College Basketball: Top 3 Pure Point Guards in the Nation

There are plenty of players 6’4” and under that play the point guard position because they’re too short to play the SG.  Many of these players are phenomenal athletes and players, but they are not pure point guards.

Most of the time, they possess the ability to score the ball in bunches, and their basketball experiences have always placed them in the role of primary scorer.

The NBA’s reigning MVP is an example.  At 6’2”, Derrick Rose is a bit too short to play shooting guard.  Were he 6’4”, that would definitely be his position.  He is a good enough ball-handler and floor general to get away with it, obviously, but the Bulls lack of scoring options thrust him into the role of primary scorer.

The pure point guard is almost as rare as the back to the basket big-man with the ability to create a double team.  That said, who are the best pure point guards in College Basketball?  Here they are:

Myck Kabongo—Texas

Kabongo is a lightning-quick playmaker.  The Longhorn freshmen may only be in Austin one year, as he can potentially be dynamic. 

He has good height at 6’2”, but is definitely on the thin side.  He plays the passing lanes with a radar, but struggles with on-ball defense beyond the occasional stick-up job from poking at an opponent’s dribble. 

He has tons of heart and plays with no fear.  He has the types of intangibles NBA GMs should want in a player that is a floor general.

Even though he is projected in the top 20 on most mock drafts, I believe he is one of the most underrated players—especially of incoming freshmen.  On talent and intangibles, he is a top-10 player and this is a strong draft. 

Kendall Marshall—North Carolina

Marshall plays at a much slower pace, much like Mark Jackson.  Marshall has outstanding basketball instincts and size for the position at 6’4”.  He is a master of angles and is one of the few young point guards you’ll ever see that executes well in the half court.

The only reason I don’t have him higher is because of his lack of athleticism. 

Josiah Turner—Arizona

Third, but not necessarily last, is Turner.  Let's get this right, Turner is probably the most talented of all three of these players.  He can score and pass with the best of them.  He is 6’4” with good, but not freakish, leaping ability.

He is a monster one on one and has next-level vision.  Why isn’t he first on this short list?  He definitely looks to score first.  I do believe his game could gain the balance that would make him a pure point guard with the ability to go off offensively if need be.  That is the best of both worlds in my opinion.  

The key is knowing when to pick your spots.  Turner is an exceptional talent, but right now Kabongo and Marshall are better pure point guards.

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