NBA Draft Preview: Shooting Guards By Aran Smith 5/31/06 This year's shooting guard class lacks a surefire superstar but has a number of solid options with Brandon Roy at the top. Other options include one of the top shooters anywhere in JJ Redick, plus versatile guards Ronnie Brewer, Mardy Collins and Rudy Fernandez who all have the ability to play some point guard, as well as standout athletes such as Maurice Ager and Richard Roby. Here's a look at the top shooting guards available for this year's draft: 1.) Brandon Roy 6-5 195 SG Washington Sr. -- Roy doesn't blow you away with any aspect of his game, but he's as NBA ready as any player in this draft and the most complete all around shooting guard available. He has a shot to go in the top 5 picks and should be long gone when his hometown Seattle Supersonics select at 10. Roy is a cerebral player with a great understanding of the game, and has shown the versatility to play point guard in college (should be able to fill in some in the league) and excels in important situations. 2.) Maurice Ager 6-4 202 SG Mich. St. Sr. -- Ager could end up the top shooting guard in the draft. He raises his level of play in big games and has a great package of skills to go with tremendous speed and athleticism. Teams have been impressed with his character, he's a guy that will give solid effort and should find a place just outside the lottery. 3.) JJ Redick 6-4 190 SG Duke Sr. -- Look for Redick to be the second shooting guard off the board. He's the ultimate specialty player in this year's draft. A lot of his success will depend on the team that drafts him and how they use him. Although his overall game showed a lot of development, on the next level his bread and butter will be knocking down open jump shots. There are some questions about his size and ability to defend and create shots for himself. Some scouts feel a lot of his success is due to Duke's system and that he isn't much different from former Duke standout Trajon Langdon, who is having an excellent career in Russia. 4.) Ronnie Brewer 6-7 217 SG Arkansas Jr. -- Has one of the ugliest jumpers, which doesn't bode well for a "shooting" guard, however he does a lot of things well. First he has NBA genes, his Dad was a first round pick and he's been around basketball his entire life. Next he has an NBA body with excellent strength and quickness. He should be an excellent defender. His ball handling and passing skills are also intriguing. Brewer has a shot to go late lotto, and should find a spot in the late teens if he slips. 5.) Mardy Collins 6-6 205 PG/SG Temple Sr. -- Collins could also get some looks in the late lottery area but based on early workouts it appears he's likely to slip to the mid-to-late first round area. Collins is similar to Brewer in his ability to handle and pass. He has a better jump shot than Brewer, but lacks Brewer's strength and athleticism. Both players are excellent defenders. 6.) Richard Roby 6-6 190 SG Colorado So. -- Roby has as much potential as any shooting guard in this year's class. But with just 2 years of college, he's still raw and lacks the maturity level of some of the players above him. His inconsistency leaves some major question marks. For a player with immense physical gifts he has a reputation of coasting at times, will he have the desire to continue to work hard on his game? 7.) Rudy Fernandez 6-6 172 PG/SG Spain 1985 -- Fernandez lacks tremendous potential, but he's had a great end of the year playing in Spain and has a precocious feel for the game. He lacks great strength, but has solid toughness and should be able to add some weight. He's a high effort, high intangibles type of player. 8.) Mike Gansey 6-4 205 SG W. Virginia Sr. -- A very cerebral player, has the ability to make those around him better and contributes in a variety of ways. His outside shooting has developed to the point where he is arguably one of the top half dozen shooters on the college game. One of those players that has the will and desire to outwork and outperform superior athletes. Gansey has a legit shot at the end of the first round. 9.) Denham Brown 6-5 220 SG UConn Sr. -- Never broke out into the star that some expected he would, but had a solid career at UConn. He has thrived playing on the Canadian National team. At UConn, Brown had the most success when he had the SG position all to himself. He should do well in the right situation as he shows strong all around skills and athletic ability. Look for Brown to find a spot in the early to mid second round. 10.) Arron Afflalo 6-5 210 SG UCLA So. -- Afflalo's stock took a major hit with his disappearance in the national title game where he failed to have an impact. His versatility, defense and shooting ability make him an intriguing prospect, but the lasting impression of him was his ineffectiveness in the Final Four. Add to that Afflalo is closer to 6-4 than 6-5 and he becomes a long shot for the first round. He's an excellent prospect, but his stock dictates that he should return to UCLA for his Junior year. http://www.nbadraft.net/draftbuzz059.asp --

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