Small PGs on the Decline in the Draft

quote:

---

The early buzz on the small point guards in the 2013 NBA Draft class has not been good.

As teams begin working out players, some in head-to-head situations, the commentary flowing out on the smallest of the NBA Draft is not redeeming.

Trey Burke (6' 1.25? in shoes), who is considered by most to be the top point guard candidate, continues to get hammered by talent evaluators for being too slow for elite status at the next level. Burke is still likely to go in the top ten, but teams with pressing needs seem to be looking elsewhere and view Burke more as a solid backup than a franchise guard. Burke is expected to begin workouts soon and it’s possible he could sway some team’s opinions on him, but as teams really start to tear apart the draft Burke’s stock is taking a significant hit.

Dennis Schroeder (6' 2? in shoes) may not be the star in the making that some are projecting him, concerns about Schroeder’s shot and his slender frame have teams doubting that he can be an impact player worthy of a lottery pick. Schroeder has started working out for teams in hopes of cementing some guarantees. One league source said Schroeder is still a first round pick, but doubted that he could go in the teens where many have projected him.

Miami’s Shane Larkin (5' 11.5? in shoes) also has his detractors, mainly due to his size. The common complaint about Larkin is that he “plays small” and that’s a problem at the next level. Larkin logged some of the most impressive athletic stats at the NBA Draft Combine last month in Chicago and as he begins his workout tour he will need to prove to teams that he can play “big” and use some of those freakish athletic skills to overcome his size deficit.

On the flip side the lovefest over Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams continues to flourish. Talent evaluators continue to gush over Carter-Williams’ length and potential at the next level. The common comparison for Carter-Williams is Shaun Livingston before the knee injuries, which might be a little off considering Carter-Williams isn’t nearly the explosive athlete Livingston was coming into the NBA straight from high school.

---