Duke Basketball: Ranking the 5 Greatest Point Guards in Blue Devil History
Playing point guard at Duke is one of the more prestigious positions in all of sports. As a point guard himself, Mike Krzyzewski has recruited and tutored some truly great players at that position.
Point guard play, therefore, has been at the center of Duke’s rise to a national power. This list of the top five point guards to ever play at Duke evidences how important point guard play has been to the Blue Devils.
The point guards on this list not only combined talent and high basketball IQs, but also they led Duke to some of the program’s most successful years.
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Power Ranking Big Ten Starting Point Guards
Whether they are a floor general, a scorer or a defensive stopper, determining the point guard list was no piece of cake. There was excellent play from these ball-handlers, even prompting one of the players listed here to earn the nation’s highest honor of national player of the year.
Here is a recap of the 12 starting point guards in the Big Ten this past season, ranked solely on this season’s performances.
This is the fifth and final list analyzing Big Ten starters. Feel free to share your thoughts and look back at the previous lists of other positions.
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Andrew Wiggins Decision: Biggest Selling Point for All 4 Schools in the Running
The guessing game on where Andrew Wiggins will end up has gotten so much play that it’s surprising Nate Silver has not used his wizardry to predict where the phenom will end up.
It’s almost time to quit speculating and find out where Wiggins will land—he’s finally announcing on Tuesday, according to his high school coach.
The accepted belief is that Wiggins is one of the best one-and-done prospects of all time, and that’s why his recruitment has turned into the story of the college basketball offseason. Luckily, he hasn’t treated us with any quotes about how he could Carmelo-ize any program he chooses, but that is the expectation, especially after months of buildup.
Each school—Kentucky, Kansas, Florida State and North Carolina—has something great to offer.
If the coaches were going to make one last sales pitch, here are a few shots in the dark at what each one would be.
Kentucky: What’s Your Ring Size?
So Mr. Wiggins, would you like to win the title and get as much exposure as possible?
That’s what Big Blue Nation can offer. Well that, and do you like Ashley Judd? Imagine playing in front of the star of Double Jeopary! (I hope John Calipari has used this line at some point.)
Kentucky is already the consensus preseason No. 1, with a recruiting class that includes six McDonald’s All-Americans. Wiggins would give Calipari a seventh (gasp!) burger boy, and UK fans might start booking an April trip to Dallas if they haven’t already.
Wiggins has the chance to be the biggest star for what would be the greatest recruiting class of all time. He’d be the Chris Webber of the Fab Five, without that whole taking money from some old guy running an illegal gambling ring saga.
The drawback for choosing Kentucky is that there is—pardon the cliche—only one basketball to go around. Playing time shouldn’t be a concern because this is Andrew Wiggins (Canada’s gift to basketball) we’re talking about, but there are a lot of players on that team who want to prove themselves to scouts.
Calipari is great at getting talented guys to buy into a team concept, but he’s never tried to play with so much talent at one time. That should be the one fear for UK fans and Wiggins’ family; this has the potential to be a soap opera.
Kansas: The System Works
Let’s imagine this is the list of what Wiggins wants:
- Great tradition
- Good talent
- Chance to be the man
- Play for a team that consistently wins
At Kansas, there’s no reason to doubt Bill Self—see nine straight Big 12 titles.
Self’s offense is more well known for churning out big men, but he’s had a good run with talented one-and-done wings lately.
Ben McLemore averaged 15.9 points per game this past season and Self would have been fine with him shooting more. It also helps KU’s cause that McLemore is expected to go first or second in the upcoming NBA draft.
In 2010, Xavier Henry averaged 13.4 points per game and was drafted 12th following his freshman season. Henry has not had much success in the pros, but he’s a one-dimensional player who has never really developed any sort of slashing game. Wiggins is much closer to a sure thing.
Calipari or Roy Williams could tell Wiggins that he’d be going to a massive rebuilding project at Kansas, but history is on the side of Self in that regard. He’s replaced five starters before, 2008-09 most recently, and he won the Big 12 and made the Sweet 16 that year. He also has a good recruiting class and a few intriguing pieces returning.
Wiggins would be able to put a check next to each of those those requirements above, and he’d also turn Kansas into a team capable of making the Final Four and maybe even compete for the title.
Florida State: Become a Legend
If Wiggins wants the school where he plays to build his statue, he might be able to talk Florida State into it. In fact, I bet Leonard Hamilton would pay for the statue and build it himself. And if Hamilton hasn’t thought of this already, you’re welcome, Leonard.
The pitch is pretty simple for the Seminoles: Become our legend and what FSU basketball is known for. And oh yeah, make your parents, both FSU alums, happy in the process.
Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina already have their legends. They already have their banners. They don’t need Wiggins to make them must-see TV.
All of the attention given to Florida State would surround Wiggins, and he would have an opportunity to make history at a school without much of a basketball past.
So Andrew, would you prefer bronze or brass?
North Carolina: Fun and Gun
North Carolina can pretty much offer everything that Kentucky and Kansas have along with the opportunity to play in a really fun system.
Roy Williams is one of the few coaches who can tell you he wants to play fast, and then actually implements the strategy.
Wiggins should be sold on the talent Kentucky has because he has played with those guys a lot in the last few months on the All-Star circuit, but the Heels could sell Wiggins on the fact that their talent has already proven itself on the college level.
He would play with two players—P.J. Hairston and James Michael McAdoo—who are potential NBA talents and have already been through the growing pains a lot of guys experience in the college game.
UNC also has a spot for a stud wing with Reggie Bullock leaving for the NBA. Put Wiggins on this team and UNC becomes a top two or three team in the preseason that will be wildly fun to watch.
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Jeremy Lin Injury Update: Point Guard’s Injury Won’t Affect Series Outcome
The Houston Rockets are a terrific young team with a lot of potential, but they don’t stand much of a chance upending the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round of the playoffs—even if Jeremy Lin were at full strength.
The point guard came out of the game Wednesday night in Houston’s 105-102 Game 2 loss after scoring seven points and dishing out three assists in 20 minutes. According to Adi Joseph of USA Today, the injury that forced his removal was diagnosed as a chest contusion and he is listed as day to day.
The Houston Rockets previously reported it was a shoulder injury, but a chest bruise may be a better sign for the point guard in his hopes to return.
Even if he does manage to play in Game 3, Lin won’t give the Rockets a much better chance of beating Oklahoma City in a seven-game series. He hasn’t exactly been a major impact player through two games, and a 2-0 deficit will be hard to overcome against the best team in the Western Conference.
In Houston’s Game 1 loss, Lin scored just four points on 1-of-7 shooting in 32 minutes, including an 0-of-4 mark from behind the arc. While he looked better in Game 2 before the injury (and Oklahoma City would narrowly avoid defeat), there isn’t much to be hopeful for with a two-game disadvantage against the West’s No. 1 seed.
Lin finished the regular season on a tremendous note, scoring at least 12 points in each of his last nine games. In that span, the 24-year-old dished out eight or more assists five times and limited his turnovers significantly, also posting some surprisingly efficient shooting performances.
But things haven’t gone so well in the playoffs, and Lin isn’t to blame. Granted, he’s largely been a nonfactor through three quarters on the court, but so have a number of reserves coming off Houston’s bench. Things just haven’t come together as the Rockets would have hoped.
Rockets Playoff Production
| Points | Opp. Points | Turnovers | FG % | |
| Regular Season | 106 | 102.5 | 15.5 | 37.9 |
| Game 1 | 91 | 120 | 15 | 36.3 |
| Game 2 | 102 | 105 | 16 | 39.6 |
Even if Lin comes back in Game 3 and plays well enough to boost Houston to a win at home, the Rockets would still be facing two more games in Chesapeake Energy Arena in the final four contests of the series—a tall order for a team lacking a consistent second scoring option for James Harden.
Anything can happen in the NBA playoffs, but the writing is on the wall for the Rockets. Lin may return close to full strength and in late-season form, and he may help Houston steal a game or two from Oklahoma City in the Toyota Center. It just won’t impact the eventual outcome of the series.
Houston is still a piece or two away from being a legitimate title contender. The Rockets have a lot of talent, but it’s not going to happen this year, and nothing Lin does in the ensuing games will change that.
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How 2013 Playoffs Will Impact Deron Williams’ Place Among NBA’s Top Point Guards
The 2012-13 NBA regular season was one of marvelous hype for the recently relocated Brooklyn Nets. While the excitement was undeniable, there was reasonable concern over the sudden decline of point guard Deron Williams.
The question is, how will the 2013 NBA Playoffs impact D-Will’s place amongst the NBA’s elite point guards?
From 2005 to 2011, Williams was the leader of a Utah Jazz team that consistently made the playoffs and once reached the Western Conference Finals. In that time, D-Will averaged 17.2 points and 9.1 assists per game.
In turn, Williams rivaled Chris Paul as the best point guard in the NBA and two-time MVP Steve Nash as the top pick-and-roll facilitator.
Since coming to the Nets in 2011, however, Williams’ numbers have not been indicative of his efficiency. Averages of 19.3 points and 8.5 assists will impress, but here’s what doesn’t.
With Utah, Williams posted a career field goal percentage of .466—with Brooklyn, that number dropped to .419.
During Game 1 of Brooklyn’s series against the Chicago Bulls, we saw a flashback to the D-Will we used to know. Williams finished with 22 points, seven assists and three steals on 9-of-15 shooting.
A majority of those numbers came while the game was still competitive—you know, before the third quarter.
Health is the Key
In April of 2011, Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams underwent surgery on his right wrist to remove bone fragments and scar tissue. While the surgery transpired two calendar years ago, there was speculation that it was hurting him throughout the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
In January of 2013, Williams expressed to Roderick Boone of Newsday that it was all about confidence, not injuries.
“I’m just overthinking,” he said. “I’ve never been a player than can go out there and look to play and think. I just react and now I’m kind of like, I come off and am thinking, ‘Should I shoot this. Should I not?’ I’m just not playing the way I should be. That’s all on me. It’s not on injuries. It’s just in my head and I’ve got to get it out.”
While over-thinking was certainly an issue, we’re inclined to believe that injuries did play a part.
In October of 2012, Williams required an injection to keep down the swelling from left ankle synovitis. Shortly thereafter, Williams underwent an MRI and found that he was suffering from bone spurs in his left ankle.
Roughly three weeks later, D-Will underwent an unrelated dental procedure and was forced to miss practice—that came at a time in which he was nursing a sore elbow.
Williams was later reported to have suffered a sprained joint in his right wrist, although he claimed it was unrelated to the previously alluded to surgery. If you can believe it, that wasn’t the end of the injuries D-Will sustained in 2012-13 alone.
He also battled a left quadricep contusion and a bruised right wrist—we’ll go with health being an issue.
Since the All-Star Break…
During the first half of the 2012-13 NBA regular season, the injuries Deron Williams’ battled clearly effected his quality of play. He averaged a respectable 16.7 points and 7.6 assists, but did so on a slash line of .413/.347/.855.
Since the All-Star Break, however, Williams has been healthy and his numbers are up to 22.9 points and 8.0 assists on a slash line of .481/.420/.866.
As for the previously alluded to factor of over-thinking, that appears to be cleared up, as well. Not only is Williams shooting at a significantly higher clip across the board, but he’s become a stronger decision maker.
All in all, we’ve seen D-Will return to the days in which he was an unquestioned top five point guard and Top 15 player—but why?
Feeling the Flow
When Deron Williams first arrived with the New Jersey Nets, the burden of expectation was indescribably powerful. D-Will had just been accredited for running legendary head coach Jerry Sloan out of town and thus controversially left the Utah Jazz (via Yahoo! Sports).
Upon joining the Nets, the world was stunned to see a player that we simply did not recognize.
For all of his off-the-court issues, there was never a single question about what Williams could achieve while on the court. For that reason, there was a unanimous gasp of disbelief when we saw D-Will’s slash line fall to .349/.271/.793.
While those numbers went up in 2011-12, one thing was perfectly clear: Williams was trying to do too much.
Known as one of the world’s elite facilitators, D-Will became of a score-first mentality. He posted career-high numbers of 17.5 field goal attempts, 6.2 three-point field goal attempts and 4.0 turnovers, all the while shooting 40.7 percent from the floor and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.
In 2012-13, that hasn’t been the case.
D-Will closed out the regular season with averages of 14.4 field goal attempts, 5.7 three-point field goal attempts and 2.8 turnovers per game. He did so while shooting 44.0 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc.
So why the sudden change?
For the first time in his Nets tenure, it appears as if Williams is letting the game come to him. With Joe Johnson alongside him and Brook Lopez down low, D-Will seem to feel comfortable allowing the game to run through his All-Star teammates.
In turn, D-Will has returned to his perch amongst the NBA’s elite—temporarily.
If Williams is able to continue at this pace during the 2013 NBA Playoffs, there’s no question that he will solidify his return to the ranks of the elite. If Williams is unable to maintain his current level of play, however, the questions will arise once again.
The ball is in D-Will’s court as he battles the demons of perception—can he trust his teammates enough to salvage his deserved reputation as an elite?
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NBA: Power-Ranking Point Guards Using Pitcher-Type Stats
NBA point guards are often floor leaders of their teams. I find them somewhat analogous to baseball pitchers. As such, I’ve worked to develop a stat for point guards that mirrors a pitcher stat that combines elements of performance and victory: the quality start.
My stat is predicated not only on the fact that point guards have a good game if they rack up a decent number of points or assists, but also that point guards are effective if they captain their teams to victory.
Out of these assumptions comes the stat “quality performance.” A point guard receives a quality performance if he scores 10 points and has five dishes in a victory. A victory is pretty much the best single simplistic stat that accounts for not only playmaking, but also defense and turnovers.
I had thought about requiring 30 or more minutes for a quality performance, but I have relented on that as a requirement, in part because, unlike in baseball, basketball players are pulled in blowouts and may not get the requisite 30 minutes in those games.
This is a stat that is helped by the number of games your team has won.
Here’s how various point guard stack up in that stat. Also included are each player’s games, points and assists for the season. Ties are broken by fewest games played.
| Player | G | PTS | AST | QP |
| Russell Westbrook, Thunder | 82 | 1903 | 607 | 52 |
| Tony Parker, Spurs | 66 | 1341 | 499 | 44 |
| Chris Paul, Clippers | 70 | 1186 | 678 | 44 |
| Deron Williams, Nets | 78 | 1476 | 604 | 39 |
| Stephen Curry, Warriors | 78 | 1786 | 539 | 38 |
| Ty Lawson, Nuggets | 73 | 1216 | 501 | 37 |
| Mike Conley, Grizzlies | 80 | 1168 | 487 | 34 |
| Jeff Teague, Hawks | 80 | 1166 | 579 | 31 |
| Jrue Holiday, 76ers | 78 | 1383 | 625 | 30 |
| Brandon Jennings, Bucks | 80 | 1397 | 521 | 30 |
| Jeremy Lin, Rockets | 82 | 1095 | 497 | 27 |
| Damien Lillard, Blazers | 82 | 1562 | 531 | 26 |
| John Wall, Wizards | 49 | 906 | 373 | 22 |
| George Hill, Pacers | 76 | 1076 | 355 | 22 |
| Greivis Vasquez, Hornets | 78 | 1083 | 704 | 22 |
| Goran Dragic, Suns | 77 | 1134 | 569 | 20 |
| Darren Collison, Mavericks | 81 | 972 | 415 | 17 |
| Steve Nash, Lakers | 50 | 636 | 333 | 16 |
| Kemba Walker, Bobcats | 82 | 1455 | 471 | 16 |
| Mo Williams, Jazz | 46 | 592 | 285 | 14 |
| Rajon Rondo, Celtics | 38 | 522 | 420 | 13 |
| Jose Calderon, Two Teams | 73 | 826 | 518 | 13 |
| Nate Robinson, Bulls | 82 | 1074 | 358 | 13 |
| Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers | 59 | 1325 | 350 | 12 |
| Jameer Nelson, Magic | 56 | 822 | 413 | 11 |
| Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves | 57 | 608 | 418 | 11 |
| Kyle Lowry, Raptors | 68 | 435 | 791 | 11 |
| Isaiah Thomas, Kings | 79 | 1100 | 316 | 11 |
| Kirk Hinrich, Bulls | 60 | 459 | 314 | 10 |
| Brandon Knight, Pistons | 75 | 999 | 303 | 10 |
| Jason Kidd, Knicks | 76 | 458 | 249 | 5 |
| Mario Chalmers, Heat | 77 | 666 | 273 | 5 |
A cursory look at this stat is that it roughly parallels a consensus ranking of the best point guards in the NBA this season. Of particular note is that Russell Westbrook is ahead of Paul and Parker, largely on the strength of playing a dozen more games than either.
Also of note is that the top eight point guards in this stat are all still playing, i.e. their teams are in the playoffs. Holiday and Lillard have the highest number of quality performances on a non-playoff team, despite finishing near the top in assists. Hornets point Greivis Vasquez was in the middle of the pack in terms of quality performances, though I doubt that anyone would seriously argue that Vasquez is one of the 10 best point guards in the NBA, in spite of his assist numbers.
This stat is actually good at weeding out bad point guards on good teams. Of the 32 point guards I looked at, Mario Chalmers finished dead last in the stat, ironically tied with Jason Kidd. The Suns’ Goran Dragic had more quality performances than both point guards in Chicago’s platoon replacement for the injured Derrick Rose.
Also, for kicks, here are a few players who are not point guards who I expected to do well in this stat. I threw in Gasol because he’s leading all centers in assists, and I wanted to see how high a center might go with this stat.
| Player | G | PTS | AST | QP |
| LeBron James, Heat | 76 | 2036 | 551 | 55 |
| Kobe Bryant, Lakers | 78 | 2133 | 469 | 33 |
| Kevin Durant, Thunder | 81 | 2280 | 374 | 26 |
| Marc Gasol, Grizzlies | 80 | 1127 | 318 | 19 |
| Carmelo Anthony, Knicks | 67 | 1920 | 171 | 4 |
To put it in perspective, that means LeBron would be the best point guard in the NBA if he was a point guard, making this yet another stat that proves LeBron’s dominance. Then again, he did lead all non-guards in assists.
Kobe and KD have more quality performances than the majority of NBA points, but Carmelo Anthony has fewer quality performances than even Chalmers, largely due to the fact that he averages fewer than three assists a game.
Quality performances: The real way to find out who is a good point guard.
Advanced stats and game logs courtesy of Basketball-reference.com.
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Re-Ranking the NBA’s Elite Point Guards at End of 2012-13 Season
The point guard position is easily the deepest in the NBA.
From floor generals who score first and pass later to unselfish savants who would forego an open layup in favor of dropping another dime, the Association is home to many different breeds of point guards.
There are guys like Chris Paul, who choose how they will play depending on the game. There’s athletic freaks like Russell Westbrook whose superior explosiveness has distinguished them beyond reason. There’s the Stephen Curry-types, with releases so swift defenders don’t have an adequate chance to react. And then there’s the understated names, like Jeff Teague, who fly under the radar but run structured offensive sets to near perfection all the same.
Which of today’s starting point men are considered the most elite? And which styles of play get the nod over others?
With the regular season essentially in the rear-view mirror, there’s never been a better time to sift through the point-guard pool and redistribute the balance of power.
*Unless otherwise noted, all stats in this article were compiled from Basketball-Reference, hoopdata.com and NBA.com.
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Missouri point guard Pressey enters NBA draft (Yahoo! Sports)
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri point guard Phil Pressey is skipping his senior season to enter the NBA draft.
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Why Chicago Bulls Point Guard Nate Robinson Will Be Key in a Playoff Run
A few days ago, I wrote how Nate Robinson was one the few players who has emerged for the Chicago Bulls this season despite the numerous injuries that have plagued the team.
When the Bulls signed the free-spirited point guard last summer, his contract was not guaranteed until January (per Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago).
Needless to say, this was not the greatest display of confidence by the organization.
However, Robinson has been a solid addition to the roster as his numbers speak for themselves.
In 53 appearances off the bench, Robinson has averaged a respectable 12.0 points, 3.6 assists and 2.0 rebounds per contest.
In addition, Robinson’s numbers as a starter include 14.8 points, 6.1 assists and 2.5 rebounds per outing, which demonstrate that he can produce regardless of what role he plays on the team.
Taking an even closer look at his numbers, it should be noted that Robinson is averaging 16 points over the last 10 contests and his scoring output has increased in every month since January.
While Robinson’s numbers are an impressive part of his resume this season, another aspect about Robinson’s game that should be noted is that he does not lack confidence. He has shown the ability to provide the Bulls with scoring when it matters the most.
In the Chicago’s 92-90 win over the Brooklyn Nets on April 4, Robinson hit the game-winning jumper, enabling the Bulls to overcome a 16-point deficit and pull off one of their most impressive wins this season.
A few nights later, Robinson came up big once again in an 87-86 win over the Orlando Magic on April 6. After scoring just four points through the better part of three periods, Robinson nailed a three-pointer to end the third quarter and then scored 12 points in the final frame en route to a 19-point evening.
Robinson had this to say about his fearless approach to each game per Nick Friedell:
“I’m not afraid to fail. You’re going to have to fail a lot to succeed in this game. So for me, you just can’t be afraid to take that shot. You can’t be afraid to miss it or make it.”
Whether you like Robinson because of his loose approach to the game, or even if he drives you crazy with his suspect shot selection in certain situations, he has proven to be a capable scorer in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation.
Robinson will continue to play a major role in any success the Bulls have during the remainder of the regular season and in the playoffs as well.
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Boston Celtics Eyeing 6’10″ Greek Point Guard
With Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley on the roster, it’s intriguing that Danny Ainge is scouting a point guard.credit: espn.com
The very real possibility of the Boston Celtics having to rebuild is approaching quickly, with the clock running out on Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. People have been expecting this team to be blown up several times in recent years, but Danny Ainge has stuck with his veterans longer than many expected.
This very well may be the offseason where the Celtics begin to look toward the future.
If the process begins with the NBA Draft, Danny Ainge has his eye on a certain 6’10″ Greek point guard. Yes, you read that correctly. A point guard that stands 6’10″. Via Sheridan Hoops:
In the latest installment of “Catch a Rising Star,” Boston Celtics president Dany Ainge traveled to Greece to get a first-hand look at Giannis Adetokunbo, the 6-foot-10 point guard who is moving up draft boards by leaps and bounds.
Aingle was in the house — and got heckled by Lakers fans — as Adetok
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