The Roberts Roundball Report

While it’s fairly set in stone on who will be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft come the end of June, it’s almost equally as certain who the guy behind him is.

Ricky Rubio leads a solid group of point guards in the 2009 draft class, with at least five guys who can make plays consistently at the next level.

However, each of these young point guards has red flags, leaving no certainty as to where they’ll go in the draft, and making it even more difficult to even rank them.

Obviously these guys can shoot, pass, and lead their teams (well, most of them). But when the draft is here, which one should your team take?

10. Curtis Jerrels (Baylor)

Jerrels doesn’t have great size to man the NBA point, but is a crafty lefty with good range out to the NBA- three.

He has solid ball handling and driving ability, and knows how to get to the line.

In addition to not having ideal size, Jerrels had a woeful assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.9-3.1 in his senior season. It wasn’t much better the other three years, leaving reason for concern.

9. Jrue Holiday (UCLA)

Holiday has the athleticism, raw ability, and potential to be a top-three point guard. However, he hasn’t had enough time to show NBA scouts he can lead a team, and hasn’t shown sure-fire point guard skills.

With only one collegiate season under his belt, Holiday isn’t doing himself any favors by entering this year.

He averaged very pedestrian numbers of 8.5 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.8 rebounds, while playing a solid 28 minutes per game.

That’s not exactly the production you look for when drafting a so-called “elite” point guard.

However, few of the point guards in this draft class have the combined size, speed, and athleticism. Holiday also has a solid shooting stroke that isn’t justified by the percentages, and will likely be taken before his teammate, Darren Collison.

8. Jeff Teague (Wake Forest)

A lot of Teague’s potential is based off of his early season explosion in 2008, where he posted 11 20-point efforts (including three games of 30 or more) in the first 20 games.

However, he failed to crack 20 points in the final six games of the season, as he and the rest of his team fell off considerably, and wound up losing their first game of the NCAA tournament.

Still, Teague is a lights-out shooter from all over the floor, and shot better than 43 percent from beyond the arc last season.

His jump-in stats and leadership, combined with his excellent athleticism, suggest he’s a strong candidate to break into the lottery, and is surely a late first rounder, at the worst.

There are still worries that Teague doesn’t have the vision or play-making ability to be an elite point guard, or that he’s too small and frail.

But when you can average 18 points per game as a sophomore in the ACC, people tend to forget your flaws.

7. Patrick Mills (St. Mary’s)

His percentages don’t say it, but Mills is an elite shooter with clutch ability, and the courage to lead his team against any opposition.

Mills plays through injury, matches up with the opponent’s better guards, and consistently performs at a high level.

True, his competition wasn’t always elite, but Mills effort and results were.

He’ll need to be able to improve on making plays for his team at the next level, as well as produce better overall percentages, but as a sophomore, Mills is budding with talent.

6. Eric Maynor (VCU)

Maynor is the leader and floor general that NBA teams yearn for.

He has the confidence and gusto to take the big shot, and the sense to pass to an open man when he’s covered.

Maynor has shown through upsets and big wins that he can carry a team both by shooting and passing, and despite playing all four years at a small school, doesn’t have any knocks that could keep him out of the first round.

He has solid athleticism, but nothing close to an elite-level point guard, and he also could stand to put on some weight and toughen up.

On the other hand, he has great size for the position, and has continued to show improvement in his shot selection and decision-making.

5. Ty Lawson (North Carolina)

What NBA GM wouldn’t want a guy who plays fantastic defense, can distribute, get to the rim, and knows how to win?

With his only knocks being his average height and size, as well as some odd defensive techniques, it would be a shock to see Lawson drop out of the top 15.

He is much too active on defense, and has proven to be quite an elite performer on offense.

In his junior season, Lawson dropped in over 16 points, six assists, and shot 47 percent from three.

Oh, and he won a national title.

He may not be as physically gifted or hyped up as much as the four guys ahead of him, but he very well may end up being the most polished pro.

4. Jonny Flynn (Syracuse)

Flynn may not have the desired size for the position, but his long arms, strength, and superior athleticism more than make up for it.

With fantastic vision and dribbling ability, Flynn is able to create for teammates or get to the rim easily, and usually with positive results.

He is a high-riser who is also very active on the defensive end, as he came away with two or more steals in 13 contests last year.

Flynn can shoot, create, handle, and play defense. What more can an NBA scout ask for?

3. Stephen Curry (Davidson)

Curry’s passion and determination in basketball is difficult to match, as is his uncanny ability to get the ball through the net.

An electric shooter, Curry has limitless range, and has the athleticism to cut, twist, and stop anywhere he wants to, allowing him to get his shot off whenever he chooses.

However, Curry isn’t an elite athlete, and doesn’t have the size and speed that most starting point guards have.

While he was a good point guard in college, he didn’t face much tough competition, and his skills at the position don’t translate very well to the next level.

Curry is still likely to be drafted in the top 10, simply because of his natural ability to score so easily and effectively (28.6 PPG as a junior).

2. Brandon Jennings (Virtus Roma)

The jury is still out on Jennings.

After seeing what he is capable of on high school and the McDonald’s tape, he’s a definite lottery pick.

However, his stats and play overseas were less than impressive, leaving his potential and current skill-set in question.

Still, based on potential alone, Jennings has the athleticism and confidence to take over as a starter at the next level.

The other thing people fail to realize is that while his stay in Europe didn’t produce gaudy numbers, it gave him invaluable experience.

1. Ricky Rubio (DKV Joventut)

For those of you who are scared off by his cockiness, don’t let it over rule his excellent attributes. A lot of NBA players are cocky, and even though Rubio is young and frail, his game allows him to say what he pleases.

Rubio, while only 18, has been playing pro basketball overseas for years, and has been molding his game into a polished craft.

After an injury thrusted him into the line-up for the Olympic Gold Medal Game, he gained even more valuable experience, while performing decently against the NBA’s elite.

Rubio has underrated athleticism, can get his shot off whenever he wants, and has the ability to create shots for his teammates on a whim.

It’s as if, at least sometimes, he’s manifesting the game, and creating the outcome for us all, as we watch in amazement.

Truly, we haven’t seen a player with his moxie since Pistol Pete.

Rubio is still young and fairly weak, but his experience and natural ability should allow him to compete at a high level with the rest of the league, while the weak parts of his game play catch-up.