Keyon Dooling PG 6'3 180 C+ B- C+ C+ C- B
Missouri Sophomore
Dooling is a good athlete at the point guard position. At 6-3, he has the height to be an SSBL PG, but he is too thin. Still, he's got great quickness and speed, super leaping ability (he won the dunk contest at the NBPA camp out of HS), a nice handle and some crafty moves off the dribble. I think he can be reasonably compared to Baron Davis of UCLA, in that he is an explosive athlete who can handle the ball well enough to play point, and whose shooting went from nowhere in HS to decent at the college level. Shooting is likely to be shaky in the NBA, just as Davis' is. However, I don't see the star qualities we all saw in Baron. Dooling lacks the bulk and strength that Davis has. He will struggle to finish plays on drives where he is bumped. Dooling's playmaking is developing, but is still raw. He won't make it as a shooter, and there are better pure playmakers available. I don't think he's a lottery pick, but the potential to be a good NBA point guard is there.
Jamaal Tinsley PG 6'3 195 22 C+ C+ B B- D+ B
Iowa State Junior
Creative ball handler...uses a variety of spins, crossovers and stutter steps to get by defenders. Can routinely out-muscle opposing point guards. Really knows how to setup teammates with his excellent court vision. Good penetrator that can get in the lane and finish with a vast array of difficult lay-ups. Quick hands on defense, which make him a threat to steal the ball at any time. Average rebounder for a PG. Is not the best 3-point shooter but he can make the big shot when his team needs it. Good size for a PG. Weakness would be shooting beyond the 3-point line or the perimeter. Not a good free throw shooter .Shot selection not the best at times. Tries to be flashy at times but leads to turnovers. Needs to work on his shooting mechanics. Doesn't look like he'll be a big scorer in the Pros so teams drafting will do so with the knowledge that he is a pure set-up man....
Marko Jaric PG 6'7 195 22 C+ C+ B B- C- A (European contract)
Fortitudo Bologna (Italy)
PG/SG/SF combo wing player who can handle the ball and hit open jumpers. Jaric is currently playing in his last year for Fortitudo Bologna, but has received an offer to play with Virtus Bologna on a 2-year deal. Keeping his name in the draft. A team who drafts Jaric would retain his rights until he comes to play in the USA.
Eric Barkley PG 6'0 185 C+ B- C+ B D+ A
St. John's Sophomore
Barkley has great quickness, which, coupled with his shooting ability, enables him to score as well as create for teammates. He handles the ball well and had a solid assist-to-turnover ratio last season. Barkley knows how to defend. Some scouts think he could be the first point guard taken in the draft.
Craig Claxton PG 5'11 180 22 C C+ B B D B
Hofstra Senior
Claxton had a great senior year, averaging nearly 23 points and more than six assists and three steals. He shot an impressive 47 percent from the field (38 percent from 3-point range) and, incredibly, grabbed 5.4 rebounds per game. Claxton is everybody's favorite sleeper in this year's draft, he has a 40 inch vertical. He was originally compared to as a Brevin Knight-type player with better leaping ability. He can blow by you in a heartbeat. Once in the lane, he gets good elevation on pull-up jumpers from 10 feet out, and has a nice touch on floater shots. He can also find people for layups once he's at the rim. Speedy can run an offense, and good decisions are made when the ball is in his hands. He uses screens well, and has a decent jumper from long-range. Good defender -- more than three steals per game in his senior year, because he gets in the lanes well and has fast hands. In a weak pool of pure point guards this year, Claxton could be the best point guard prospect in this year's draft because he can shoot well enough to keep defenses honest, he can push the ball in transition, he has a mindset that allows him to make plays for other people, and he defends. The only drawback to Claxton as a prospect is his size, so he must adapt to playing bigger guards on a nightly basis.
Eddie House PG 6'1 180 22 C A- C C+ D B
Arizona State Senior
House dropped 61 points on California this year and became the first player in league history to score 40 or more points four times in a season. He had eight games of 30 points or more. House, is a tough competitor who can also do other things. He's a better passer than given credit for. But he'll need to show he can be more of a playmaker in the SSBL. Also a better defender than his ratings show. With House, you are getting an energy player who plays off of the roars of the crowd...his height is a concern so he won't see much time at SG, but should be a spark off anyone's bench.
Mateen Cleaves PG 6'2 195 23 C+ C B- B+ D+ B
Michigan State Senior
Cleaves is the consummate leader and winner, a player who lives up to that well-worn piece of praise "coach on the floor." Cleaves also possesses most of the requisite point-guard skills. He's a great passer and a rock-solid defender with quick hands that help him make a lot of steals. He penetrates well and can use screens to help him get a step to the basket. His weakness, supposedly, is his outside shot, but when he needed to step up and make some critical 3-pointers in the NCAA tournament championship game against Florida, he did so without hesitation. He finished up as the Spartans' all-time assist leader. Cleaves will be a solid pro if he puts the work in.
William Avery PG 6'2 185 21 C B- B- C+ C- B
Duke Jr
Like his teammates Maggette and Brand, Avery came back to school after falling short of the NCAA title. He worked on his defense this past year and has become a better all-around player. He's very quick and can knock down open jumpers, but doesn't get to the rim too often and still needs to work on his handling and passing. Defense has gotten better but still needs to be worked on. Can surprise many if given the chance though.
Pepe Sanchez PG 6'4 195 23 C C A- C+ C C
Temple Senior
Pepe is the definition of a PASS-FIRST point guard. Is also a decent defender and a great rebounder. Injuries kept his stats down but still is a skilled player. One thing he doesn't do well is shoot from the perimeter. Can he play in the Pros without a consistent jump shot to keep defenses honest? Given that he injured his ankle pretty badly hurt his stock.
Eddie Gill PG 6'0 190 22 C C+ B- B- D C
Weber State Senior
Gill averaged 16.3 points and shot well from 3-point range (.366) and the free-throw line (.861) this season. Even more impressive, at least as far as playing the point is concerned: He handed out 7 APG and made 2.3 SPG. Those are solid numbers from the point-guard spot. But Gill will have to learn to play more under control if he wants a pro career. Also would need to get stronger. He should be a solid backup and a nice pick up in the 2nd round.
A.J. Guyton PG 6'1 185 22 C+ B+ C+ C D+ C
Indiana Senior
He led the Big 10 in scoring (19.7) and also shot an excellent 42 percent from 3-point range. Guyton took advantage of all the screens he got at Indiana and learned how to move without the ball to get his shot. He's a pro-level scorer, but he's certainly not big enough to do battle defensively as a shooting guard, considering the size he would be facing. He has to prove that he can handle the PG well, because for now he looks to be a 2nd rounder. But any team looking for a quick offensive spark off the bench might be able to make use of Guyton.
Jason Hart PG 6'3 185 22 C+ C B B- D+ C
Syracuse Senior
Hart is a pretty good defender whose assist numbers improved as a senior; he was second in the Big East (6.5 per game). He didn't shoot particularly well this season but has been known to knock down a key 3-pointer. Occasionally he forces bad shots in an effort to assert himself. He handles the ball pretty well. Also a very heady play-maker. Should be a solid back up.
Ed Cota PG 6'1 198 C+ B- B- C D+ C
North Carolina Senior
Cota is a true point guard who looks first and foremost to set up his teammates. For Cota, shooting a jump shot is almost his last priority. He wound up as the ACC's 3rd place all-time assists leader, despite not being a particularly good penetrator. He makes smart passes and doesn't turn the ball over often. Cota can also rebound well for his size. However, his defense isn't the greatest, his jumper is weak, and he doesn't get to the line because he doesn't penetrate. But if a team is looking for a setup man, Cota can get the job done. He averaged 8.2 assists as North Carolina made an improbable run to the Final Four. Cota was a big reason the Tar Heels made it that far.
Scoonie Penn PG 5'10 185 B- C+ C C C- D
Ohio State Senior
Though he's small, Penn backs down from no one. He does a little of everything well, as good point guards should. He's a leader who can penetrate and dish or score when he has to. He takes care of the ball and doesn't turn it over often. His jumper comes and goes, but he has character and drive to make up for that inconsistency. He was a first-team All-Big Ten pick and third-team All-American for the second straight year. Ohio State was 50-16 in his two seasons.
Khalid El-Amin PG 5'10 203 C+ C+ C C+ D+ D
UCONN Junior
El-Amin is an overweight, chunky PG. You could consider him a scoring point guard first, which means he's capable of getting points or helping teammates get them. He's a good guy to have on your side at crunch time, because he isn't afraid to have the ball in his hands. He can also make free throws, which means that any team El-Amin plays on can close out wins down the stretch. However, he needs to lose weight. It's hard to say that someone needs to 'work on quickness' because how the hell do you do that? I doubt he'll get much burn in the Pro's, but who knows. He might be stacked with potential....
