Recruiting Recap: Must-See Guards

While Memphis and Duke overhauled rosters with their recruiting efforts this season, there's still plenty of talent to go around. Both traditional powerhouse programs and those that are on the rise got in on the action. 

For the backcourt players, the 2019-20 class features players who boast the prototypical skill sets of superstar guards in today's fast-paced game. They're explosive athletes who all have the potential to be considered elite at their position, and all of them find themselves in great opportunities to succeed at their respective programs. 

Cole Anthony - PG - North Carolina

Anthony, who is the son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony, is the consensus top point guard in the 2019 high school class, and he will be brought into Chapel Hill to fill the vacancy at the position left by Coby White.

Anthony is an explosive point guard who plays with terrific energy on both ends of the floor. He can score from anywhere in the halfcourt, but he is at his best when attacking the hoop. Not only does Anthony have the ability to finish above the rim with ease, but he also has a soft touch when needed. Beyond that, Anthony has the ability to get his jump shot off from anywhere on the floor thanks to the elevation he gets, and his shot has improved enough over the years where he should be viewed as a legitimate threat from the outside at the college level.

Anthony's drive really shines on the defensive end, however, as that combined with his solid frame should make him a nightmare for opposing point guards this season. He should have no problem racking up steals with his physicality, speed and instincts on that end of the floor.  

While Anthony is a skilled passer, scouts believe his biggest drawback is his tendency to pound the ball and play within himself. That mindset will always help him put up big numbers in the scoring column, but to reach his full potential as a collegiate player, he'll have to get better at playing within Roy Williams' offensive system. With that, Anthony will have no issues racking up points in bunches next season, but his value has no ceiling if he becomes a willing passer in a fast-paced offense. 

Anthony Edwards - SG - Georgia

Tom Crean wasted no time blazing a recruiting trail to Georgia, as he put together a very impressive 2019-20 class that is led by Edwards, who is considered the top shooting guard in his class. A large part of that is just how physically mature Edwards is, as the first thing that becomes immediately evident when watching him play is just how much bigger and stronger he is than other guards in his age bracket. 

But while he has been able to physically overpower opponents on the high school level, Edwards still has the skill set that should lead to prolonged success at college and beyond. Most importantly, Edwards is a strong perimeter scorer with the ability to shoot both off the dribble and in spot-up situations. He does have a solid handle and the ability to attack the basket, but scouts aren't too confident in his ability to attack at the college level given that defenders will be much bigger and more physical. 

In the end, the biggest thing Edwards will have going for him is that he will likely be the most talented scorer on this young Georgia team, and he is probably the most talented guard the program has seen since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. As a result, while Edwards does have some polishing to do with his overall game, he should be this team's go-to scorer, and at the very least, he'll score in bunches and get a ton of looks from behind the arc. 

Nico Mannion and Josh Green - Arizona

After having his worst season at Arizona since his first year as head coach back in 2009-10, Sean Miller snagged a pair of top-10 recruits in an effort to get the program back on the right track. With the freshmen backcourt duo of Mannion and Green, Miller found his starting backcourt for as long as the two will stay in school. 

Mannion isn't the class' top-ranked point guard prospect, but at this point, he may be the most polished. Offensively, he does everything, as he is both a very skilled scorer and distributor. The Scottsdale-native can score from anywhere on the floor. He has a smooth jump shot that he can hit in both spot up situations and off the dribble with a really tight handle, but he is best when attacking the basket. He's a decent athlete with good bounce, but Mannion is always going to finish strong once he gets to the rim. In the end, his skill set should translate great to the college level, as Mannion is also a cagey defender and should be able to get plenty of deflections and steals at that end of the floor. 

Green, on the other hand, has the size and skill to play either the two or three and is being tabbed as the next great basketball star to come out of Australia. Regardless of what position Green plays at, he has the potential to be an explosive scorer at Arizona. Green has a beautiful jump shot with great elevation, and he also has elite length and bounce, making for high-flying dunks when attacking in transition. 

Like Mannion, Green is a flashy, effective passer, and the two should compliment each other quite nicely, especially in the open floor. Green will likely take on a heavier scoring burden while Mannion runs the show as the point guard, but Miller is likely at ease knowing they will be able to swap roles at any point if needed. 

Tyrese Maxey - SG - Kentucky

Maxey is a very interesting prospect heading into Kentucky, as he doesn't boast great size for the shooting guard position, but he doesn't yet have the skill set to be a legitimate floor leader. Put simply, Maxey is a scorer, and while he may not have the all-around game of some of the guards ranked ahead of him, he may end up being the best pure bucket-getter to come out of the 2019 class. 

With Kentucky losing both Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro to the NBA, head coach John Calipari will be leaning on Maxey to be his top shooting guard and potentially his top scorer this season. This is even more evident when you add P.J. Washington and Reid Travis to the list of departures, as that means Kentucky lost its four top scorers from last year's squad, and with that, Maxey couldn't be entering a better situation for him to thrive in than the one at Kentucky next season. 

Maxey can hit a jump shot from anywhere on the floor. He has a strong mid-range game and decent range on his three-point shot, and he has terrific elevation on his jumper, which is huge given that he's a tad undersized for his position. Maxey is also an elite slasher and finisher with great touch around the rim and as a result, could be one of the more dynamic scoring guards Calipari has coached. 

The shooting guard will likely garner a lot of attention from opposing defenses during his freshman season as a Wildcat, but it shouldn't stop him from being the elite scorer that he is. While it's uncommon for a player to really standout offensively on a Calipari-coached team, the circumstances may leave the Hall-of-Fame coach no other option than to just let Maxey have at it once he is used to the speed and physicality of the college game.