SAUL LOEBArizona Daily Wildcat Freshman Mustafa Shakur is primed to be Arizona's next great point guard, but he won't get there without some competition from sophomore Chris Rodgers.

'Point Guard U' boasts more than one good floor general this year

Welcome to Point Guard University. When it comes to supplying the nation with quality backcourt specialists, nobody does it better than the UA, as displayed by the program's reputable history of ball-handlers.

As the Wildcats enter the 2003-2004 season with a plethora of concerns surrounding their low-post positions, no one in his or her right mind would question where the team's strength lies.

Every season seemingly brings a fresh face to the halls of McKale Center, and this year is no different. Names such as Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire, Jason Terry, Mike Bibby and Jason Gardner dot the flat Tucson landscape for as far as the eye can see.

Soon, you may be able to add Mustafa Shakur to that list of point guard greats.

Shakur is quick, exciting and an early season candidate for freshman of the year. But the 19-year-old from Philadelphia is only one of three Wildcats manning the point.

Chris Rodgers

If Tucson is the point guard capital of the United States, then what does that make Portland, Ore.? Shakur may be the future of UA basketball, but the heir to the point guard throne first must go through one of Oregon's finest: sophomore Chris Rodgers.

In more than two decades of coaching Wildcat basketball, Olson has arguably never had a backcourt trio as dynamic as the one the head coach has in Shakur, Rodgers and junior shooting guard Salim Stoudamire.

"It's not even close," said Olson when asked if this year's squad is the fastest he's ever had.

"The closest we've ever been is probably with the '96-'97 team with (Michael) Dickerson and (Bennett) Davison. If you look at them and match each position, it's no question. I think Mustafa is quicker than Mike (Bibby)," Olson said of his lone National Championship squad. "I just think that, overall, we are quicker inside."

The speed of this squad may be the closest to the Hall of Famer's vision of what a perfect team ought to be. If it were up to Olson, the Wildcats would never allow an opponent to rest.

"I prefer not to," Olson said of setting up the half-court offense. "I think we are at our best when we are running. I'd like it if every possession was fast-break."

Another guard prodigy hailing from the beaver state is Rodgers. Possibly the most versatile of all three guards, Rodgers is able to play the point beside Stoudamire or shift to the two spot to accompany Shakur. The man known to his teammates simply as "C-Rod" can effectively play both guard slots, and has been hailed by Olson as the UA's best defensive player.

Rodgers has started the year the hottest of the three guards, averaging 15.5 points per game while connecting on 50 percent (5 of 10) of his shots from beyond the arc. Throw in the sophomore's team-high 17 points against the No. 2 ranked Florida Gators last week, along with his eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in Arizona's two regular season games, and you have good numbers for a guy who has yet to start a game as a Wildcat.

But if Rodgers isn't starting with those numbers, what does that say for the potential of Shakur?

CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Sophomore point guard Chris Rodgers led Arizona with 17 points in the Wildcats' loss to Florida last Friday in Massachusetts.

The freshman may be the quickest thing to hit Tucson since last summer's monsoon season. It is the speed of the youngster that has critics and Olson comparing this year's Wildcats to 1997's championship squad. But speed isn't the only component of Shakur's game; in fact, one would be hard-pressed to find an area in which the 19-year old doesn't excel, according to his coach.

"He's been everything that we've hoped he would be," Olson said. "He's a tremendous competitor; he's as hard a worker on the court as you'd ever want to see. He does not take a minute off in practice."

Despite Shakur's ability to get the ball up the court in less than four seconds, create plays and bear down on defense, Olson still sees room for improvement.

Behind all the explosiveness and energy, however, comes a raw talent begging to be refined. Though effective, his long-range jumper is anything but poetry-in-motion. Don't look for that to change anytime soon, however. Seldom will Olson and his coaching staff tinker with a player's shot during the season.

Olson said he will attempt to stress upon the speedster the dangers of possibly being even too fast.

"The normal area you run into with a guy coming out of high school is that they generally try to do too much or are generally out of control at times with the ball," Olson said. "That still happens to Mustafa. He needs to cut down on his turnovers."

Mustafa Shakur

Shakur learned a hard lesson in just his second game with the Wildcats when he fouled out midway through the second half. The soft-spoken freshman contributed with 13 points and five rebounds up to that point, but his absence from the lineup with the Wildcats trailing by a point with 7.3 seconds remaining may have proved costly, as Arizona was dealt its first loss of the season in just its second game.

However, Shakur's upside far outweighs any freshman growing pains, according to his backcourt running mate.

"He reminds me of Jason Kidd: Pass first, score second," Stoudamire said.

This season, the Wildcats could very well challenge last year's squad, which became the first Pac-10 school to lead the nation in scoring. In two games to date, Arizona is averaging 92 points per game, thanks in large part to the shooting of its guards.

What is the key for the Wildcats' guards to succeed against defenses that will try to slow them down with zone defenses this season?

"Get the rebound and go," said Stoudamire.

Class is officially in session at Point Guard University.