Ranking top 5 guard prospects for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 NBA Draft
4. Carlton Carrington (Pitt)
2023-24 stats:
6-foot-5, 195 pounds (6-foot-8 wingspan)
13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists per game
41 percent field goal shooting, 32 percent 3-point shooting, 79 percent free throw shooting
One of the most interesting guards in this draft is Carlton "Bub" Carrington. He's a smooth, flashy, bucket-getting guard who can hit every time of mid-range shot in the book. On top of his scoring ability, he is also a great passer and has solid defensive potential with his length and quickness.
Carrington definitely has the highest potential of any player on this list, but he also probably needs more time to develop, which is why he comes in fourthon this list. He will need to get stronger and learn how to be more efficient before he can be a really impactful player, and the Bucks are looking for players who can make more of an immediate impact.
Either way, Carrington would be an exciting player to add to the Bucks with his potential on both ends.
3. Tristen Newton (UConn)
2023-24 stats:
6-foot-4, 190 pounds (6-foot-7 wingspan)
15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists
42 percent field goal shooting, 32 percent 3-point shooting, 81 percent free throw shooting
If the Bucks are looking for a solid backup floor general, why not take the guard who led UConn to back-to-back national championships? Newton is a glue guy guard with a well-rounded game who has a lot of positive attributes, and he has already been brought in for a workout for the Bucks. He can handle the ball and run an offense with his playmaking, but he also can do the dirty work with rebounding and hustle on both ends.
He stuffed the stat sheet with averages of 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists last season, and he has been a major contributor in making UConn the dominant team that they are. He isn't yet a reliable jump shooter off the dribble, but he shot a respectable 35 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and made 44.1 percent when unguarded, according to Synergy.
Newton isn't the flashiest or highest-upside prospect, but he is a winner who provides a lot of winning skills, and there are very few more trustworthy guards in the nation.