The Evolution of the Two: Evaluating Modern Shooting Guards in the 2026 NBA Draft
A breakdown of Darryn Peterson, Keaton Wagler, Cameron Carr, Braylon Mullins, and Brayden Burries
The State of the 2026 NBA Draft
The 2026 NBA Draft continues to be exciting to track as the season unfolds. Spearheaded by a strong freshman class, every game presents a new opportunity for players to jockey for position and prove they are worthy of hearing their name called in June of 2026.
I’ve already covered the talent at the point guard position and discussed why I believe there could be as many as six true floor generals selected in the first round. Next up is the shooting guard position—and identifying the top prospects in this class who best fit that label.
What Is a Shooting Guard in 2026?
Before diving in, it’s worth asking: what exactly is a shooting guard in 2026? And how is that role different from a point guard?
Those answers aren’t nearly as simple as they were 30 years ago. Traditionally, point guards were tasked with handling the ball, organizing the offense, and setting up teammates, while shooting guards played primarily off the ball and focused on scoring.
Times have changed.
In today’s game, point guards must score and create at a high level, and shooting guards are often asked to handle the ball, initiate offense, and make reads similar to a lead guard. The positional line is blurred to the point where labeling players can feel arbitrary. What position is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? Anthony Edwards? There isn’t a definitive answer—and that’s okay.
We are firmly in the era of “ball players.”
Some shooting guards defend opposing point guards and thrive as opportunistic playmakers when defenses collapse, like Derrick White. Others fit a more traditional mold—playing off the ball and knocking down open shots, like Kon Knueppel. Then you have do-everything scorers in the mold of Donovan Mitchell.
Trying to force rigid positional labels is largely a waste of time. But for the sake of this article, I’ll do my best to place these prospects into a shooting guard framework based on role, skill set, and NBA projection.
