Overall while Darling is relatively small at 6’2 and still needs work on the defensive end, his offensive ability is one of the best in the class. Darling fits what every NBA team is looking for in their backup PG with his efficiency as a finisher, shooter and playmaker.

While Darling still needs some more polish on the defensive end, he had a strong STL% with 2.8 and was among the top of CBB in SPG with 1.7. Darling is good at reading defenders and passing lanes for a two way play on the other end. Darling was also a standout player in

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At St John’s Darling is going to have a lot more looks off the ball, and he showed a ton of flashes of that at Idaho State. Darling when he was used as a cutter had great feel of when to cut and he shot 71% at the rim on those looks. Darling was also a strong spot up threat from

Darling stands out from the mid range as well, this was a shot he took a lot coming off the PNR or as a creator off a step back or pull-up creating space off the shot. Darling’s ability to score on all 3 levels along with his passing helped him become one of the most efficient

Darling is also a high level shot creator from three. Darling shot a strong 36% from three on 5 attempts a game and a large chunk of that usage came from off the dribble. Darling takes advantage of his rim finishing and passing ability which got defenders to second guess

As a scorer Darling is a high level finisher who is great at not only getting to the rim but also finishing. Darling’s 60% at the rim was among the highest for guards in CBB and he also had one of the best non big HC percentages at the rim. Darling has a quick first step and

Darling’s passing ability is among the best in the class. He has a great ability to use his scoring to create plays for his teammates, while also having great vision and pace in the PNR. Darling was one of 3 players in CBB last season who had an AST% of 35, and a TOV% of under

Darling’s mix of Finishing, Shooting passing, efficiency, and ability to get to the line is extremely valuable. Only 3 players since 2008 shot 60% at the rim on 50 makes, 35% from three on 50 makes, have an AST% of 35 and have a free throw rate of 50.

St John’s Junior PG Dylan Darling is one of the most underrated prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft. In this thread I take a look at his game and explain why.

St John’s have one of the most impressive athletes in College Basketball in 6’8 Forward Dillon Mitchell. Mitchell was one of the top defenders in the B12 last season for Cincinnati where he averaged 2 Stocks per game while defending multiple positions at a high level. On the

Duke 6’11 Big Patrick Ngongba is primed for a breakout Sophomore season. Ngongba had a strong Freshman season for Duke where he averaged 4/3/1 and a Block in only 10 MPG while shooting 71% from the field. With Khaman Malauch going to the NBA, Ngongba is set to be a major

7’4 USC Big Gabe Dynes is one of the most unique players heading into the B10 next season. Dynes had a strong Sophomore season for Youngstown State where he averaged 7 PPG, 6 RPG and 3 BPG in only 21 Minutes a game while also being named to the all Horizon defensive team. At

Honor Huff will be one of the most important players for West Virginia coming into next season. Huff was one of the premier players at Chattanooga this past season where he averaged 15/2/2 while shooting 42% from three on 8 attempts a game. Huff was also a huge reason why they

Illinois State 6’5 Guard Boden Skunberg is one of the most underrated Mid Major players heading into next season. Skunberg was a standout at NDSU where he averaged 15/5/2 while shooting 37% from three throughout his last 2 seasons there, while being a major piece in their run

Judah Mintz was one of the biggest standouts in the Summer League . For the event he averaged 16/3/4 on a 60% TS throughout 8 games for the Sixers. Mintz showcased his ability to be a crafty scorer, get to the rim, finish through contact and draw fouls at a high rate. Shooting

6’8 UNC Asheville Sophomore Kameron Taylor is one of the top breakout candidates heading into this season. Taylor had a strong Freshman season where he averaged 9/4/1 while shooting 51% from the field. While being a key member on one of the best teams in the Big South.

Overall Freshman Guards who have elite rim pressure with the ability to finish at the rim with usage, and playmake is one of the most sought after archetypes in the league, we just saw Jeremiah Fears go top 10 and Mingo projects to be a much better shooter as he shot 38% from.

In HS Mingo had efficiency numbers for a PG that hasn’t been seen from a rim pressure guard in a while. Only one Hm freshman in college this year shot 60% at the rim, 38% from three, and had an AST% of 20. If Mingo can match those numbers in college he’s joining elite company.