It’s the ‘Year of the Point Guard’ in 2020 NBA Draft and college basketball

Basketball is always better with skilled point guard play, a truism that extends to every level of the game from pick-up to the pros. There is not one correct way to play the position — great point guards can come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. Some are true floor generals in the mold of John Stockton or Chris Paul, lead guards who look to set up teammates first and score second. Some are athletic bulldozers like Russell Westbrook or prime Derrick Rose. The most modern spin on the position is the pull-up artist, with Steph Curry serving as the godfather.

There is good news for point guard appreciators as a new season approaches: this year is going to be loaded with talented, young lead guards throughout the college and international ranks. You will be hearing many of these names in the build up to the 2020 NBA Draft.

This is an early introduction to the next generation of point guards you need to know.

Winston enters his senior season at Michigan State with a strong case to be considered the best player in the country. He is the definition of a true point guard, remarkably finishing no lower than No. 3 overall in assist rate during his three seasons in East Lansing. He made significant strides as a scorer last season, averaging 18.8 points per game (up from 12.6 as a sophomore) as he led the Spartans to the Final Four. In addition to being the best passer in the sport, he is also one of the best shooters, sporting a 43 percent career mark from three-point range.

File Markus Howard under the Pull-Up Gawd category. Marquette’s rising senior may be the best pure shooter and best scorer in the sport. Howard already has a pair of 50+ point games on his resume, and his 116 made three-pointers ranked No. 6 in college hoops last year. He is the closest thing stylistically the college game has to Curry.

Tre Jones and Ashton Hagans have more in common than running the two biggest programs in the sport at Duke and Kentucky, respectively. They might be the two best defensive point guards in the country. Jones said no to the NBA to return for his sophomore year as the elder statesman of another freshman-dominated Duke team. Kentucky took off last season after Hagans became the starter and will have legitimate Final Four aspirations this season. Neither of these guys are known for scoring and both struggle to shoot, but you’d still want them on your side every game.

A words on four more studs ...

Tyrese Haliburton: Iowa State’s rising sophomore is one of the most unique players in the a country: a 6’5 point guard outside the top-150 of recruiting rankings who morphed into one of the most efficient scorers in DI as a freshman. We have him as a projected first-round pick after an impressive summer with USA Basketball’s U19 team.

Devon Dotson: A speed demon with the ball in his hands, Dotson is a strong and quick 6’1 point guard who feels primed to take a major jump this year as a sophomore at Kansas. What kind of odds can you get on him for national player of the year?

Anthony Cowan: Not the biggest or most athletic point guard, Cowan still figures to be one fo the nation’s best as a senior at Maryland this season because few are more skilled. You can pencil him in for 15 points, five assists, and couple three-pointers every night.

Ayo Dosunmu: Long, lean, and athletic, Dosunmu lived up his recruiting hype as a freshman at Illinois by averaging 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. The sky is the limit if he improves as a shooter.

America, get ready for the Cole Anthony show.

Anthony replaces Coby White in the backcourt at North Carolina and he’s going to be an even bigger star. An explosive 6’3 point guard with springs in his legs and pull-up range out past the three-point line, Anthony projects as the most hyped player in college basketball and the possible No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. He’s going to be a monster at UNC this season. The only question is if he can make his teammates better while getting his own buckets.

Nico Mannion should get nearly as much exposure as Anthony. “The Red Mamba” is going to be the main attraction at Arizona this season, profiling as a pull-up scorer and advanced passer who should put up huge numbers. He’s established himself as a likely top-10 overall NBA Draft pick this year after a breakout performance at the Nike Hoop Summit.

Tyrese Maxey will spend a lot of time playing off the ball this season next to Hagans at Kentucky, but we’ll put him here because point guard will be his best position long-term. Maxey is a strong and athletic 6’2 guard who profiles as a monster perimeter defender in addition to a capable shooter and passer. He’s another likely top-10 draft pick.

Tre Mann is often overlooked at Florida in favor of fellow McDonald’s All-American Scottie Lewis, but the 6’3 guard is a dynamic talent in his own right. Mann projects as a potentially elite shooter with deep range on his pull-up jumper. D.J. Carton should get the keys from day one at Ohio State. A strong and explosive 6’2 guard, Carton will be a favorite for newcomer of the year in the Big 10.

The 2020 NBA Draft is expected to feature three point guards in the lottery who are currently playing professionally overseas — and that’s not counting Deni Avdija, a 6’9 point-forward who will likely be best used as an offensive initiator.

Theo Maledon is an 18-year-old French guard who has already emerged as a starter on ASVEL, a club in France’s top pro league run by Tony Parker. At 6’5, Maledon is a high-IQ point guard with a refined dribble/pass/shoot skill set. He lacks the high end athleticism of some of the American guards, but his well-rounded skill set and feel for the game was enough to be pegged at No. 3 overall in our initial 2020 mock draft.

R.J. Hampton was a top-five recruit out of Texas who reclassified to bypass his senior year of high school, then made the decision to spurn Kansas, Memphis, and others to instead play in New Zealand as a pro in the NBL. Hampton is an aggressive downhill scorer as a 6’5 guard who has absorb and finish through contact at the rim. The NBA will be watching his jump shot and his ability to run a team.

LaMelo Ball is sure to be the most polarizing prospect in the draft on name recognition alone. Most remember the youngest Ball brother as the half-court chucking guard that was pulled out of high school by his father for a star-crossed run as a pro in Lithuania, but over the last two years he’s grown into a legitimate lottery prospect. A 6’7 point guard with special passing creativity and deep pull-up shooting range, Ball has unique talents to go with concern over shot selection, strength, and explosion. His year in the NBL opposite Hampton should be fascinating to watch.