Asia Durr of St. Pius X is our pick as the No. 2 point guard in the nation. The Louisville commit is averaging 31.1 points per game.
Photo by Peter Travers
Want a smarter coach for your team? Recruit an elite point guard.
Even the most egotistical coaches have to admit – if not necessarily out loud – that a quality point guard increases their coaching IQ dramatically. And that's one of the main reasons point guards are so prized.
In addition, it seems like there are fewer quality point guards, relatively speaking, in the women's game than in the men's, which makes recruiting one an even higher priority. So here's a look at the best point guards, regardless of age, with a highly subjective ranking.
1. Te'a Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), 2015 (Tennessee)Opinions vary on Cooper, but it's hard to argue with a point guard who can shoot, score, defend and find the open teammate. And before running mate Caliya Robinson tore her ACL, McEachern was No. 1 in the country and rolling over opponents.
2014-15 stats: 29.2 points, 7.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 steals per game.
2. Asia Durr, St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta), 2015 (Louisville)
Crystal Dangerfield, Blackman
Photo by Mark Jones
Yes, the top two point guards are from Georgia, but Durr has a different style. The lefty is stronger and more comfortable in the paint than Cooper, and choosing between them is like choosing between steak and lobster. It all depends on how you feel when you're reading the menu.
2014-15 stats: 31.1 points, 2.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals per game.
3. Crystal Dangerfield, Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 2016 (Connecticut)Dangerfield is the prototypical blur running the offense, and her pinpoint accuracy has Blackman, the defending national champion, back in the Top 5 again this year. And don't forget, she's just a junior.
2014-15 stats: 15.6 points, 7.3 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 3 steals per game.
4. Kyra Lambert, Clemens (Schertz, Texas), 2015 (Duke)Lambert has it all, and though not quite as tall and physical as WNBA first-round pick Chelsea Gray, Lambert is poised to become the next great Duke point guard.
2014-15 stats: 26.2 points, 2.8 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 steals per game.
5. Lashann Higgs, Cedar Ridge (Round Rock, Texas), 2015 (Texas)Higgs loves to get out in transition – though it's true great point guards flourish in the open court – but she's also productive in all situations at both ends of the floor. And it doesn't hurt that her high school coach, Angela Beck, also coached at Nebraska and the pro level.
6. Arike Ogunbowale, Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee), 2015 (Notre Dame)If you like your point guards to be physical and intimidating, the left-handed Ogunbowale could move up your list. She can power into the paint as well as any prep guard and if left alone, can bury the 3-pointer.
7. Aliyah Mazyck, Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.), 2015 (Southern California)You would think the USC that a North Carolina girl would choose would be No. 1 South Carolina, but Mazyck – with her classic point guard build and skills – is headed across the country to play for Cynthia Cooper. Watch out, Pac-12.
2014-15 stats: 19.3 points, 3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 steals per game.
8. Honesty Grayson, Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 2018 (Undecided)Obviously, this is pretty early, and Grayson may turn out to be more of a combo guard than a true point, but if there's one young guard you should keep an eye on, Grayson is the girl.
Special mention: Angela Salvadores, Spain (Duke)Salvadores put on a show against the United States in the U-17 World Championships last year, and was named MVP even though USA won the gold. Though Salvadores wasn't a secret to some college coaches, a complete evaluation will have to wait until she takes the court in Durham.
