With the NCAA and other leagues worldwide officially in full swing and the NBA season approaching the all-star break, NBA scouts are now hard at work looking for their teams’ next potential star and core pieces. As a part of Sports Business Classroom’s 2024 NBA Draft series, the following are combo guards to watch ahead of June’s draft.
A combo guard is just what it sounds like– a combination of scoring and playmaking/ball-handling. They can score in various ways while putting the ball on the floor and running the offense when necessary.
The surprising 6’3″ freshman out of Kentucky, Reed Sheppard, is kicking off our list. Coming off of the bench for the majority of the season, he has taken the college basketball scene by storm as a do-it-all player, offensively and defensively. More than anything else, his shooting jumps off the page at 54.4 percent from deep. But he has also impressed as a playmaker and a defender. He leads the ACC in steals due to his strong defensive instincts and has also shown that he could grow into a legitimate primary ball handler. Sheppard’s high floor is his greatest appeal in a draft filled with role and complementary players. While he does not necessarily follow the trends of an All-Star in terms of his frame and athleticism, he brings a plethora of skills that can help a superstar thrive.
Potential First Round Picks:
- Reed Sheppard – Kentucky
- Ja’Kobe Walter – Baylor
- Kevin McCullar Jr. – Kansas
- Devin Carter – Providence
- Jared McCain – Duke
Potential Second Round Picks:
- Wooga Poplar – Miami
- Zhuric Phelps – SMU
- Hunter Sallis – Wake Forest
- Trey Alexander – Creighton
- Bronny James – USC
- Johnell Davis – FAU
Undrafted/G League:
- Kam Jones – Marquette
- Antonio Reeves – Kentucky
- Otega Oweh – Oklahoma
- Adama Bal – Santa Clara
- Nikola Djurisic – KK Mega Bemax (Serbia)
- Walter Clayton Jr. – Florida
A very polarizing prospect is Alexander out of Creighton University. In his junior year, Alexander has become a much-improved playmaker and decision-maker off the bounce. Rather than immediately attacking the basket, which was a past issue, he now emphasizes moving the ball and getting others involved. He still gets caught in tunnel vision at times, which can cause him to force up a bad shot, but he is also very capable of hitting those contested shots. The most significant question mark on Alexander’s game is his three-point shooting. In his three years playing at the collegiate level, his three-point percentage fluctuated from 28.1 percent to 41 percent and this season to 29.7 percent. If he can find consistency here, there will be many more opportunities for him to shine at the NBA level.
Finally, Clayton is a name to keep an eye on to move up draft boards as we approach the final months of the NCAA season. Clayton plays with a chip on his shoulder, and although he is undersized at only 6’2″, he works hard on both ends of the floor. Clayton thrives as a scorer without the ball as a spot-up shooter and cutter but has also shown flashes as a willing passer and a shot creator off the dribble. While he may struggle to find opportunity against NBA-level talent this early in his career, Clayton has all the tools necessary to make a splash in the G League and potentially earn himself a spot on an NBA floor.
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