, obvious talent and volume production should carry him into the lottery conversation.
Newman's NBA Comparison: Monta Ellis
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