Villanova’s blistering run to the national championship will forever be remembered for Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beating three-pointer to stun North Carolina, but it doesn’t happen without a heady play from point guard Ryan Arcidiacono to set him up.
Who’s the best point guard in college basketball?
Lonzo Ball, Joel Berry II, and Iowa State’s Monte Morris are among the top floor generals in the country. But who’s No. 1?
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
As we’re reminded almost every March, college basketball has always been at its best when it’s defined by great guard play. Whether it’s pull-up jumpers from Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier, kamikaze drives from Russ Smith, or Arcidiacono’s stellar play on his way to being named Most Outstanding Player of last year’s NCAA tournament, college basketball needs great lead guards to thrive.
The good news for the sport is that this season’s crop of point guards are as good as any in recent memory. From a star-studded freshman class to senior leaders, college basketball is loaded with great floor generals.
With two months of the season officially behind us, it’s time to ask: Who’s the best?
Frank Mason III, senior, Kansas
The Kansas senior wasted no time getting this discussion started. He scored 30 against Indiana in the season opener, then sank No. 1 Duke four days later with this pull-up jumper in the Champions Classic:
Mason hasn’t slowed down yet. He’s leading the Jayhawks with 19.7 points and 5.8 assists per game, and he’s been deadly efficient doing it. Mason is shooting 54.5 percent from the floor and has made 50 percent of his threes on 52 attempts.
His 130.2 offensive rating is third best in the country for players who have used at least 24 percent of possessions, according to KenPom. His 65.7 true shooting percentage is the third-best of anyone on this list.
Jawun Evans, sophomore, Oklahoma State
It might feel like a diminutive college point guard draws Chris Paul comparisons every year, but Jawun Evans is the rare player who actually deserves it. Evans has taken his game to a new level as a sophomore, turning into a go-to scorer, an elite playmaker, and one of the toughest perimeter defenders in the country for Oklahoma State.
The first thing that jumps out about Evans’ game is his advanced basketball IQ. He just seems to be in complete control of the game at all times. This was especially evident at the Maui Invitational, where he put up 35 points, six assists, and five steals against UConn and then hung 30 points on North Carolina a day later.
Evans’ usage rate has skyrocketed this season, but he’s only become more efficient as it’s happened. His 120.9 offensive rating is the 11th best in the country for any player who has used at least 28 percent of possessions. His assist rate (36.6) is No. 33 in the country, while his steal rate of 4.5 is No. 23 for any player in D1.
Evans isn’t a high-volume three-point shooter (only 2.3 attempts per game), but he doesn’t miss when he does fire, making 56 percent of his threes so far this season. Whatever Evans lacks in size, he more than makes up for by maxing out his skill level and being one of the smartest players in America.
Joel Berry II, junior, North Carolina
Marcus Paige received all of the attention in Chapel Hill the last few years, but Berry is quietly headed for a superior career. With Paige gone, Berry has taken his game to new heights as a junior. His 67.9 true shooting percentage is tops of any player on this list, he’s elevated his assist rate from 19.4 to 29.5, and he’s also shooting a career-best 44 percent from three-point range.
There’s no question Berry has been North Carolina’s rock this season. With him at his best, Carolina was able to blitz through Maui and look like a legit Final Four contender. When Berry missed two games with an ankle injury earlier this month, UNC was barely able to beat Tennessee at home and let Davidson hang around, too.
His player comparisons on KenPom have to bring a smile to the face of any North Carolina fan:
The first two players on that list, Ty Lawson and Ray Felton, powered North Carolina’s last two national championships. Berry would love to join the club.
Markelle Fultz, freshman, Washington
Is the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft going to miss the NCAA tournament again? It looks like it. Like Ben Simmons before him, Fultz is a freshman mega-talent putting up huge numbers for a team struggling to win games. It’s a shame for college basketball because Fultz is the type of player who deserves a national spotlight as often as possible.
Through his first 12 college games, Fultz is averaging 22 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.2 rebounds on 50.5 percent shooting from the floor and 46.8 percent shooting from three. He’s also second on Washington in blocks and steals. At 6’5, he’s a dynamic offensive player capable of creating his own look from all three levels.
It isn’t just his scoring ability. Fultz is also a creative passer and a developing defender who already has a knack for intercepting passings and making chasedown blocks.
Unfortunately, Washington looks like a disaster, losing to Yale, Nevada, and TCU twice and ranking just No. 91 on KenPom entering Pac-12 play. Meanwhile, Fultz keeps playing like a potential superstar. There’s no question he’s an excellent long-term prospect, but he’s also as productive as anyone on this list right now.
Monte Morris, senior, Iowa State
Morris spent his first two years at Iowa State leading the country in assist-to-turnover ratio. He’s spent the last two years developing into more of a scorer while continuing to keep the Cyclones offense humming.
Morris is again among the leaders in his favorite stat, but he’s so much more than a caretaker now. It’s easy to notice Morris averaging a career-high 14.6 points per game, but he’s also posting career bests in usage rate, assist rate, and PER.
Lonzo Ball, freshman, UCLA
UCLA is much more than a one-man show, but there’s no denying Ball has been the catalyst in turning the Bruins into the most exciting team in college basketball. He’s allowed Bryce Alford to slide into a more comfortable role playing playing off the ball, he’s quickly developed a rapport with fellow five-star freshman T.J. Leaf, and his desire to push the tempo and share the rock has rubbed off on the entire team.
Ball plays the game with some much flair that it’s easy to focus on style over substance. He has the numbers too, though. Ball’s averaging 13.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game through UCLA’s 13-0 start while shooting 53.4 percent from the floor and 43.3 percent from deep. That’s good for a ridiculous 66.4 true shooting percentage.
That shot might look weird, but it goes in. The Bruins might seem like they don’t play enough defense to reach the Final Four, but they haven’t been beat yet. For now, we’re just going to enjoy the show.
Honorable mentions
- Melo Trimble is back to being a late-game assassin for Maryland as a junior
- Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox is an elite defender and one of the fastest players in the country
- Mo Watson is posting a ridiculous 44 percent assist rate during Creighton’s undefeated start
- Central Michigan’s Marcus Keene is leading the country in scoring at almost 32 points per game
- NC State freshman Dennis Smith keeps getting better and better in his return from a torn ACL
See More:
