Draft talk: Breaking down 5 Phoenix Suns shooting guard options

Anthony Edwards

I’ve never been one who has bought into the Anthony Edwards hype. I mean, he’s an 18-year-old in an NBA-ready body at 6’5″ and 225 pounds, but he simply isn’t an elite shooter, and I would that would be a prerequisite for a potential #1 overall pick at shooting guard.

Edwards was “the guy” in college at Georgia. All the offense ran through him proven by an over 30.4% usage rate. While he did showcase some incredible scoring ability at this high volume with 13 games over 20 points and three games over 30 points, he put up a handful of stinkers as well, especially late in the season.

Of course, he’s an 18-year-old human, so it’s not fair to pluck out one Ole Miss game where he played all 40 minutes and shot 2-13 (1-9 from 3) and brand him as a poor shooter.

However, he only shot 29.4 percent from behind the arc on the season, and 40.2 percent overall. Combine that with a mediocre passing and good but not great defensive prowess and you’re primarily drafting Edwards based on potential.

For the Phoenix Suns, Edwards will likely be off the board if their lottery odds hold true and they draft 10th. However, if they move up to the top 4, they’ll have to take a strong look at Edwards.