2011 NBA Draft: Jimmer Freddette and the 10 Best Guard Prospects
This year's college basketball season has been dominated by two guards: BYU's Jimmer Fredette and UConn's Kemba Walker.
As these two young men wrap up the year leading the nation in scoring, they will prepare to lead a guard-heavy class of fresh pro prospects into the 2011 NBA Draft.
Lets look at the top 10 guard prospects who should expect to hear David Stern call their name this June.
Jimmer Fredette
1 of 10
Fredette has gone from not being mentioned in draft conversations to a lottery pick in the course of a month.
Everybody knows about his ability to hit bombs from 25-to-30 feet out with seemingly no effort, but there are other aspects of Fredette's game that have been overlooked.
The first, he is much quicker then people give him credit for. The question mark for Fredette is athleticism. True, he is not going to dunk on anybody anytime soon, but he is able to get by any defender because of an extremely quick first step.
The second, Fredette has instincts that can't be taught. He knows when to spin off defenders, he knows when to step back, he knows just how to play the angles to get the ball in the hoop. That is not the result of coaching. That is the result of practice and a high basketball IQ.
The third, he's competed against NBA competition before. Whether it was AAU basketball when he was in high school, where he played against the likes of Michael Beasley and Tyreke Evans, or practicing with the USA team before the 2010 FIBA World Championships.
Finally, Fredette is a mature, respectful young man, without the baggage of say, Renardo Sidney. The NBA is a job like any other. Employers want professionals.
He may not be the No. 1 draft pick. He may not be the Rookie of the Year. But anybody that can shoot and score like Feredette will find his way onto an NBA roster.
Kyrie Irving
2 of 10
There was a lot of hype behind this Aussie-born Blue Devil early in the season. Unfortunately, we did not get to see much of Kyrie Irving, due to a toe injury suffered against Butler that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
It's a bit of a shot in the dark to say a freshman who hasn't played a game since early December is one of the top guards in this year's draft, but if the reports on Irving's talent level are anywhere near true, expect him to be among the first few chosen.
Talking big time Derrick Rose, John Wall-sized potential.
It's good to keep in mind that the NBA drafts solely on potential.
Alec Burks
3 of 10
At 6'6" 185 pounds, Alec Burks has the perfect body for an NBA two guard. He is tall and long, the perfect frame to build on.
Burks is also extremely athletic. He can finish on the break and attacks the rim. Burks can catch and dunk alley-oops, and shows potential to be a good defender in the NBA.
Burks does have nice form on his jump shot, though, he is not a dead eye shooter. However, if the mechanics are good, the rest will soon fall into place.
He's been a great scorer at Colorado for the last two years and it seems scouts are taking notice.
Potential a plenty for Alec Burks.
Kemba Walker
4 of 10
Kemba Walker is undersized, without a position and he has a questionable ability to make good decisions with the ball.
He is also from New York City. It may sound like a non-factor in his future with the NBA, but you cannot underestimate the toughness of NYC PGs, especially one with a step-back like Walker. That is a deadly weapon he has in his arsenal.
Walker's shooting improved every year at UConn and he handles the ball better then anybody in the draft.
Brandon Knight
5 of 10
Brandon Knight is a tall, lanky guard with a lot of room to get bigger. At 6'3", 185 pounds, Knight will be a big point guard in the NBA.
Knight has shown the ability to break down defenders one-on-one, as well as knock down the long jumper.
Matched with his quickness and intensity on the court, Knight will have no trouble being drafted.
Klay Thompson
6 of 10
Klay Thompson, of Washington State, is a great scorer in a bad conference.
That doesn't take away from his ability to shoot the basketball, though.
Or his size. At 6'6", Thompson will play the two in the NBA.
Don't expect this young man to be a superstar, but if drafted to the right team and the right system, expect him to contribute.
Josh Selby
7 of 10
Josh Selby is another high-profile recruit sidelined by injuries.
After missing the first nine games of the season Selby immediately lived up to the hype upon his return, playing big for a very good Kansas team.
A tough, score-first point guard, Selby has great ability to get to the rim while being athletic enough to finish at the rim.
He may have some trouble getting the shots he wants against larger NBA defenders, but the potential is there to be a good player in the league.
Nolan Smith
8 of 10
Though great players while in college, Blue Devils do not usually find the same success in the NBA.
Nolan Smith has emerged as the leader for Duke and one of the best players in the country, so he deserves a spot on the list.
Smith has shown his ability to score the basketball this year, as well as new toughness.
After four years under Coach K, there is no question Smith knows how to play the game of basketball.
Smith could have a long, productive career as a good backup point guard. Think, Sam Cassell kind of career, but less physical with the ball.
LaceDarius Dunn
9 of 10
At 6'4", 200 pounds, LaceDarius Dunn has an NBA-ready body.
Though he is not quick enough to beat pro defenders off the dribble, his size should help him back down smaller guards.
The best part of Dunn's game is his ability to shoot the three. He averaged over 40 percent from three for his career at Baylor.
Dunn is averaging just over 20 points per game this year.
Brad Wanamaker
10 of 10
NBAdraft.net predicts Brad Wanamaker will be selected dead last in the draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
If this happens, expect Wanamaker to be a contributor on that team.
Gregg Popovich has a way of turning the guys everybody forgets about into great role players (George Hill, Roger Mason, to name two). Wanamaker could be the next project.
Wanamaker knows how to play in a system after being at Pitt for four years and he does a bit of everything.
This year Wanamaker is averaging 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and almost two steals.
He is an older player and he is 6'4", 210 pounds.
If you know what to do with him, he could end up being a steal.
