10. TYRESE MAXEY / GUARD / KENTUCKY
Frankly, Tyrese Maxey’s freshman campaign at Kentucky was underwhelming. He struggled from the field and never emerged as the consensus top-10 prospect some considered him to be. Yet, here we are — me giving him a top-10 grade. That’s because there’s still a lot to like.
Maxey is a winner. That’s the reputation he has built, and it’s a well deserved one. He’s a tough and gritty presence on the perimeter. On defense, he’s a source of havoc, forcing turnovers and disrupting ball-handlers. On offense, he’s a smooth operator late in games — the kind of player who’s more than happy to take a last-second, game-on-the-line shot.
He gets dirty and is unafraid to make the small but necessary plays on the court. All the cliches — diving for loose balls, etc. — he eagerly fulfills. Though not an elite athlete and a tad undersized for the two-guard spot, Maxey’s shot-making prowess, defensive acumen, and leadership skills are tough to deny. And he brings them to a position and an archetype of particular importance in the modern NBA.