The NBA 2014 Draft is loaded. Say what you will about the absence of game changers, but each position has solid prospects in 2014. At point guard, Marcus Smart faces stiff competition from Zach LaVine.

Marcus Smart of the Oklahoma State Cowboys shocked the basketball world when he chose to stay in college after a stellar freshman year.  He was projected as high as no. 2, or even no.1 for a team that needs a point guard.

From ESPN's Draft Insider Chad Ford, Smart was projected to be better than Michael Carter-Williams, the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year:

 "Last year, our intel on Carter-Williams was correct. Teams took Trey Burke and CJ McCollum ahead of MCW and had Smart been in the draft, he would have gone No. 2 to the Magic."

This year, Smart was in the running for a Top 5 pick, but he has been outshined by the freshmen. On SI.com's Draft Board, he is currently ranked no. 8. The full scout report: "Smart has picked up his production again after a mid-December lull in which his scoring numbers dipped and his turnovers increased. He posted 46 points combined in back-to-back wins over Texas and West Virginia last week. The turnovers are still a problem -- Smart's 1.53-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks (gulp) 236th nationally -- and several scouts commented that they would like to see him be more of a playmaker when he penetrates. But Smart's superior size and ability to score through contact make him most coveted pure playmaker in the draft."

His opposition at the point guard spot came from an unexpected place: UCLA. Zach LaVine had a dreamy first month and flew right into the Top 10 of Chad Ford's Big Board:

"I think he has the potential to be a lottery pick," says Ford, who thinks LaVine will go in the top 10. "Just talking to NBA scouts and GMs, he has all the tools that you would look for in a young player. When you talk about an intriguing combination of size for position, athleticism and then a skill set that he possesses, it's pretty unique."

Zach LaVine's stats from NCAA:
"11 games this season:  13.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2 assists per game in 26.1 minutes. Shooting 65 percent and 44 percent from 3 Pt."

We have one more reason to tank.