Top 15 SG's

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2003 NBA Draft: Top 15 shooting guards

By Chad Ford

NBA Insider

Send an Email to Chad Ford Tuesday, April 29

Updated: May 21

12:31 PM ET

Updated May 21 Quick. Name the last great shooting guard to come out of the NBA Draft.

Don't pause to flip through your draft guide.

Just give me his name.

Is it Jason Richardson (2001)? Desmond Mason (2000)? Richard Hamilton (1999)? Ron Artest (1999)?

Good? Sure. Great? C'mon.

Rewind back to 1998 and we can start talking. Vince Carter went fifth that year though his greatness may forever be limited to Nike and Gatorade commercials. Paul Pierce is the truth, but nine teams didn't believe that on draft night.

Rewind back one more year and you'll find Tracy McGrady on the board at No. 9. Two more years to 1996 and I can give you Allen Iverson (1st overall), Ray Allen (5th ) and Kobe Bryant (13th).

Go back any further and Alzheimer's sets in.

Since 1980, only one two guard, Iverson (and most teams felt he was a point) has been drafted overall. You have to go back to 1979, when Magic Johnson went No. 1 overall, to find a guard with as much hype going No. 1.

I give this illustration only to point out an obvious disconnect from the lores of scouting wisdom and reality. To quote more than one NBA scout, good shooting guards are a dime a dozen.

Unlike the rare centers and point guards who only appear in leap years when there's a full moon, shooting guards are everywhere. They grow on trees. Take a shot on the big kid who can't tie his shoes. Grab your two guard of the future off any NBDL roster.

Unfortunately, it hasn't happened that way. It's part of the reason that LeBron James is such a big deal. OK, maybe he's not really a shooting guard. Maybe he's a point guard. Or a point forward. Maybe he can spend 10 minutes at power forward. In a year he could be playing center.

The point is that he can play in the backcourt. He can shoot, handle, drive to the basket, post up smaller defenders and run like the wind. Amen.

He's not alone. A kid from France may be the best athlete in the draft, period. Another undersized kid from Marquette is trying to be the next Gilbert Arenas. And then there's the kid from BYU who looks like Eminem with a jump shot.

Break out your Nikes and Gatorade. It's showtime.

Here's a look at the Top 15 shooting guards in the 2003 NBA Draft.

Also see: Top 10 C | Top 15 PF | Top 15 SF | Top 15 PG | Top 15 International

Note: The list includes all players who have declared 2003 draft. An asterisk (*) by a player's name indicates he is either a college underclassman who has not hired an agent or an under 22 international player who can withdraw his name before the June 19th deadline.

1. LeBron James, Akron, Ohio

The line: 6-8, 240, High School Senior

The skinny: For all 12 of you left on the planet who don't already own a LeBron jersey, here it goes. . . Put him anywhere on the floor, give him the ball and get out of the way. When you can say that about any prospect, let alone an 18-year-old fresh off his high school prom, he goes No. 1. End of story.

2. Mickael Pietrus, Pau Ortiz (France)*

The line: 6-6, 215, 21 years old

The skinny: Pietrus has been working on his jumper since we saw him in December. Some teams felt that was his only weakness. Actually, his ability to shoot the 3 consistently is really one of his strengths. He's got a great stroke. Pietrus has a very American game. He loves to take it to the basket and use his athleticism and leaping ability to fly past his opponents. He's also a superb defender. He's aggressive on both ends of the court. He's very strong for his size. Think a mixture of Desmond Mason and Ray Allen. The Bulls have already been making numerous inquiries. He could go as high as No.7. I doubt he slips past the Grizzlies at No. 13.

3. Dwyane Wade, Marquette

The line: 6-4, 210, Junior

The skinny: Wade's game evokes comparisons to Desmond Mason, Fred Jones and even Jerry Stackhouse from scouts. It's not hard to see why when you look at his combination of a strong frame, leaping ability and defensive presence. He's one of the most complete athletes in college hoops. So what's the issue? He's picked up the dreaded "combo guard" label. He's too small to be a two guard in the NBA, but lacks the instincts to be top-notch point guard. While scouts are usually terrified of undersized two guards, Wade may be the exception. He has long arms and a pretty good handle. He never plays out of control, leading some to wonder if he could be turned into a point guard. After seeing how Gilbert Arenas proved everyone wrong, teams are more willing to take a chance on a talent like Wade. Expect him to be in the lottery when the smoke clears on draft night.

4. Jarvis Hayes, Georgia*

The line: 6-7, 220, Junior

The skinny: Teams like his body, strength and athleticism for the position and think his shooting has really improved. However, in a draft where being labeled "multi-dimensional" will make you multi-millions, Hayes has the rep of being a one-note player. It's not entirely fair. Hayes is an decent rebounder and defender. But his inability to put the ball on the floor or create his own shot will be a problem. He averaged just 3.3 free throw attempts per game. Think Allan Houston without a first step. Should go somewhere between the late lottery and mid first round.

5. Aleksandar Pavlovic, Buducnost (Yugoslavia)*

The line: 6-7, 210, 20 years old

The skinny: Pavlovic is a 6-foot-7 athletic swingman who some scouts are comparing to Peja Stojakovic. While scouts say that he struggles as a defender and doesn't have a great long-range game, other teams feel he could be a kid who could come in and make an impact in year one. The rumor is that he already has a promise between 14 and 19.

6. Carlos Delfino, Argentina*

The line: 6-7, 215, 21 years old

The skinny: Several teams like Delfino, but a serious ankle injury a month ago really hurt his stock. I had planned to go to Bologna to see Delfino play, but his ankle was still hurting. His agent, David Bauman, claims there was no ligament damage and plans to bring him to the U.S. for private workouts. He'll have to prove that there isn't any reoccurring problem with the ankle. Teams love his toughness, shooting ability and how he can get to the basket. Can he slip into the first round? He has the talent, but his workouts will be key.

7. Travis Hansen, BYU

The line: 6-6, 210, Senior

The skinny: No one helped himself more at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament than Hansen. Hansen turned out to be a much better athlete than original scouting reports indicated. He also turned out to be a much better perimeter shooter, averaging 15.7 ppg on 57 percent shooting. He shot 63 percent from behind the arc during the tournament. Teams were also impressed with his toughness. Hansen can bench press more than 300 pounds and repeatedly ended up guarding and stopping bigger opponents. Several scouts claimed he reminded them of a more-athletic Jeff Hornacek. Another went even further, comparing him to Danny Ainge. Hooking up with agent Bill Duffy won't hurt his stock either. Right now he's probably still a second-round pick. But a strong showing in Chicago or a series of good workouts could propel him into the late first round.

8. Dahntay Jones, Duke

The line: 6-6, 210, Senior

The skinny: Another super athlete who helped himself with a strong tournament performance. Jones averaged nearly 25 ppg in the tournament this year and proved to scouts that he's outside shooting is coming around. He's got the size, athleticism and strength teams want in a two guard. He's a good defender and proved that, with good coaching, he can improve his game. If he plays well in Chicago he also has a chance of moving out of the second round into the late first.

9. Ronald Dupree, LSU

The line: 6-5, 200, Senior

The skinny: Dupree's is another guy who really helped himself in Portsmouth. Dupree, who averaged 15.3 ppg at the PIT, gave scouts plenty of highlight-reel dunks but couldn't bury an outside jumper to save his life. He shot several airballs on 15-foot jumpers during the tournament, but scouts love his explosiveness around the basket. If he starts nailing jumpers in workouts, watch out.

10. Alexander Vujacic, Slovenia*

The line: 6-6, 210, 19 years old

The skinny: Vujacic is a big time prospect who's stock is beginning to rise dramatically. Vujacic is an athletic combo guard who can play the point or the two. He's great at getting the ball to the basket and has a nice perimeter game to match. He's very smart and sees the floor well. His defense needs work and he needs to get stronger, but he could be a sleeper to watch. If he can't get a first round guarantee, Vujacic will probably pull his name from the draft and wait until next year.

11. Marquis Daniels, Auburn

The line: 6-5, 200, Senior

The skinny: Another sleeper who could help himself with a big performance in Chicago. He's tough, athletic and really knows how to take the ball to the basket. Daniels isn't a great three point shooter, but he has a decent mid range game. He's got a very good handle and has the ability to play point guard in a pinch. He's also an excellent rebounder. Right now he's a second-round pick, but he too has the ability to move up in the draft with strong workouts.

12. Bernard King, Texas A&M

The line: 6-5, 200, Senior

The skinny: King is another guy who will improve his stock dramatically if teams believe he's capable of playing the point even part time. He's a good passer and an above-average ball handler. His 5.6 apg last season has caught the eye of scouts. He's fundamentally very solid. The issues are with his athleticism and ability to play in control. Shot selection has been an issue with King in the past, though last season he seemed to get things under control. Like just about everyone else, a lot will depend on what he does in Chicago. If he shines there, teams will give him serious consideration. Right now, however, he's a second-rounder.

13. Carl English, SG, Hawaii*

The line: 6-5, 205, Junior

The skinny: A big-time scorer and shooter. English has strong ball-handling skills and is a decent passer. He'll be trying to prove to scouts that he can make the transition from shooting guard to point guard in the pros. Needs to have a big week in Chicago.

14. Andre Emmett, Texas Tech*

The line: 6-5, 229, Junior

The skinny: A surprise entry into the draft. He's a big time scorer who shoots a pretty high percentage from the field based on his ability to get to the basket. If he had a better perimeter game, he'd go a lot higher.

15. Ruben Douglas, New Mexico

The line: 6-5, 200, Senior

The skinny: Douglas, who led the nation in scoring, averaging 27.9 points a game last season, raised some eyebrows in April when he decided to skip the PIT. While everyone agrees that he's a gifted scorer, most scouts feel he's closer to 6-foot-4 and isn't tall enough to play shooting guard in the pros. He also lacks the athleticism teams look for in a two guard.

Others to watch: Willie Green, Detroit; Keith Bogans, Kentucky; Alexander Vujacic, Slovenia; Quinton Ross, SMU; Ronald Blackshear, Marshall.