That being said, I would not expect Crawford to completely plummet in the draft. One suspect workout will not make teams forget his performance in the NCAA Tournament, carrying Xavier within seconds of the Elite Eight.
With Crawford out of the question for the time being, the discussion of the draft class's best pure shooting guard now centers around four prospects: Cincinnati guard Lance Stephenson, Kansas star and fellow freshman Xavier Henry, Big 12 Player of the Year James Anderson, and junior swingman Darrington Hobson of New Mexico.
According to reports, both Anderson and Henry turned the most heads from team officials. Each looked capable of immediately contributing at shooting guard in the NBA. I give the slight edge to the junior Anderson. He seemed more consistent throughout the entire college basketball season, carrying Oklahoma State into the NCAA Tournament. Henry, on the other hand, exploded in his college debut with 27 points but struggled down the stretch, often deferring to senior guard Sherron Collins.
Shooting was a bit of a problem for Lance Stephenson. Coupled with reports criticizing his lack of maturity, teams are wary about the former Cincinnati standout. Nevertheless, Stephenson has the ideal NBA body, and with the right coach in the right system, I would not be surprised to see Stephenson emerge as the class' best shooting guard down the road.
Most surprising was Hobson. Initially viewed to be a hybrid between small forward and shooting guard at the next level, the New Mexico product impressed with his versatility. One report suggest that Hobson is perhaps a less polished albeit more athletic version of potential #2 pick Evan Turner. Personally, I think that is bit of a stretch. Look for Hobson to go at the end of round one to a team with an already established shooting guard.
Other shooting guards that participated in the NBA combine include South Florida's Dominique Jones, Michigan guard Manny Harris and Syracuse senior Andy Rautins. Neither player really turned heads in front of scouts. Of this trio, Jones should be selected the highest, likely towards the back of the first round. His production in college, averaging almost 22 points per contest, has impressed many teams.
Borderline first round prospect and former Washington standout Quincy Pondexter was absent from the Combine. Given no reports on any injuries or personal matters, it is surprising that he would not participate.
-DR
Surprising news out of the NBA Combine in Chicago: Xavier guard Jordan Crawford, instrumental in his team's deep run through the NCAA tournament by scoring well over 20 points per game, is turning heads...but for the wrong reasons. Scouts describe Crawford's performance as sub-par, at best. His shooting was clearly inconsistent, and the former Indiana recruit looked hesitant throughout the cone dribbling drills. Once believed to be a combo-guard in the NBA and potential mid first rounder, Crawford's suspect ball handling is leading teams to envision him as an undersized shooting guard. 
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