Darryn Peterson looked every bit like a possible No. 1 overall NBA draft pick as a Kansas freshman 鈥� when he was on the court.
The 6-foot-5, 199-pound combo guard averaged 20.2 points but . He headlines a position featuring in Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.
Here鈥檚 a look at the some of the top guards entering Tuesday’s first round:
Darryn Peterson, Kansas
STRENGTHS: The scoring playmaker can attack off the dribble, in the halfcourt and in transition.
He shot 38.2% on 3-pointers, hitting . He shot 82.6% at the foul line and got there often, logging six games with at least eight attempts 鈥� including one with 16 ( ) and another with 15 (while scoring a season-high 32 points ). He also averaged 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
CONCERNS: The frequent uncertainty about his day-to-day status is a variable NBA teams will evaluate. He had a full-body cramping issue requiring hospitalization before the season. Beyond missing time, he sometimes had limited minutes 鈥� even 鈥� to create headaches despite the high-end talent.
There was at least a positive finish: he logged 37 minutes ( ) and 36 minutes ( ) in two NCAA Tournament games.
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
STRENGTHS: Offense stands out for the 6-2, 186-pound freshman and . He led the Razorbacks to their and the Sweet 16.
Acuff ranked third nationally in scoring (23.5) and 14th in assists (6.4). He thrived as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll plays (rated 鈥淓xcellent鈥� in the 89th percentile by Synergy) and in isolation (rated 鈥淰ery good鈥� in the 74th percentile). He was electric in scoring a , along with posting 91 points and 12 3-pointers in three SEC Tournament wins.
CONCERNS: Defense is a significant question, including handling matchups against bigger guards.
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
STRENGTHS: The 6-5, 188-pound freshman went from a four-star recruit to second-team AP All-American in the Illini’s . He showed an all-around skillset with the size to play on or off the ball.
He averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He shot 39.7% on 3s, including hitting . He earned 鈥淓xcellent鈥� ratings from Synergy as the pick-and-roll ballhandler and with his jumper in off-the-dribble, catch-and-shoot and contested opportunities.
CONCERNS: He has a slim build that could cause him to struggle against stronger opponents and he lacks elite athleticism.
Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
STRENGTHS: The Louisville freshman offers big scoring potential with good size (6-5, 180) after averaging 18.2 points and 4.7 assists. The highlight was , breaking the Atlantic Coast Conference freshman scoring record .
CONCERNS: He’ll need time to add strength and grow into his frame. He also battled back issues and then resurfaced , including two March Madness games.
Kingston Flemings, Houston
STRENGTHS: The 6-3, 183-pound freshman was a third-team AP All-American as a lead guard with potential to be disruptive defensively.
He averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 47.6% overall, 38.7% on 3s and 84.5% on free throws. He showed the ability to pressure teams in transition or off the bounce. He had and finished with a nearly 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Flemings ranked in the top six among tested combine players in lane-agility time, shuttle run and three-quarter-court sprint.
CONCERNS: He’ll need to add strength to handle physical play, while shot mechanics have been discussed as an area needing refinement.
Others of note:
鈥� BRAYDEN BURRIES: The 6-4, 215-pound freshman from Arizona is a combo guard with a sturdy frame and two-way potential. He’s a top-10 prospect who shot 39.1% from 3-point range and was fourth at the combine in standing vertical leap (35 inches).
鈥� LABARON PHILON JR.: The 6-3, 176-pound sophomore from Alabama was a third-team AP All-American after averaging 22.0 points and 5.0 assists. The potential late-lottery prospect boosted his shooting efficiency (50.1% overall, 39.9% on 3s) while thriving as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls (94th percentile in Synergy).
鈥� CAMERON CARR: The 6-5, 184-pound sophomore transferred from Tennessee to Baylor, averaging 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists. The first-round prospect ranked among combine leaders in standing vertical leap (second, 38 inches) and max vertical leap (third, 42.5).
鈥� BENNETT STIRTZ: The 6-3, 186-pound point guard went from Division II to Drake to Iowa, leading the Hawkeyes . The first-round prospect averaged 19.8 points, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals. Synergy rated him as 鈥淓xcellent鈥� as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls (91st percentile) and finishing at the rim (90th).
鈥� DAILYN SWAIN: The 6-7, 211-pound wing transferred from Xavier to Texas, where he averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. The first-round prospect showed active hands by averaging 1.6 steals but shot just 29.3% on 3s through three seasons.
鈥� CHRISTIAN ANDERSON: The 6-1, 180-pound sophomore from Texas Tech was a third-team AP All-American who averaged 18.5 points while ranking fifth nationally in assists (7.4). He鈥檚 a bit small but projects as a scoring playmaker who shot 40% on 3s over two seasons.
鈥� EBUKA OKORIE: The four-star prospect , ranking seventh nationally in scoring (23.2) with a . The first-round prospect is a bit undersized (6-1, 186) but had the burst to score in transition and the halfcourt.
鈥� ISAIAH EVANS: The Duke sophomore is a late first-round prospect who can heat up outside after shooting 38% on 3s through two seasons, including a . He needs to add strength to a 6-6, 186-pound frame.
鈥� MELEEK THOMAS: The 6-3, 190-pound freshman from Arkansas is a late first-round prospect who averaged 15.6 points. He shot 47.9% from 3-point range after Christmas, a 25-game stretch spanning a run to the SEC Tournament title and the NCAA Sweet 16.
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