5 best point guards available: College Basketball Transfer Portal: 5 best point guards available

The point guard is arguably the most important position in basketball. They work as a coach on the floor and call the plays, shout the adjustments and steady the team when there's tension brewing among their teammates or during anxious moments on the court.

Right after the 2023-24 season, a lot of teams lost point guards due to graduation, declaring for the 2024 NBA draft and entering the transfer portal. Some point guards enlisted their names in the portal, as they're looking for teams that could fully utilize their talents and possibly help them gain more NCAA experience, NIL value and NBA draft stock.

Here's a closer look at the top five point guards who are still available in the transfer portal.

5 best point guards available in the transfer portal

#5. D.J. Wagner, Kentucky

DJ Wagner averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game for the Kentucky Wildcats in the 2023-24 season.

The 6-foot-4 Wagner had an eventful 2023-24 season with the Kentucky Wildcats as a freshman. The consensus five-star recruit from Camden High School showed potential early on. He scored a pair of 20-point games against St. Joseph's Hawks (22) and Marshall (28).

However, Wagner fell into a seven-game slump where he averaged 4.3 points between January and February. He bounced back late in the season with games of 19 and 11 points against Arkansas and Vanderbilt, respectively.

The son of former NBA player Dajuan Wagner played 29 games for the Wildcats and averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds. Wagner can aggressively penetrate the lane to score points or pass it to the open man.

However, he needs to improve on his outside shooting next season and passing skills to boost his NBA Draft stock which was visibly affected by his low proficiency in the 3-point area and his assist-to-turnover ratio (3.3:1.5).

#4. Javon Small, Oklahoma State

Javon Small tallied 15.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 4.1 apg for the Oklahoma State Cowboys last season.

Small played for three productive seasons with East Carolina and Oklahoma State. During his stint with the Cowboys, the 6-foot-3 combo guard led the team in scoring (15.1 ppg) and assists (4.1 apg). He also had a knack for crashing the boards – as evidenced by his 4.7 rpg average – and could shoot well from the 3-point area too (37.4%).

Small's field goal and free throw shooting proficiency is high for a point guard nowadays as he shot 44.1% from the field and 86.6% from the foul line in the just-concluded season.

As a point guard, however, he should take care of the ball and trim down his errors. He committed 3.1 turnovers per game last season — a potential red flag for teams who look for an explosive, yet efficient playmaker from the transfer portal.

#3. Deivon Smith, Utah

In the 2023-24 NCAA men's basketball season, Deivon Smith averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per contest for Utah.

Smith is set to transfer to his fourth school one season after tallying his best statistical production as a collegiate player. The 6-foot playmaker tallied career-highs of 13.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 7.1 apg and 1.1 spg in 28 games for the Utes.

He also shot his best field goal and 3-point shooting clips of his career at 46.7% and 40.8%, respectively. This season, Smith scored a season-high 28 points in a loss against Indiana State and recorded five triple-doubles.

Smith could fit all teams that need a playmaker as he can take over right away.

#2. Tyrese Hunter, Texas

Tyrese Hunter averaged 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.3 steals for Texas last season.

The 6-foot junior started in all 106 games and averaged on double-figures during points in the three seasons he had with Texas and Iowa State. Hunter averaged 11.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.1 apg and 1.3 spg this past season. He also shot 45.2% from the field.

The incoming fourth-year player brings his excellent playmaking skills and on-court efficiency to teams that want to secure his services. It will be Hunter's third school as he sets to go professional in the next season or two.

#1. Pop Isaacs, Texas Tech

Pop Isaacs led Texas Tech with averages of 15.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 3.5 apg in 34 games.

Isaacs is coming off a banner season with Texas Tech where he played for 34 games and averaged 15.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.0 spg. The incoming junior played for about 32.7 minutes per contest.

The 6-foot-2 guard dropped a season-high 32 points against BYU in the regular season and scored 20-plus points eight times this past season. Isaacs is an excellent pickup for teams looking for players who have outstanding playmaking and defensive skills.

Who among the available point guards in the transfer portal do you think has the best chance of getting picked by a top-tier program? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.