Kyrie Irving is clearly the best freshman point guard in the country, and arguably the best point guard in the country, period.
But what about everyone else?
With Irving getting so much consideration, there are several impact freshmen that are not getting much attention at the point guard position. Prior to the season, when I listed my top 50 freshmen – 10 at each position – on my website, I needed to make an extra section for “Extra point guards” since there were so many high-level floor generals entering the college ranks.
While some have disappointed – here’s looking at you, Phil Pressey and Ian Miller – many of them are making an impact with their scoring and distributing abilities. Some of these players are not true point guards, and are simply playing the position because of a variety of reasons, namely size (Andre Stringer) and the fact there is no one else on the team to run the show (Brandon Knight).
Let’s take a look at five of the best non-Kyrie Irving freshmen point guards in the country:
Brandon Knight, Kentucky: One of the top recruits in the country last season, Knight has not disappointed with his offense. He is averaging 17.0 points per game, shooting 34% from three-point range. Knight has scored more than 20 points on three occasions, but has had some struggles. He scored just six points in a blowout loss to Connecticut and shot 4-for-15 against Oklahoma. Moreover, he is not a true point guard. Knight is a high-volume shooter and will fill up the stat sheet, but he is also turnover-prone. He had zero assists and eight turnovers against Washington and is averaging 4.7 turnovers on the season.
Ray McCallum Jr., Detroit: McCallum received plenty of publicity over the past year for spurning UCLA and other high-majors to play for his father at Detroit. He has been inconsistent for the Titans this season, scoring in single-digits in four of the nine games. However, his overall line looks good: 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals. He has had several impressive games, including a 10-assist outing against Akron and four games of at least 16 points. McCallum’s shooting has not been overly accurate, as he is hitting just 38.5% of his shots from the field, and an even worse 20.8% from three-point range.
Andre Stringer, LSU: Stringer has always been a player who could get his shot against bigger players and also knock down three-pointers with unlimited range. Some people, though, didn’t think Stringer would be able to make a huge impact in college given his 5-foot-9 stature. They were wrong. He has scored at least 13 points in every game thus far, averaging 16.1 points. Stringer has had a few outings where he struggled from the field, including a combined 6-for-19 in the Tigers’ two losses. He is also distributing the ball fairly well, notching 3.0 assists. With LSU lacking offensive options, expect Stringer’s offensive output to continue.
Brandon Young, DePaul: Although the Blue Demons are going to struggle mightily again this season, Young looks to be a bright spot for the next couple of seasons. The 6-foot-3 scoring guard is effective at getting to the basket and finishing or getting fouled. He does not shoot very often from three-point range, but when he does, he’s solid: Young is currently shooting 47% on threes, including a 6-for-6 performance Sunday against Central Michigan. He is averaging 16.3 points after his 31-point outing against CMU and has scored in double-figures in every game this season. Young also notched at least two assists in every game but one.
Maurice Jones, USC: Another diminutive point guard in the mold of Stringer, Jones is an interesting case. He is currently ranked No. 7 in the nation in minutes according to Kenpom.com – including four 40-minute outings – and is averaging an impressive 12.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.9 steals. Look a little closer, though. He did not score a point against Bradley and was held to single-digits in two other games. Moreover, keep in mind that Fordham transfer Jio Fontan will become eligible in about two weeks, meaning that Jones’ minutes and production could drop drastically. Monitor this situation closely.
Don’t Forget these Two
Ian Miller, Florida State: Last year, Florida State was dynamite defensively but struggled offensively. Enter Ian Miller. This year, Florida State is dynamite defensively but is struggling offensively. Wait, what? Miller was expected to step in at the point guard position and make the Seminoles far more dynamic and effective offensively. That hasn’t happened. Miller is playing about 16 minutes per game, shooting 27% from the field and averaging less than one assist. He did have 11 points against Ohio State, though, meaning that better times could be ahead for the 6-foot-3 North Carolina native.
Phil Pressey, Missouri: Going into the season, I felt that Pressey fit Missouri’s style to perfection. He is ultra-quick and can get end-to-end as fast as anyone in the country. Moreover, he is a pest defensively, making him ideal for Missouri’s full-court pressure and “fastest 40 minutes” style. However, he has been a disappointment thus far. Pressey started out well, putting up nine points in his first game and then eight points and eight assists in the second game. Lately, though, he hasn’t performed well. He was shut out against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Georgetown, playing less than one minute against the Hoyas. Moreover, there are rumblings that Pressey has been complaining about his role and head coach Mike Anderson. If he gets it together, though, he could be an impact player.
Jeff Borzello runs the college basketball website, BustingtheBracket.com, and also covers recruiting for the NBE Basketball Report and other media outlets.