WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

I recently stumbled across this story from CBS Sportsline, originally published in October, 2004. The column, written by Greg Doyle, lists the ten best shooting guards from college basketball that season. Now, more than four years later, some of these former superstars are tearing it up in the NBA, while others are playing in Europe, and others are narrowly hanging on to their basketball lives here in the United States. Let's take a look at who made it big and who fizzled out since then, in Saturday Morning Sports' Where Are They Now?

BIG TIME PLAYERS
Point guards one and two from the list are Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Both are now superstar players in the NBA, and look to be all-star players for years to come. Paul is averaging 20.3 points and 11.6 assists per game for New Orleans, and Williams is scoring nearly 10 points and dishing out 11.8 assists a game for Utah as he makes his way back from an ankle injury.
Danny Granger is the only small forward who can be considered a Big Time Player, and he is certainly one of the best 3's in the game right now. Granger, who signed a massive deal to stay in Indiana this past offseason, is scoring nearly 25 points per game for Jim O'Brien's Pacers this season.

GOOD NBA PLAYERS
These are the players who aren't necessarily superstars, but are solid contributors for teams in the NBA. Andrew Bogut of the Bucks was listed as the NCAA's third best center in 2004. Bogut of course went on to be the number one overall pick for Milwaukee. The Australian big man is averaging a double double (11.4 points, 10.9 boards) so far this year. Another Buck on this list is Charlie Villanueva. The former UConn star is scoring 12 points per game while hitting 94% from the line. Hakim Warrick of the Grizzlies can fit this list as well. The Helicopter Man, and 19th overall pick by Memphis back in 2005, has played sporadically since his rookie season, and is just now getting serious PT for the awful Grizz. In 23.1 minutes, Warrick is scoring nearly 10 points per game. Raymond Felton of the Bobcats has been pretty good so far in his NBA career. Who knows if he will be in Charlotte for long, though, with the Bobcats drafting Texas point guard DJ Augustine in the first round.

NOT GREAT, BUT NOT TERRIBLE
The majority of players from this article fall into this category. Some get a little playing time, while others are rotting at the end of the bench. All, however, are still in the NBA.
College basketball's all-time leading three point shooter, JJ Redick, is playing sparingly for the Orlando Magic. In his first two seasons, Redick barely played. But now, with Michael Pietrus out for 3-4 months with a thumb injury, and Kieth Bogans shelved as well, Redick is getting an opportunity to play. He is averaging 18.4 minutes per game this season, but his trademark three just isn't falling. He is scoring only 4.4 points a game, on 29.4% shooting from behind the arc. Adam Morrison, who battled it out with Redick for player of the year honors, fits in here as well. Rumors continue to swirl that Morrison may be traded. At this point, he looks like a bust having been picked so high in the draft. Francisco Garcia has been OK for the Kings so far, and Ronny Turiaf, Shelden Williams, Josh Boone, Ike Diogu, Channing Frye, Jarret Jack, Ryan Gomes, Nate Robinson, Linas Kleiza, Paul Millsap, and Chuck Hayes all fit into this column nicely. Millsap, Turiaf, Robinson, and Gomes have been surprisingly good from this list, while Williams, Boone, and Diogu are simply mediocre. JR Giddens was drafted by the Celtics this past year, and is currently on the Utah Flash of the D-League, and Rashad McCants has been solid for Kevin McHale's Timberwolves.

NEVER MADE IT, BUT STILL IN BASKETBALL
These are those guys who were great in college, and then fizzled out quickly in the NBA, but are still trying their hand at pro ball. Remember Lawrence Roberts from Mississippi State? According to Wikipedia, he's playing for Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian League. Taylor Coppenrath from Vermont is playing the Spanish League. As is former Kansas star Wayne Simien, who did in fact win a ring in the NBA with the 2005-06 Miami Heat. Carl Krauser, who played at Pitt for about as long as Julius Hodge played for NC State (10 years maybe?) is in the CBA with the Pittsburgh Xplosion, and former Syracuse great Gerry McNamara, listed as the top shooting guard, has played in the D-League, and leagues in Greece, and Latvia.

OUT OF BASKETBALL
That just leaves former Iowa guard Pierre Pierce.The higest scoring member of the Hawkeyes, Pierce was kicked off the team after being arrested for third-degree burglary, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, false imprisonment, and criminal mischief. He served 332 days in prison, and was released on probation; the terms of which prevented him from leaving Iowa to pursue a career in the NBA.