Preseason Position Breakdown: 2026 Lead Guards

In anticipation of the upcoming season, I'm sharing my top 5 prospects at each of the four essential positions. Rather than draw a line in the sand between who is or isn't a "real point guard," here I lock in on those primary initiators and advantage creators at the "1":    Rapidly improving a primary initiator, Johnson Jr navigates ball pressure by sliding and gliding into open space to get the shots he wants. He also counteracts stronger and taller defenders with well-timed craft finishes and touch passes. His swift movements with the ball in his hands allow him to blow by the first defender, then decelerate, opening up windows to score or play-make.     Miller is a hyper athlete who also happens to have some wiggle and suddenness off the bounce. He generates explosive plays on defense with how he can block shots from the weak-side and shoot the gap for steals. Offensively, Miller can create the negative space for step-back threes or explode forward for pull-up twos and/or paint touches.     One of the best WPIAL prospects regardless of class, Pratt perpetually has defenders on their heels. He's a threat to score from anywhere because of his footwork to get to turnaround jumpers and his ability to stop-and-start then get it the cup. His processing carries over to when he has to set up someone else and when he's on defense too.     The most under the radar of all the advantage creators in his class, Rosario is a true point guard. Excellent at live-dribble passes, he throws his teammates open when they're cutting and hits teammates in their shooting pockets with surgical precision. Rosario could already get downhill to score, but now he's subtly mixing in pull-up jumpers.     A floor general of the highest order, Smith provides everything a coach wants from his signal-caller. The Tep point guard gets two feet in the paint, facilitates for everyone else, and knocks down jumpers off the catch. Unfortunately for other guards, Smith is an irritant, able to defend on an island, navigate ball-screens, and lock-and-trail off-ball.    Once [player_tooltip player_id='1608257' first='Ian' last='Williams'] returns to action, he'll more than likely ascend back to the top of the list.   Honorable Mention: [player_tooltip player_id='1576719' first='Stephon' last='Ashley-Wright'], [player_tooltip player_id='1888851' first='Kobe' last='Bazemore'], [player_tooltip player_id='2456462' first='Ryan' last='Brown Jr'], [player_tooltip player_id='1611931' first='Kody' last='Colson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1608253' first='Matt' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2251708' first='Tyler' last='Tolbert'], and Deshawn Yates.

In anticipation of the upcoming season, I'm sharing my top 5 prospects at each of the four essential positions. Rather than draw a line in the sand between who is or isn't a "real point guard," here I lock in on those primary initiators and advantage creators at the "1":