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Home | Sports | Timberwolves

Top guards in NBA draft

Last update: June 23, 2009 - 11:29 PM

With the pending trade of Mike Miller and Randy Foye, the Wolves probably will be picking at least one guard and probably two in Thursday's draft. The Wolves will own the fifth, sixth, 18th and 28th selections in the first round. Here's a closer look at the top guard prospects:

POINT GUARDS

Ricky Rubio

Team: DKV Joventut Badalona in Spanish pro league. Year: Pro since he was 14. Age: 18.

Draft projection: Picks 2-5

Height: 6-4 Weight: 180

Inside stuff: Precocious 18-year-old wowed Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul in Olympic play with a style that invites comparisons to Pistol Pete Maravich, but Rubio might be more like a young Jason Kidd.

Tyreke Evans

College: Memphis.

Year: Freshman. Age: 19

Draft projection: Picks 2-7

Height (w/shoes): 6-5¼

Weight: 221

Inside stuff: His Memphis Tigers won 27 consecutive games after John Calipari moved him to point guard.

Stephen Curry

College: Davidson.

Year: Junior. Age: 21

Draft projection: Picks 4-8

Height (w/shoes): 6-3¼ Weight: 181

Inside stuff: Draft's best shooter.

Jonny Flynn

College: Syracuse.

Year: Sophomore. Age: 20.

Draft projection: Picks 4-10

Height (w/shoes): 6-0¾ Weight: 196

Inside stuff: Charismatic point guard who impressed NBA teams during his pre-draft visits with his personality and leadership.

Jrue Holiday

College: UCLA.

Year: Freshman. Age: 19.

Draft projection: Picks 4-11

Height (w/shoes): 6-4¼ Weight: 199

Inside stuff: Very highly ranked prep star who had an enigmatic one-and-done college career because he played out of position at shooting guard next to UCLA senior point guard Darren Collison.

Brandon Jennings

Team: Lottomatica Virtus Roma.

Year: One year pro. Age: 19.

Draft projection: Picks 4-14

Height: 6-2 Weight: 165

Inside stuff: National prep player of the year in 2008 is the biggest enigma; freakish athlete, really pushes the ball and extremely creative in transition.

Other point guards to consider:

• Jeff Teague, Wake Forest sophomore, projected from 13th to 22nd picks.

• Eric Maynor, Virginia Commonwealth senior, projected from 10th to 21st picks:

• Ty Lawson, North Carolina junior, projected from 14 to 24th picks:

• Darren Collison, UCLA senior, projected from 22nd to 30th picks.

• Patrick Mills, St. Mary's sophomore, projected from 24th to second round.

SHOOTING GUARDS

James Harden

College: Arizona State.

Year: Sophomore. Age: 19.

Draft projection: Picks 2-6

Height (w/shoes): 6-5¼ Weight: 222

Inside stuff: Oddly shaped, slightly undersized shooting guard who's deceptive because of his long reach and can score in a variety of ways.

Demar Derozan

College: USC.

Year: Freshman. Age: 19

Draft projection: Picks 6-9

Height (w/shoes): 6-6 1/2 Weight: 211

Inside stuff: Terrific athlete, great leaper and perhaps the most tempting player in the draft because of his potential upside.

JERRY ZGODA

For more details on all of these players, go to startribune.com/wolves.

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