NBA Draft 2018: 5 best lead guards available

Finding guards who can initiate offense is a priority for every NBA team. These five prospects are the best lead guards available in the 2018 NBA Draft.

As the NBA continues to put more and more emphasis on scoring from the outside, it’s imperative for every team to stockpile as many talented perimeter players as possible. In particular, teams need to get excellent play from the point guard position.

That doesn’t mean every team is looking for the same thing out of the position. Being a quality setup man isn’t enough anymore. Lead guards at the NBA level have to be able to score as well. Initiating offense from the pick-and-roll is an absolute requirement.

The college game is slowly adjusting to those expectations. This isn’t a particularly strong group of lead guards, but there are some very interesting options. We start our top five with a prospect who’s still flying under the radar.

5. Jerome Robinson

Robinson isn’t a classic point guard by any stretch of the imagination. However, he can score points in bunches. His excellent scoring record at Boston College should be enough to push him into the bottom of the first round.

He averaged just under 18 points for a mediocre Eagles team. The more impressive feat is that he erupted for some major scoring outbursts against top quality opposition. Specifically he torched Notre Dame for 43 points in a big February matchup.

The 6-foot-5 guard isn’t going to lead anyone in assists, but he can fill it up. He shot over 40 percent from 3 in college and he should be able to extend his range in the NBA. In a league that’s obsessed with perimeter players who can stretch the floor and handle the ball, there should be plenty of interest in Robinson.