The 2017 NBA Draft figures to be one of the best, if not the best, point guard drafts in recent history -- and certainly since the 2009 NBA Draft that produced four future primary ball-handling All-Stars, most notably two-time Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry and James Harden but also Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague.

The first three picks this year might be point guards.

DraftExpress projects four of the top six to be point guards.

And if you're wondering the last time that happened, the answer is ... never. The first, second and third picks of an NBA Draft have never all been point guards, and four of the top six have never been point guards. So we're dealing with (possible) unprecedented stuff here. Some of that is because the point guard position, thanks to rule changes and style changes, has never been more important than it is right now. But it's also a testament to the quality at that position currently playing in college -- specifically the intriguing potential possessed by UCLA's Lonzo Ball, Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox, Washington's Markelle Fultz and NC State's Dennis Smith.

But which is the best prospect?

And which has the biggest red flag(s)?

With the season roughly halfway done, I asked some NBA people for their thoughts on college basketball's four great point guard prospects. In exchange for anonymity, they offered honesty. Here are four things they told me:

1. Most still like Markelle Fultz best

I had some NBA scouts/executives tell me they prefer Ball. One said he likes Fox best. But the majority still favor Fultz, which isn't surprising. Yes, Washington has struggled this season; the Huskies are 9-9 overall and 2-4 in the Pac-12. But Fultz is not to blame. The 6-foot-4 freshman got 37 points, eight assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks in Wednesday's win over Colorado and is now averaging 23.1 points, 6.2 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. Fultz is big and strong for his position. He can get into the lane or make shots from the perimeter -- proof being how Fultz is shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range. Just the total package, really. There's basically nothing to not like.

Markelle Fultz doesn't appear to have any holes in his game. USATSI

Ball has been tremendous in every way. The 6-5 freshman turned a program that produced a losing record last season into a legitimate national title contender, and I'd make him a First Team All-American if the season ended today. Everybody likes him. I hope that's clear. But Ball is the least athletic prospect of this four-prospect group (even if he is more athletic than most previously realized), and the mechanics on his shot aren't ideal (even if he is shooting 43.0 percent from 3-point range). Are these things major red flags? No. Ball will likely go in the top five, and definitely in the top 10, no matter what. But if the question is why most NBA people appear higher or Fultz than Ball, those are the reasons. There's not much to nitpick with Fultz. But there are a few (small) things with Ball.

3. De'Aaron Fox's shooting is an issue

Fox has so many positive attributes. Great length for the position. He's super-quick and fast. Good teammate. Plays hard. Doesn't turn it over much even while playing up-tempo. But the 6-4 freshman is super-thin and a terrible shooter, and that's a major concern. Fox is at least 20 pounds lighter than the other elite point guard prospects and is shooting 13.5 percent from 3-point range. Neither of those things are good. But here's the good news: Prospects don't tend to get quicker or more explosive when they become professionals, but they often do add strength and improve their jumper. And that's why some NBA people told me they still consider Fox a top-two prospect at the position, because if you can put some pounds on him and fix his shot then you'll have a talent who could develop into an All-Star.

4. Dennis Smith is the biggest risk/reward of the bunch

Some NBA people told me Smith can be the best player from this entire draft class. But others told me he's more of a risk than Fultz, Fox or Ball -- and a lot of that has to do with concerns about his motor. Smith dunks hard every time. But he doesn't always play hard on both ends of the court, which is something scouts have noticed and documented. A few called it troubling and the primary reason they wouldn't consider making Smith the first point guard off the board. Others told me they saw him in camps and on the summer circuit while in high school, and that he showed himself as a competitor in those settings, so they're unconcerned. Bottom line, the opinions seem to be most scattered on Smith. Everybody sees the great things. But they wonder if other things will prevent him from being great Either way, know this: Smith is going in the top half of the lottery no matter what. The only question is whether he's closer to first than seventh.