This year’s NCAA Basketball betting is yet to blow up into action, but that does not mean that the NBA scouts are sleeping on their jobs. With the NBA constantly yearning for big talent and always looking for the next big thing, the next Andrew Wiggins, scouting could never be more important than it is right now at the start of the season when everyone is fresh and ready to impress. Scoping at the current talents in the NCAAB, here are some of the top shooting guards worthy of paying special attention to in the course of the season.
Top 5 College Hoops Odds Shooting Guards For 2016 NBA Draft
Malik Newman will make his college debut tomorrow per a source close to the program. He participated in practice on Sunday.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) November 16, 2015
1. Malik Newman, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Freshman
It is not a surprise that this freshman made it to the top-5 list as a shooting guard heading into the new season. This young man has been on the radar of NBA scouts for years, ranked as one of the best prospects of becoming an elite scorer in the NBA. With such a reputation to his name, he heads into the Mississippi State looking to live up to his bill and produce something special for them in the offensive side of the court. He remarkably averaged 16.2 points in 22 minutes at the 2013 FIBA Americas, for USA. After courting attention with such stellar numbers, he averaged 14.9 points at the 2014 World Championships, cementing his place as an elite scorer.
If you are looking for shooting ability, speed, agility and athleticism, all wrapped in one person, Newman is your best bet. He easily stands out as a prospect to shine in the NBA in the future, and should be able to prove his worth once he is given solid opportunities to do what he does best on the court—which is dazzling with his scoring skills.
2. Caris LeVert, Michigan State Spartans, Senior
Last year’s season-ending injury that struck LeVert’s foot ensured he would put his NBA dreams on temporary hold, and not make it as a potential first round draft pick. But now he is back with the Spartans in his senior year ready to make up for lost time and beef up his already-big draft résumé. Standing at 6’7’’ with a reported 7’1’’ wingspan, LeVert is without a doubt a prospect that has the body to succeed in the big-man dominated world of the NBA.
His only major setback is the ability to stay fully fit, given he has missed a number of games in each of the last two years. If he can deal with the injury concerns, he will surely make it to the top-20 drafting next year, thanks to his versatility, speed and ability to offer solid production on both ends of the court. The fact that Michigan State has produced some quality players over the years should additionally work to his favour, allowing the scouts to easily trust in his abilities.
3. Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey-based Player
Although he has been playing oversees in Turkey, Korkmaz has been on the scouting radar of most NBA teams. His strong performance this season will potentially earn him a first round pick in the draft next year. He has often been compared to the legendary Gordon Hayward, as he is a great spot shooter that has also stood out as a solid defensive player. What he still needs to work on is his offensive game, especially in shooting from long-range. If he can continue with the great run he’s had on the season, he will easily find himself as a first round pick in the 2016 NBA draft.
4. Buddy Hield, Oklahoma Sooners, Senior
The Sooners will soon be saying goodbye to their Buddy, a vital cog in the team who has put up some great statistics for them in the past few years. In terms of height, he is probably not as tall as most scouts would desire, but his strength and stellar shooting abilities easily make up for the height deficit, hence prospecting a great NBA future ahead of him. Hield has done his job quite well on the defensive side, but it is his impressive game on the offense that has attracted a lot of teams to his direction. After a solid 2014-15 campaign, it was clear that he would a high pick, but he decided to continue playing for the Sooners to further hone his skills. If he continues his meteoric rise, he will surely make it next year as a first-round pick.
5. Grayson Allen, Duke Blue Devils, Sophomore
Like Hield, this sophomore does not have the height or the length of an elite player, but he sure is a hell-of an athlete. In the Tourney last year against Michigan State, he had nine points in 16 minutes and later made it 16 points in 21 minutes against Wisconsin, helping the Blue Devils to win the National title. His physical attributes may not be good enough to propel him to a top-10 next year, but if he builds on his performance from last year, he could be a late first-rounder in the 2016 NBA draft.
Rejoinder and Final Remarks: There are many other shooting guards who have shown potential that is needed in the rigorous world NBA betting, but these five have the best chance to give us what we need most in the game. If they can stay injury-free, you can be sure that they’ll not only shine in the NCAAB odds this season, but they’ll also light up the NBA lines in the years to come
