UCLA freshman Lonzo Ball has captivated the college basketball community with his impressive court vision, passing ability and also his immediate impact on the UCLA program. NC State freshman Dennis Smith Jr. has displayed his other-worldly athleticism while Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox has blown away fans and opposing coaches with his speed and ability to defend. Markelle Fultz has put up better numbers than all of them but has done it in virtual obscurity while his Washington team has struggled to win games.
Four point guards. All cornerstones of their respective programs -- at least for a year. All having their games analyzed, not just by opposing coaching staffs, but also by NBA executives who will have a difficult task on their hands come June 22.
Figure out which one of these guys to draft.
I polled 15 NBA executives for their ranking of the top four point guards in college basketball. We're not going to include 6-foot-5 French floor leader Frank Ntilikina in the discussion, even though he could be taken before at least one, if not more, of these guys.
"It's not an easy decision," one NBA general manager told me. "They could all go in the top 10. Whoever gets any of them has a chance to have a guy you can build around."
"This point guard group is electric," another NBA executive added. "Honestly, I wouldn't be shocked if three of them are taken in the first five picks."
The rankings and quotes below are all from NBA executives -- a cross-section of GMs, high-ranking execs and scouts. A first-place vote was worth four points, second-place votes were worth three points, etc.
1. Markelle Fultz, Washington Huskies
Stats: 22.1 points per game, 6.4 assists per game, 5.9 rebounds per game, 44 percent from 3-point range
First-place votes: 12
Total points: 57
"We don't care that his team stinks. Ben Simmons went first last year, and LSU didn't make the NCAA tournament. To me, [Fultz] is the best point guard and maybe the No. 1 overall pick."
"He's the most well-rounded out of all these guys. He's a big, strong point guard who can score and also set guys up. He's also the best shooter of the group. I'd take him over all the other guys."
"The game just comes so easy to him. He can get in the paint. He can shoot it. He is capable of defending, and he's got the size and athleticism. Sure, he hasn't won a ton of games -- but there's not a lot of talent around him, either."
"There's not much not to like about him. I love the pace he plays at. He rarely gets sped up, and also rarely gets rattled. The difference with Fultz and the other guys is that he is the best shooter and best scorer of the group."
2. Lonzo Ball, UCLA Bruins
Stats: 14.7 points per game, 8 assists per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, 43 percent from 3-point range
First-place votes: 3
Total points: 46
"His IQ is off the charts. He just knows how to play, but we all knew that. What he's done that has surprised me is his ability to shoot the ball."
"I love him. Guys are going to love playing with him. I think he'll be fine with any team. He has vision, he shoots it and has elite basketball IQ. Those traits can succeed in any situation."
"He's more athletic than I thought, shoots it better than I thought, and plays with such maturity. I'd take him over Fultz right now."
"His feel and understanding of the game at this age is pretty unique. His shot doesn't look good, but it goes in. He has the size, vision and plays pretty hard."
3. Dennis Smith Jr., NC State Wolfpack
Stats: 19.1 points per game, 6.4 assists per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, 38 percent from 3-point range
First-place votes: 0
Total points: 27
"He's such a freak athlete and has so much upside, maybe more than of these guys. But I want to see him play hard consistently. That concerns me."
"He has the highest ceiling and the lowest floor. He's a risk. Period."
"You can see a little bit of Russell Westbrook in him when he asserts himself. He's so fast and athletic, and that's what our game is now."
"The other three guys compete on every possession. I'm not sure if it's more about him, or where he's playing. But he just doesn't play hard enough for me."
"He's strong and doesn't back down. The one thing he'll be able to do at our level is finish."
4. De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky Wildcats
Stats: 16.3 points per game, 6.7 assists per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 13 percent from 3-point range
First-place votes: 0
Total points: 20
"I love his quickness and ability to push the tempo, but he's clearly fourth for me right now. I'm worried about his perimeter shot and the fact that he's so thin."
"Speed kills, and Fox can really guard. He obviously has to improve his perimeter shot, and that's an area that can really improve with work."
"I'm a big fan. He's got the length and is competitive. He's unselfish, can get to the paint. The thing that has to improve is his shot, but he takes care of the ball and gets guys involved."
"He has elite-level quickness, but doesn't shoot it well, and I'm worried about him finishing around the basket in the NBA. He'll just bounce off guys."