1. Cassius Winston-Michigan State
Winston is the best point guard in the country, as everything Michigan State runs is through him. His ability to shoot perimeter jumpers off the bounce is very good. His distribution skills are very good, as he is able to give his teammates great scoring opportunities. He plays with great poise and body control. Winston is not the quickest but uses his high IQ and takes good angles to get necessary separation. He’s a pretty good driver who finishes around the rim effectively and is very good in ball screen action. His lateral quickness is not very good and he can get caught off guard by cutters. His on-ball defense is solid as his technique is there so he stays in a good position. Winston will be a Player of the Year candidate and will be looking to lead Michigan State a national championship.
2. Anthony Cowan Jr.-Maryland
Cowan is a very good all-around point guard. His effort is solid defensively. He could be a more productive defender against dribble penetration. His active hands defensively are very solid as well. Cowan can improve on becoming a more efficient shooter with better shot selection. Also, he could be an even better distributor than he already is. His ability to hit perimeter jumpers is very good on the catch and dribble. He plays with really good composure and awareness. He’s a pretty effective driver who also has good touch around the basket. Cowan is looking to lead Maryland to a deep NCAA tournament run.
3. Tre Jones-Duke
Jones is an elite on-ball defender who is arguably the best defender in the country. He uses his active hands to create turnovers and has the ability to stay in front is as good as anyone in the country. Also, Jones rebounds well for his size and gets out in transition well. He will be the leader for Duke and be the anchor of the defense. His biggest improvement needs to be to become a consistent shooter who can be reliable from mid-range and three. He’s good at attacking the basket and finishing with runners and off-balanced layups.
4. Cole Anthony-North Carolina
Anthony brings explosiveness as an exceptional athlete. He competes at a high level on a consistent basis. He does a really good job of attacking the basket in the half-court and in transition. On the defensive end, the ability to stay at the front is really good with his technique and energy. Anthony is a solid shooter but could improve as an overall shooter to be able to score consistently at three levels. Anthony will be one of the best freshmen in the country looking to lead North Carolina to another deep NCAA tournament run.
5. Devon Dotson-Kansas
Dotson is arguably the fastest player with the ball in the country great in transition. His ability to go off of a ball screen is dynamic and he finishes around the basket well. He’s a good distributor, but can be more consistent and look to create for others. Dotson is a solid three-point shooter, but could take another step there as well. He is a really good defender and with his small size he can get under players. His lateral quickness is top level.
6. Davide Moretti-Texas Tech
Moretti is a very good shooter from the three and mid-range. He has a really good feel for the game. Moretti is always shot ready, but has the ability to shot fake and reset very well. He has good touch around the rim, but he could become a better distributor creating for others. His footwork offensively is great as he’s always balanced. He’s always in a good position with great foot angles dictating where the offense will go. He lacks the athleticism of other guards, but his technique and IQ are so good he makes up for it most of the time. He will look to become the primary scoring option for Texas Tech next season.
7. Ashton Hagans-Kentucky
Hagans needs to improve more as a go-to scorer with the ability to shoot. He also can improve in being more of a distributor. Hagans is a good on-ball defender who has the lateral quickness to continue to excel on the defensive end. He has a tendency to get caught out of the position off the ball. Hagans will have the opportunity to lead Kentucky to a deep NCAA tournament run.
8. Markus Howard-Marquette
The ability to score for Howard is exceptional. He moves without the ball really well, along with his ability to pull up off the dribble in the mid-range and for three. He’s always shot ready and will shoot a high volume of shots. He can also get downhill and finish around the basket pretty well. The offense for Marquette will entirely run through Howard and he has a great chance to lead the country in scoring. He’s a decent defender, as he does an okay job of staying in front. Off the ball, he gets caught out of position and will be late for closeouts. Marquette will be very dependent on the production of Howard after losing the Hauser brothers to transfer.
9. Zavier Simpson-Michigan
Simpson is one of the best overall defenders in the country. His activity and technique are as good as it gets. He is very quick being able to stick with guards off the ball. Also, his active hands can force many bad decisions by opposing guards. The ability to play defense with the lower half of his body is exceptional. The lateral movement is so good with his feet always at the exact angle needed. His running hook shot is the most unique shot in all of college basketball and is very effective. He is very strong with the ball and does a great job of getting in gaps and finding teammates. He rebounds very well especially for a guard and initiates the offense in transition. He can improve his perimeter jump shot to have a complete offensive skill set. Simpson is one of the most complete guards in the country.
10. Marcus Evans-VCU
Evans has a very good feel on the offensive end. Further, his ability to play in ball screen action is really good. The ability to get to his spots with a quick first step is strong. Also, he has overall balance and body control with head fakes and the ability to get to the basket. He brings a physicality and toughness on the defensive end. The ability to stay low in his stance on a consistent basis is there. His on-ball defense is really good. Evans will be looking to lead VCU back to the NCAA tournament.
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