Freshman/Sophomore PGs

[bballnut90]

After tonight's impressive showing by Morris, I realized there are a LOT of really good young point guards in the country right now. Some standouts include:

Sabrina Ionescu-should be a 1st or 2nd team AA
Crystal Dangerfield-having a great sophomore year as the #1 undefeated team
Destiny Slocum-was phenomenal as a freshman, will make an impact in the Pac-12 next year
Chennedy Carter-the best freshman point guard this season
Alexis Morris-has been solid all year and is elevating her play with Wallace out
Tyasha Harris-really good point guard for SC


Other highly rated players waiting in the wings:
Dana Evans-2:1 A/TO ratio for #3 Louisville. Was a top 10 recruit
Anastasia Hayes-significant contributor for Tennessee, top 10 recruit
Evina Westbrook-starting point guard for Tennessee, #2 recruit
Chasity Patterson-#4 recruit from 2017
Alecia Sutton-rotation player for Texas, #6 recruit from 2016

I'm sure I'm missing others...but that's a lot of young talent for the PG spot compared to previous years. For all the fear Team USA has about lack of PGs in the future, I could see a couple of these players making a big impact in the WNBA and internationally the next 5-10 years.

 

[bags27]

Great and helpful list.
To me, the category of point guard can be really ambiguous.
For example, I realize that Ionescu is a Lieberman finalist. But is she really point? Of course, she controls the game, but I think of her much more as a 2 guard. To prove my "point" (groan!), Kia is also a Lieberman finalist.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kiana Williams of Stanford has had a nice first season—10 ppg. She’s one of several PGs from Texas.

 

[bballnut90]

Great and helpful list.
To me, the category of point guard can be really ambiguous.
For example, I realize that Ionescu is a Lieberman finalist. But is she really point? Of course, she controls the game, but I think of her much more as a 2 guard. To prove my "point" (groan!), Kia is also a Lieberman finalist.

Ionescu is 3rd in the nation in assists per game at 7.8 and runs the offense so I included her. I think she's really more of a combo guard since she's so versatile and is an outstanding scorer, but I think she projects as a PG or combo guard at the next level, so I put her on the list of standout freshmen/sophomore PGs. I think she's a fine choice as a Lieberman Finalist since she is such a strong creator and floor general. Nurse being on the Lieberman list is flat out inaccurate IMO. She should be on the SG list.

 

[Dillon77]

Great and helpful list.
To me, the category of point guard can be really ambiguous.
For example, I realize that Ionescu is a Lieberman finalist. But is she really point? Of course, she controls the game, but I think of her much more as a 2 guard. To prove my "point" (groan!), Kia is also a Lieberman finalist.

Ionescu is 3rd in the nation in assists per game at 7.8 and runs the offense so I included her. I think she's really more of a combo guard since she's so versatile and is an outstanding scorer, but I think she projects as a PG or combo guard at the next level, so I put her on the list of standout freshmen/sophomore PGs. I think she's a fine choice as a Lieberman Finalist since she is such a strong creator and floor general. Nurse being on the Lieberman list is flat out inaccurate IMO. She should be on the SG list.

Marina Mabrey, up to this season an alpha scorer if I ever saw one, was thrust into a lot of the point guard duties when Lili Thompson went down with an ACL injury. However, she likes to call herself a "lead guard," in part because she'll often get to lead the team into the set/play called, then the play takes care of itself. She'll also get breaks from the lead/point position (usually from Jackie Young, herself a wing) to go back to her usual off-guard/wing assignment and get in position to bomb away.

I'm noticing that a lot of the taller point guards in future classes are being called combo guards. Both Katlyn Gilbert (Class of 2018) and Anaya Peoples (Class of 2019) have run point for either their high school and/or AAU clubs, but Gilbert is being viewed as an off guard at ND and Peoples is on record as saying she'll play whatever guard position needed in college. And many in the class of 2020 -- Bueckers, Campbell, Clark, Van Lith -- all seem to have that capability if needed.

 

[CocoHusky]

After tonight's impressive showing by Morris, I realized there are a LOT of really good young point guards in the country right now. Some standouts include:

Sabrina Ionescu-should be a 1st or 2nd team AA
Crystal Dangerfield-having a great sophomore year as the #1 undefeated team
Destiny Slocum-was phenomenal as a freshman, will make an impact in the Pac-12 next year
Chennedy Carter-the best freshman point guard this season
Alexis Morris-has been solid all year and is elevating her play with Wallace out
Tyasha Harris-really good point guard for SC


Other highly rated players waiting in the wings:
Dana Evans-2:1 A/TO ratio for #3 Louisville. Was a top 10 recruit
Anastasia Hayes-significant contributor for Tennessee, top 10 recruit
Evina Westbrook-starting point guard for Tennessee, #2 recruit
Chasity Patterson-#4 recruit from 2017
Alecia Sutton-rotation player for Texas, #6 recruit from 2016

I'm sure I'm missing others...but that's a lot of young talent for the PG spot compared to previous years. For all the fear Team USA has about lack of PGs in the future, I could see a couple of these players making a big impact in the WNBA and internationally the next 5-10 years.

I think you are missing the best of the bunch in Tiana Mangakahia of the "Cuse who is leading the nation in assists. This sophomore Aussie is dishing out more than two assist per game than Sabrina.

 

[Bama fan]

Great and helpful list.
To me, the category of point guard can be really ambiguous.
For example, I realize that Ionescu is a Lieberman finalist. But is she really point? Of course, she controls the game, but I think of her much more as a 2 guard. To prove my "point" (groan!), Kia is also a Lieberman finalist.

I agree with you. And I groaned with you too!

 

[SCspur]

After tonight's impressive showing by Morris, I realized there are a LOT of really good young point guards in the country right now. Some standouts include:

Sabrina Ionescu-should be a 1st or 2nd team AA
Crystal Dangerfield-having a great sophomore year as the #1 undefeated team
Destiny Slocum-was phenomenal as a freshman, will make an impact in the Pac-12 next year
Chennedy Carter-the best freshman point guard this season
Alexis Morris-has been solid all year and is elevating her play with Wallace out
Tyasha Harris-really good point guard for SC


Other highly rated players waiting in the wings:
Dana Evans-2:1 A/TO ratio for #3 Louisville. Was a top 10 recruit
Anastasia Hayes-significant contributor for Tennessee, top 10 recruit
Evina Westbrook-starting point guard for Tennessee, #2 recruit
Chasity Patterson-#4 recruit from 2017
Alecia Sutton-rotation player for Texas, #6 recruit from 2016

I'm sure I'm missing others...but that's a lot of young talent for the PG spot compared to previous years. For all the fear Team USA has about lack of PGs in the future, I could see a couple of these players making a big impact in the WNBA and internationally the next 5-10 years.

I think Tennessee next year should start Jazmine Massengill at PG. both Westbrook and Hayes have over 100 turnover and Hayes has more TO then assists which is absurd even for a freshman! Westbrook IS NOT a PG. She needs to find a position to be comfortable in because she makes too many mistakes with the ball.

 

[Orangutan]

To me, the category of point guard can be really ambiguous.

If you bring the ball up the floor and initiate the half-court offense, you're a point guard. That's the way I look at it. What muddles it is that there may be some teams that will switch off in this respect and there may not be one single person who consistently has this responsibility.

 

[Orangutan]

I think you are missing the best of the bunch in Tiana Mangakahia of the "Cuse who is leading the nation in assists. This sophomore Aussie is dishing out more than two assist per game than Sabrina.

While she is (somehow) listed as a sophomore, she turns 23 in April. She doesn't exactly fit into a thread about young point guards.

 

[Bronx23]

I agree that point guard is ambiguous and has become more so in recent years.
The way I view the point guard is the person who runs, controls and creates the offense. In some cases, it has a height component.
Crystal, Sue Bird & Walt Frazier are /were point guards. Frazier was 6'5" tall and I think the best example. Many could or would call him a combo guard, but when Earl Monroe joined the Knicks, Monroe was clearly the shooting or off guard. I think some of it can also be connected to the development of term point forward.
So to get back to WBB, Kia is clearly an off, shooting or #2 guard, except when she moves over and covers for CD. Point guard is not her natural position, even though she's a good passer. She doesn't have the quickness and supreme athleticism to create offense for herself or others.
Based upon this Ionescu to me is a point guard with very good shooting scoring and creative skills. Ironically they have other guards who are more point oriented than shooting oriented.
I'd call KLS a point forward more than anything else as now her passing is equal to or closely comparable to her superb shooting.
It's becoming less and less important these titles and more and more players have multiple skill sets.
Sorry for all the verbiage.
Bronx22

 

[CocoHusky]

While she is (somehow) listed as a sophomore, she turns 23 in April. She doesn't exactly fit into a thread about young point guards.

Yea I definitely understand why you of the ND faithful would want to check her birth certificate and exclude her from this discussion, especially after she dropped 26 points and 8 dimes on the Irish!

 

[Orangutan]

Yea I definitely understand why you of the ND faithful would want to check her birth certificate and exclude her from this discussion, especially after she dropped 26 points and 8 dimes on the Irish!

Mangakahia is 475 days (nearly 16 months) older than A'ja Wilson. Comparing her to 19-year-old freshmen is silly. She is 2-3 years older than all of the other players cited by the OP.

Regardless, I'll be happy to watch ND beat her again next year. She can score as many points as she likes. ND by 15 is the stat I'm concerned with from that game.

 

[CocoHusky]

Mangakahia is 475 days (nearly 16 months) older than A'ja Wilson. Comparing her to 19-year-old freshmen is silly. She is 2-3 years older than all of the other players cited by the OP.
Regardless, I'll be happy to watch ND beat her again next year. She can score as many points as she likes. ND by 15 is the stat I'm concerned with from that game.

Wow! She's practically a senior citizen then! The much younger Irish should not have had this much trouble checking her.

 

[DefenseBB]

After tonight's impressive showing by Morris, I realized there are a LOT of really good young point guards in the country right now. Some standouts include:

Sabrina Ionescu-should be a 1st or 2nd team AA
Crystal Dangerfield-having a great sophomore year as the #1 undefeated team
Destiny Slocum-was phenomenal as a freshman, will make an impact in the Pac-12 next year
Chennedy Carter-the best freshman point guard this season
Alexis Morris-has been solid all year and is elevating her play with Wallace out
Tyasha Harris-really good point guard for SC


Other highly rated players waiting in the wings:
Dana Evans-2:1 A/TO ratio for #3 Louisville. Was a top 10 recruit
Anastasia Hayes-significant contributor for Tennessee, top 10 recruit
Evina Westbrook-starting point guard for Tennessee, #2 recruit
Chasity Patterson-#4 recruit from 2017
Alecia Sutton-rotation player for Texas, #6 recruit from 2016

I'm sure I'm missing others...but that's a lot of young talent for the PG spot compared to previous years. For all the fear Team USA has about lack of PGs in the future, I could see a couple of these players making a big impact in the WNBA and internationally the next 5-10 years.

My only quibble with your list is the "hopeful" evolution of your guards-Westbrook and Hayes who frankly, are brutal ball handlers due to their suspect decision making. Hayes with 105 assists to 111 turnovers and Westbrook with 134 assists to 115 turnovers...ouch
By comparison Sabrina 264-107, Carter is 156-111. In fact, I only found 5 players who turned the ball over more and all of them had a significantly better ratio than either. The teams total of 516 turnovers vs. 502 assists ranked 274th out of 349 teams. So I see talent there, sort of, but have zero faith they will develop and get better under Holly.

 

[bballnut90]

My only quibble with your list is the "hopeful" evolution of your guards-Westbrook and Hayes who frankly, are brutal ball handlers due to their suspect decision making. Hayes with 105 assists to 111 turnovers and Westbrook with 134 assists to 115 turnovers...ouch
By comparison Sabrina 264-107, Carter is 156-111. In fact, I only found 5 players who turned the ball over more and all of them had a significantly better ratio than either. The teams total of 516 turnovers vs. 502 assists ranked 274th out of 349 teams. So I see talent there, sort of, but have zero faith they will develop and get better under Holly.

As a Tennessee fan I'm quite fearful of this....Holly doesn't develop players, especially highly touted ones. Both were top recruits and have been solid contributors for a team that will be seeded in the top 16, so that's why I put them on the list. Tennessee has always had a dreadful A/TO ratio, so nothing new there.

 

[nwhoopfan]

It has gotten really muddled trying to figure out who is and isn't a PG. I'd say Oregon really has 2 PG. Ionescu runs the offense frequently for Oregon and you can't ignore her assist numbers, but you also can't ignore the fact that her backcourt partner Cazorla is also very much a PG.

Agree w/ the above that Kianna Williams had a nice Fr. season for Stanford. She kept getting better and better as the season progressed. I really don't think I'd call her a PG though. More of a smallish 2G at this point. Sniezek really is their PG, doesn't seem to be a dual PG situation like Oregon has.

 

[DefenseBB]

Wow! She's practically a senior citizen then! The much younger Irish should not have had this much trouble checking her.

Because I just looked at the NCAA stats, Tiana led all D1 players with 170 turnovers, (293-170 for 1.75 A/TO ratio), next worst was Benyon from New Mexico with 132, 3rd was Murphy from SE Missouri at 126. That's a freakin amount of Turnovers, especially considering how many 3 pters this team takes! I know she did the Juco route but even at 23, that's pretty old...how she qualifies as a sophomore...jeesh something is odd but as we're recruiting an Aussie, it's all good mate!

 

[bballnut90]

Haven't seen much of Mangakahia...18 ppg, almost 10 assists and 5.7 turnovers...quite the stat line. Seems like there are a lot of similarities between her and Trae Young on the men's side.

 

[Crossover]

As a Tennessee fan I'm quite fearful of this....Holly doesn't develop players, especially highly touted ones. Both were top recruits and have been solid contributors for a team that will be seeded in the top 16, so that's why I put them on the list. Tennessee has always had a dreadful A/TO ratio, so nothing new there.

Just want to point out that you have once again earned your keep as a "topic crafter." I love it when knowledgeable fans of other schools don't limit their participation to their own team's pursuits.

 

[Dillon77]

Haven't seen much of Mangakahia...18 ppg, almost 10 assists and 5.7 turnovers...quite the stat line. Seems like there are a lot of similarities between her and Trae Young on the men's side.

She's very energetic and something of a ball of fire. Virginia Tech resorted to switching to a box and one in the ACC Tourney and had someone assigned to her the entire second half. It worked. In any case, try to check her out if Syracuse gets an NCAA bid.

However, more offensive reinforcements for the Orange are coming from Europe and the U.S. to give her more weapons to counter those strategies, including Emily Engstler from the very foreign borough of Queens, New York City!

 

[jonson]

As a Tennessee fan I'm quite fearful of this....Holly doesn't develop players, especially highly touted ones. Both were top recruits and have been solid contributors for a team that will be seeded in the top 16, so that's why I put them on the list. Tennessee has always had a dreadful A/TO ratio, so nothing new there.

Solid contributors or not, it seems to me that to be considered "a really good point guard" one would have to have an assist to turnover ration of 2.0 or above as a sophomore, and at least something on the way toward that as a freshman. At this point, and despite their recruiting rankings, neither of the Lady Vol candidates on your list come close to showing that kind of promise. And I don't think that Tennessee's history of bad assist to turnover ratios gives them a free pass. Just as a point of comparison, Ionescu had an assist to turnover ratio of 1.9 as a freshman; it's about 2.5 this year.

 

[Charliebball]

I think you are missing the best of the bunch in Tiana Mangakahia of the "Cuse who is leading the nation in assists. This sophomore Aussie is dishing out more than two assist per game than Sabrina.

the purest of the point guards for sure...............would much rather assist then score although she'll shoot from anywhere when required

 

[Charliebball]

Solid contributors or not, it seems to me that to be considered "a really good point guard" one would have to have an assist to turnover ration of 2.0 or above as a sophomore, and at least something on the way toward that as a freshman. At this point, and despite their recruiting rankings, neither of the Lady Vol candidates on your list come close to showing that kind of promise. And I don't think that Tennessee's history of bad assist to turnover ratios gives them a free pass. Just as a point of comparison, Ionescu had an assist to turnover ratio of 1.9 as a freshman; it's about 2.5 this year.

assists seem to happen more by chance at Tennessee................not exactly sure what kind of offense they are running.................

 

[Charliebball]

As a Tennessee fan I'm quite fearful of this....Holly doesn't develop players, especially highly touted ones. Both were top recruits and have been solid contributors for a team that will be seeded in the top 16, so that's why I put them on the list. Tennessee has always had a dreadful A/TO ratio, so nothing new there.

Holly is the anti-Geno....................it's sink or swim for the Tennessee freshmen who are skilled enough to eventually succeed just not to their fullest..............