March Madness: The Best Point Guards In College Basketball
- Joel Piton
- 4 hours ago
- 8 min read
by Joel Piton
Sportz Nation - 3/24/2026
This year's NCAA basketball season was flanked by high scoring guards—and we're seeing a lot these guys dominate in March Madness play. Overflowing with limitless potential, you have to think where these kids could end up as the NBA Draft draws closer. All eyes are on these floor generals who control the tempo, create opportunities, and deliver in the biggest moments. If we had to break down ten particular prospects who have either had deeply competitive individual seasons, or are driving tournament runs and rising up draft boards in real time—here they are. Whether it’s elite playmaking, scoring, or securing command of the game, these point guards are putting on a show when it matters most. Here are the names you need to know as college basketball’s biggest stage meets the NBA’s future.
Jordan Pope — Texas (Sr.)
Height: 6'1"
Age: 22
Player Comp: Fred VanVleet
Draft Projection: N/A
2025-26 Stats: 13.1 PPG · 2.1 RPG · 1.9 APG · 39.9% FG
After balling out for Oregon State for two seasons, Jordan Pope took his talents to the Longhorns and the results have been tremendous both individually and for the team. The undersized guard's stats won't wow you but he's a lightning quick player who has quite possibly the best shot selection in the Southeast. Pope is a knockdown threat both off the catch and the bounce, but what really has stood out to me throughout this March madness tournament is his clutch gene. In Trae Young-like fashion, Pope has had a late season surge of ridiculous late game shots that forced me to put him here. The Longhorns can go as far as he takes them, and he's be a big part of their journey.
Darius Acuff Jr. — Arkansas (Fr.)
Height: 6'3"
Age: 19
Player Comp: Damian Lillard
Draft Projection: Top 10
2025-26 Stats: 23.3 PPG · 3.1 RPG · 6.5 APG · 48.6% FG
A bucket getter in every sense, Darius Acuff Jr. seemingly gets better with every game. As the primary engine for the Razorbacks, he transitioned from a high-scoring high school prospect into arguably the most productive lead guard in the country, earning SEC Player of the Year honors and cementing himself as a top-tier lottery talent for the 2026 NBA Draft. An elite three-level scorer who can punish you off the catch, or put you on an island, Acuff possess a Lillard-like offensive package from mid-range and beyond the arc, and he looks virtually impossible to contain at times. He's also a gifted passer and knows how to manipulate the pick-and-roll to his benefit. While quick and shifty, he isn't the most explosive athlete but clearly he hasn't needed to be. There's no doubt this kid ends up being a lottery pick two months from now.
Mikel Brown Jr. — Louisville (Fr.)
Height: 6'5"
Age: 19
Player Comp: Darius Garland
Draft Projection: Top 10
2025-26 Stats: 18.2 PPG · 3.3 RPG · 4.7 APG · 41.0% FG
Although his collegiate career has just finished up, I'd be remiss not to put this phenom here. Mikel Brown Jr. is a name you'll want to remember. Amidst multiple in-season injuries, Brown still managed to finalize a collegiate campaign worthy of making him a projected lottery pick. Brown set the ACC freshman scoring record with a 45-point explosion against NC State, knocking down 10 three-pointers in the process. He's a microwave scorer with no off switch whatsoever, and with a lightning quick with release, he could end up being the best shooter in the draft. However, while he hasn't had any issue scoring at the collegiate level, the NBA is a different beast and this kid is super lean. I think he'll need to bulk up a bit to be equally effective.
Kingston Flemings — Houston (Fr.)
Height: 6'4"
Age: 19
Player Comp: De'Aaron Fox
Draft Projection: Top 5
2025-26 Stats: 16.2 PPG · 4.0 RPG · 5.2 APG · 47.8% FG
Kingston Flemings’ draft stock has reached elite status and for good reason. Houston has looked unstoppable this season and Flemings has been a large piece of the puzzle. Kingston is the fuel for the Cougars offense and turned heads with a 42-point performance against Texas Tech, a Houston freshman record. With elite twitch and burst, he blows by defenders with ease and gets most of his buckets at the rim. He also has active hands and the lateral quickness to be an on-ball menace at the NBA level with 1.6 steals a night. Flemings is a proven big-game performer and someone you want to run the ball through when it matters most.
Labaron Philon — Alabama (So.)
Height: 6'4"
Age: 20
Player Comp: D'Angelo Russell
Draft Projection: Mid-1st Round
2025-26 Stats: 21.6 PPG · 3.4 RPG · 5.0 APG · 50.2% FG
Labaron shocked a lot of people when he decided to retain his eligiblity for another collegiate season, and it paid off big. Labaron went off this season looking like a completely different basketball player. His strong scoring output is pushing the Crimson Tide further than they could have imagined. Philon is widely considered. to have the best handles in the draft. snake dribbles, AI crossovers, snatchbacks, you name it—he can d oit. What's more is the efficiency coming from this kid, at one point notching 50-40-90 splits. Philon's defense has also taken a massive leap this season and he's developed into an on-ball pest. Unfortunately for all the ball handling attributes he posses, he does seem to turn the ball over a lot, leading the team in turnovers by a large margin. If he limits turnovers and secures the ball more over these next few games, he could climb higher in the draft boards.
Bennett Stirtz — Iowa (Sr.)
Height: 6'4"
Age: 22
Player Comp: Donte DiVincenzo
Draft Projection: 1st Round
2025-26 Stats: 19.7 PPG · 2.7 RPG · 4.5 APG · 47.8% FG
Bennett Stirtz and the Hawkeyes did the unthinkable, taking down the reigning champion Florida Gators in a nail-biter and building off that momentum to do greater things in the Sweet Sixteen. He also has one of the most compelling profiles in college basketball. Stirtz is a pick-and-roll maestro and can either make the leading pass or finish the play with a bucket himself. A high-energy scorer and floor general, Stirtz as seemingly expanded his shooting repertoire each and every season with better shot election. He isn't a high-motor athlete by the eye test, but despite a lack of vertical explosiveness, he finishes at a high clip at the rim with textbook floaters, eurosteps and tough layups. Stirtz's age is in my opinion the only thing keeping him from being a lottery pick.
Christian Anderson — Texas Tech (So.)
Height: 6'3"
Age: 19
Player Comp: Collin Sexton
Draft Projection: 1st Round
2025-26 Stats: 18.9 PPG · 3.7 RPG · 7.5 APG · 48.0% FG
After a solid freshman year, he exploded into one of the most productive and efficient lead guards in the country. Following JT Toppin's season-ending injury, Anderson has been given the keys to the Red Raiders offense and he's been doing everything and then some to win it all. Anderson is a high-volume shooter who can score off the catch, off the bounce or on the drive. His 7.5 assists per game lead the Big 12 and rank him in the top-10 nationally. He rarely buckles under pressure, plays at his own pace, and uses change-of-pace and a tight handle to dictate the flow of the game. Anderson's compact size makes him a target for larger "bully" guards in the NBA, but if he can bulk up just a bit more, he could end up being a premier facilitator at the NBA level for easily a decade plus.
Jaden Bradley — Arizona (Sr.)
Height: 6'3"
Age: 22
Player Comp: Kevin Porter Jr.
Draft Projection: 2nd Round
2025-26 Stats: 13.1 PPG · 3.6 RPG · 4.5 APG · 46.3% FG
Following a standout high-school career, Jaden Bradley had sort of fallen under the radar. Fast-forward to now, and he's a hair from getting secured into the second round of the NBA draft. Bradley has blossomed into the ultimate floor general and “glue guy,” for the Wildcats, ultimately earning 2026 Big 12 Player of the Year honors. He's a physically mature, hard-nosed guard who thrives on getting downhill and setting the tone on both ends of the floor. With an elite-first step and a sturdy 200-pound frame, Bradley absorbs contact to finish tough buckets and can collapse defenses with pesky, scrappy play. As a key engine on a top ranked team, Bradley's leadership could take him very far at the NBA level. However, I'd like to see him stretch the floor more and shoot more competitively from beyond-the-arc, because his scoring upside isn't huge.
Jeremy Fears Jr. — Michigan State (So.)
Height: 6'2"
Age: 20
Player Comp: Brandon Knight
Draft Projection: N/A
2025-26 Stats: 15.3 PPG · 2.4 RPG · 9.4 APG · 43.6% FG
Brother of Jeremiah Fears, Jeremy Fears Jr. is one of the purest, most traditional floor generals in college basketball right now. The engine behind another variation of Izzo's dominant Michigan State teams, fears has established himself as one of the best passers in the game. He's a master table-setter who can read screens really well, finds cutters and windows in a nanosecond, and possess a tight handle on the ball with smooth herky-jerky pace. Widely regarded as a "pro's pro" at the college level, he plays with a massive chip on his shoulder, is a vocal leader, a willing rebounder for his size, and is willing to bring grit on every single end of the floor. His weakness? Shooting. His three-point percentage hovers in the low 30s, and his release is somewhat unconventional and slow. Neither he nor his brother are known for prolific three point shooting, and it's tough to be a small guard that can't shoot lights out.
Braden Smith — Purdue (Sr.)
Height: 6'0"
Age: 22
Player Comp: Isaiah Collier
Draft Projection: 2nd Round
2025-26 Stats: 14.3 PPG · 3.6 RPG · 9.0 APG · 45.4% FG
A NCAA fan-favorite and one of the brightest playmakers in college basketball, 22-year-old Braden Smith is leading the charge on a Purdue team that wants to win it all. Breaking the NCAA all-time assist record earlier this year and leading Purdue to another dominant season, scouts have finally moved past his height concerns to focus on his historic playmaking and elite basketball IQ. Smith is arguably the most decorated passer in college basketball history and he makes it look easy with sweet, effortless dimes. He operates the pick and roll with veteran-level pace and uses his 6'5" wingspan and crafty angles to overcome his 6'0" frame. And in case you wondering, he's more than just a passer. This guy is one of the deadliest snipers in the game too and can pull up from well beyond the arc. Smith is someone who can stabilize a locker room immediately and is a leader through and through. It's hard not to route for this kid.
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You’ve seen the names, the highlights, and the stat sheet—but now it’s your turn. Which of these point guards are you rooting for to take that next leap to the NBA? And as the madness unfolds, which team are you riding with all the way through the tournament? Are you backing a powerhouse or betting on a Cinderella run based off of these upsets? One thing’s for sure—this tourney has been anything but predictable so far. Let us know who you’ve got in the comments.
Get ready for it basketball fans, NCAA March Madness is officially underway 🚨 Can't keep up with the games? Be sure to stay tuned into Sportz Nation for your sports updates on all things basketball.
Thanks for reading!
-Joel Piton
(@jpiton7)