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Fantasy basketball draft season is approaching rapidly, and managers should start identifying their building blocks, targeting sleepers, and avoiding potential busts.
One of the positions that can swing matchups and create advantages in fantasy basketball is the shooting guard position. Due to the lack of depth when compared to other positions, having an elite shooting guard can be essential when filling out a roster.
Finding players who can dominate these categories is essential when evaluating the shooting guard pool. In this piece, I'll rank the shooting guard-eligible players and sort them into five tiers. It's usually ideal to grab at least one player from the top two tiers, otherwise you may struggle to match your opponent's scoring output.
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Top 20 Shooting Guards in 9-Category Fantasy Basketball Leagues
These rankings break down the top 20 shooting guards into five tiers:
- Tier One: Cornerstone Pieces — First-round picks that you can build your roster around.
- Tier Two: Alpha Dogs — Not quite first-rounders, but All-Star caliber players who can fill up the stat sheet.
- Tier Three: Beta Dogs — Less consistent than Alpha Dogs but capable of delivering huge performances that can swing matchups.
- Tier Four: High Floor Players — Consistent and reliable, but not likely to deliver explosive performances regularly.
- Tier Five: High Upside Players — Players with significant potential who, if they become more reliable, can provide a major edge over the competition.
Note that these rankings focus on players whose primary position is shooting guard, though they may have eligibility for other positions. All players listed have shooting guard eligibility across all major fantasy league platforms.
Tier 1: Cornerstone Pieces
1.Donovan Mitchell - Cleveland Cavaliers (SG/PG)
Since Donovan Mitchell joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, rumors swirled that he would eventually request a trade. However, those rumors were put to rest when Mitchell signed a $150 million contract extension, keeping him with the Cavs through the 2028-29 season. Along with Mitchell's extension, the Cavaliers made other significant moves this offseason, including firing former head coach JB Bickerstaff and hiring Kenny Atkinson as his replacement.
Mitchell's All-Pro caliber play has turned the Cavs into true contenders in the Eastern Conference. He’s currently averaging 27.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.6 rebounds, shooting 48.4% from the field, 38.6% from three, and 86.7% from the free-throw line. These numbers are unlikely to dip under the new coaching staff, making Mitchell a first-round pick in fantasy drafts this season.
BREAKING: Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell has agreed on a three-year, $150.3 million maximum contract extension that includes a player option for the 2027-2028 season, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Vu6QXGyK57
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2024
2. Anthony Edwards - Minnesota Timberwolves (SG/SF)
Tier 2: Alpha Dogs
3. Dejounte Murray - New Orleans Pelicans (SG/PG)
4. Desmond Bane - Memphis Grizzlies (SG/SF)
One of the most underrated young guards in the NBA is Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane. His scoring and assist numbers have increased each season, with Bane reaching career highs last year, averaging 23.7 points and 5.5 assists. Although his rebound numbers dipped slightly, he still posted a respectable 4.4 rebounds per game for his position. Bane maintained solid shooting percentages in 2023-24, hitting 46.4% from the field, 38.1% from three, and 87% from the free-throw line. These percentages dipped slightly due to his increased volume, as teammate Ja Morant only appeared in nine games.
Bane also contributes defensively, averaging 1.0 steals and 0.4 blocks per game for his career. While he may not be a first- or second-round pick, he’s definitely a player to target early in drafts and would be an automatic starter at the shooting guard position.
5. Derrick White - Boston Celtics (SG/PG)
Tier 3: Beta Dogs
6. Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls (SG/SF)
7. Jalen Green - Houston Rockets (SG)
Arguably the best rebounding shooting guard in the NBA is Houston Rockets' Jalen Green. He averaged 5.8 rebounds per game after the All-Star break last season and recorded seven games with 10 or more rebounds. Green was also productive in other categories, averaging 19.6 points, 4.5 assists, and 0.8 steals. However, where Green struggles in 9-category leagues is his shooting efficiency, with percentages of 42.3% from the field, 33.2% from three, and 80.4% from the free-throw line.
If he can improve in these areas, Green could be a great value pick in the middle rounds for fantasy managers.
8. Devin Vassell - San Antonio Spurs (SG/SF)
9. Bradley Beal - Phoenix Suns (SG/SF)
10. Anfernee Simons - Portland Trail Blazers (SG/PG)
11. Tyler Herro - Miami Heat (SG/PG)
12. CJ McCollum - New Orleans Pelicans (SG/PG)
13. Austin Reaves - Los Angeles Lakers (SG/SF)
Tier 4: High Floor
14. Bogdan Bogdanovic - Atlanta Hawks (SG/SF)
15. Klay Thompson - Dallas Mavericks (SG/SF)
16. Donte DiVincenzo - Minnesota Timberwolves (SG)
In a surprising move, former New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo was traded as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal. DiVincenzo joins a Timberwolves roster in need of scoring off the bench, and he could be the perfect fit to provide just that.
He had his best season as a pro last year, playing a key role in keeping the Knicks competitive. Post-All-Star break, DiVincenzo averaged 19.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game while logging 37.1 minutes. Despite a high shot volume, he posted respectable shooting splits, hitting 44.3% from the field, 40.1% from three, and 75.4% from the free-throw line.
DiVincenzo may not be a starter for the Timberwolves, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He’s poised to be their best scorer off the bench and should have a defined role as the team’s sixth man. With the departure of Karl-Anthony Towns, DiVincenzo is also likely their top three-point shooter, which will lead to plenty of minutes and give him a higher floor than most players in his range.
Donte DiVincenzo in Game 7 vs. the Pacers:
39 points
11/21 FG
9/15 3PTHis last act as a Knick was electric. pic.twitter.com/KcRGMk9bKp
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) September 28, 2024
17. Alex Caruso - Oklahoma City Thunder (SG/PG)
Tier 5: High Upside
18. Josh Giddey - Chicago Bulls (SG/SF)
19. Brandin Podziemski - Golden State Warriors (SG)
Golden State Warriors guard Brandon Podziemski had a quietly impressive rookie season. He is likely to step into the starting lineup, replacing Klay Thompson, and will see an increased role in the offense. While Podziemski may not have high-scoring potential, he contributes across the stat sheet, averaging 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. His scoring, however, is an area for improvement—he averaged 9.2 points as a rookie, which is respectable, but his shooting percentages, particularly his 63.3% from the free-throw line, need work.
That said, if any team can help improve offensive efficiency, it’s Steve Kerr and the Warriors. Podziemski is a low-risk, high-reward pick late in drafts, offering value at his ADP.
Brandin Podziemski produced very well in limited ISO opportunities as a rookie...
Legitimate shotmaking upside on tape. Podz is especially nasty at hitting moon-ball stepbacks in ISO after getting a big switched onto him. Excited to see how GSW prioritizes his scoring this year. pic.twitter.com/aCQGdcjdYD
— NBA University (@NBA_University) September 17, 2024
20. Reed Sheppard - Houston Rockets (SG)
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