2013 NBA Draft: Who Are the Top 5 Shooting Guards in This Year’s Field?

2013 NBA Draft: Top 5 Shooting Guards

We are under two weeks away from the start of the 2013 NBA Draft, but it's never to early to dive into some of the top positional battles within this year's class.

The shooting guard position is an interesting one here in 2013, with some top talent already fluctuating amongst some of the top draft rumors leading into late June. While this year's batch of shooting guards could be labeled more as athletic, high-flyers as opposed to actual shooters, there's a good batch of prospects here who can certainly impact the respected NBA organizations that are interested in them.

The shooting guard position can be crucial to bolstering back court depth and adding another dynamic to a team's offense. The top prospects in this year's field are no different, as each of these top five guards can add that other aspect to an NBA franchise, down the line, if not immediately. Without further ado, let's dive into the top five shooting guard prospects within the 2013 NBA Draft:

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No. 5: Tim Hardaway Jr. (Michigan)

Draft Projection: Late First Round

Tim Hardaway Jr. has NBA bloodlines and he's rising up the NBA Draft board here in 2013. At first, he appeared to be an early second round selection, but the former Michigan-product has been impressive since the Wolverines' season came to a conclusion in the National Championship game. Hardaway Jr. has good size and he can score in a variety of ways. He certainly can have a lengthy NBA career if he continues to improve and take advantage of those qualities.

No. 4: Jamaal Franklin (San Diego State)

Draft Projection: Mid-to-Late First Round

Jamaal Franklin was Mr. Do-it-all at San Diego State and now he's looking like a first round lock here in 2013. Franklin has great athleticism and he can stuff the stat sheet because of it. Franklin is used to having the ball in his hands and he has no trouble scoring, rebounding and dishing out the rock.

No. 3: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Georgia)

Draft Projection: Lottery Pick

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went virtually unheralded at Georgia and that's mainly because of the team's lack of success. However, Caldwell-Pope has great size and he's a true talent at the shooting guard position. Caldwell-Pope could be a steal in this year's field, even despite his projection as a lottery pick.

No. 2: Victor Oladipo (Indiana)

Draft Projection: Top Five

If you go back to the beginning of the 2012-13 season, Indiana high-flyer Victor Oladipo was known more simply as a reliable contributor for the Hoosiers. A monster junior season has catapulted Oladipo into the top five however, and thanks to his through the roof athleticism, there's not much that he cannot do on the basketball court. Oladipo must improve his shooting, but there's no doubt that he can be an important back court performer for one NBA franchise in the coming years.

No. 1: Ben McLemore (Kansas)

Draft Projection: Top Five

After sitting out the entire 2011-12 season with eligibility issues at Kansas, 6-foot-5 shooting guard Ben McLemore burst onto the scene and emerged as a legitimate top five draft selection. He's a high-flyer and he can score in bunches when he's on. McLemore has all the tools and the intangibles to warrant his top five projection.