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Top 2009 NBA Draft Shooting Guard Prospects

Day by day, the NBA Draft inches nearer and the futures of every NBA franchise can change with just one selection. Will this year's draft class contain the next All-Star shooting guard? That is always impossible to tell, but these five two-guard prospects have the best chance at stardom:

1. James Harden, Arizona State - Harden emerged as one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball last season and he has the size, 222-pounds, to body up most shooting guards in the NBA. Standing 6-5, he should not overwhelm many guards, but he is not undersized by any means. Pouring in 20 PPG last season makes him the most appealing prospect at the shooting guard spot.

2. DeMar DeRozan, Southern California - DeRozan's athleticism, body (6-7, 211), and skill set will ensure a solid lottery pick for whatever team selects him. He averaged 13.9 points and 5.7 rebounds at his one year at USC and showed his potential. As the likes of Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose have shown, there is no reason to be afraid of a kid with only one year of college under his belt.

3. Tyreke Evans, Memphis - Tyreke's ability to run the point as well as play the two-guard spot will give a lucky team a fantastic talent and flexibility. Evans had the expectations of filling in where Derrick Rose left off last season. He certainly delivered. Averaging 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, the national consensus said that Evans was the best freshman in the game of college basketball. DeRozan's length earns him one spot higher on this list, though.

4. Gerald Henderson, Duke -Three seasons at Duke gives Henderson an edge in maturity level and his future NBA coaching staff should love this kid. He is capable of learning and excelling at the next level. Though he did not need to carry Duke offensively, his incredible athleticism can easily translate into an improved scorer and a solid perimeter defender on even the toughest tasks in the NBA. He lacks a jumper, but coaching staffs in the NBA have fixed plenty of players without jumpers.

5. Stephen Curry, Davidson - Steph Curry needs no introduction. Say what you will about his size, but he shows the passing ability and maturity level of a promising prospect. Curry will play the one- and the two-guard positions. His jumper is consistent and incredible. NBA teams rely on set-shooters as much as any other offensive role so Curry should translate into a legitimate offensive threat. He will guard smaller point guards as opposed to the opposition's shooting guard, which may cause mismatches, but he will have plenty of time to hit the weights. He will be posted early and often, but his offensive skills will carry him early in his career.

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