Combo guards have a place in today's NBA
Originally Published: June 2, 2005
By Doug Gottlieb | Special to ESPN.com
Miles Simon was the Most Outstanding Player in the 1997 Final Four. While dominating the NCAA Tournament with his mid-range game, he measured out at 6-foot-2. Scouts told him that he had to become a point guard to make the NBA. His career there was brief, because he was in between positions.
Shawn Respert was a huge scorer in college for Michigan State who became a first-round selection of the Milwaukee Bucks. Measuring only 6-1¾, he was unable to find a position, frustrating the Bucks and eventually ending his career (recently disclosed health issues were a factor, too).
Seemingly every year there is a player who measures out below 6-3 and the discussions begin about what position he will play. And more often than not, those players fail to live up to expectations.
Times have changed, though. There is no need to find a specific position in today's NBA in fact, the more dribble penetration and shooting you can bring off your bench, the better.
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