2018 Rankings Breakdown: Point Guards (Part 1)
It’s that time of the year again! With our new and updated comes new names, new recruitment and more! Over the next few weeks we’ll be breaking down all of our rankings, starting with part one of our point guards featuring eight of the best rising senior lead guards. Stay tuned to Vantage Hoops for positional breakdowns across each class, and more content on our updated rankings!
Jaelin Llewellyn | 6’3” | Virginia Episcopal School/Team Loaded VA (#3 Overall)
Llewellyn is a dynamic playmaking point guard in every sense. He’s athletic, explosive, shifty and leads by example on both ends. He has a lot of room to grow offensively, where he either needs to shoot it better to be a 2 or handle it better to be a 1, but he has all of the physical intangibles and competitive spirit to be a high level guard. Since joining Team Loaded VA on the Adidas Gauntlet, Llewellyn has seen his recruitment take off, picking up 10 offers in the two live period weekends.
Xavier Johnson | 6’2” | Bishop O’Connell/Team Takeover (#4 Overall)
Johnson saw his stock soar last season with Team Takeover’s 16U team, and while he didn’t pick up tons of offers during his junior season he’s still considered a legit high major point guard. He has unreal feel offensively, always seeming to be a few plays ahead of others and seeing the floor in ways other guards don’t. He can take over and score when needed with an array of shots in the midrange and great body control, and he also sits down and defends the ball well. He has to continue to improve his shooting, but his intangibles and winning ways are things you just can’t teach.
Jason Wade | 6’5” | Trinity Episcopal/Boo Williams (#7 Overall)
Wade’s stock has rose as fast as anyone in the state, and after leading Trinity to the private school state championship he’s shown he can do it against the best in the country so far on the EYBL. His biggest flaw is that he struggles shooting from the perimeter, but he has a college ready body, a point guard’s feel in a bulky 6’5″ frame and he’s an athletic finisher around the rim. He’s also one of the best on ball defenders in the state. He currently holds double digit division offers, and his recruitment doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Jonathan Norfleet | 6’2” | Salem (VB)/Team Loaded NC (#10 Overall)
An explosive lead guard with good change of pace and the ability to finish in traffic, Norfleet has developed nicely into a division one point guard. His level will have to depend on his continued improvement on his decision making, however he’s already improved his shooting, and his ability to play in transition with his athleticism is exactly what coaches are looking for. Whether or not his recruitment picks up to the next level, he should have plenty of options when the time comes to make his decision.
Darius McGhee | 5’9” | Blue Ridge/Team Loaded NC (#12 Overall)
Liberty continues their stellar recruiting by grabbing this undersized point guard that’s an explosive scorer. Before reclassifying and transferring to Blue Ridge, McGhee set the NC single season scoring record, and was third in the country with over 36 points per game. It’s easy to see, because he can shoot it from half court with ease and he’s a terrific athlete for his size, but he also showed this season that he’s a pesky on ball defender too. An absolute steal for an up and coming program that looked past his physical stature to see this kid can play with anyone.
Mac McClung | 6’1” | Gate City/Team Loaded VA (#13 Overall)
Talk about energy, this kid is all over the place when he plays. You wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at him, but this 6 foot pasty white kid has crazy bounce, is tough as nails and doesn’t back down from anyone. He’s so much fun to watch play as he’s both flashy and productive, and if he can continue to hone the point guard skills he’ll be a stud at a midmajor program. His mix of toughness, athleticism and ability to make others better has him with over 20 offers, making him one of the most recruited players in the state right now.
Cle’Von Greene | 6’2” | Williamsburg Christian/Team Loaded 757 (#21 Overall)
An athletic combo guard, Greene can be described as a playmaker although he’s reckless at times. He has a high motor, rebounds well for a guard, finishes well at the rim and plays well in transition. A well spoken and hard working kid, if he continues to improve his shooting and playmaking ability he should see his recruitment pick up this summer. He holds three offers, the most recent of which came from Central Connecticut State.
Antwan Miles | 5’11” | Phoebus/Team Loaded 757 (#24 Overall)
Miles had a huge year for Phoebus, and has proven that he’s a division one player by pulling in multiple offers already. He’s a lightning quick lead guard with explosive leaping ability when finishing and he can score the ball from almost anywhere on the court. He needs to work on his facilitating from the PG spot, but he has a ton of physical and athletic tools that you simply can not teach, and his ranking should skyrocket moving forward.