This weekend, college teams across the country can officially begin their seasons with full practice. Over the next few weeks, we’ll hear more and more about freshmen who are or aren’t living up to the hype during early practice. As the season sets to tip, here a look at 10 freshmen that need to have big seasons and why.
Recruitment: The nation’s top player in the class of 2016, Jackson picked Kansas over Arizona and Michigan State after a long and fierce recruiting battle.
Why he’s so important: With or without Jackson, Kansas would be the favorite to win the Big 12 for a 13th straight season. Bill Self’s program has earned that. However, if Jackson plays up to his capabilities then his transition playmaking, energy and ability to carry a team could be the difference between competing for a Big 12 or national championship. Also of note is that there is a notion from some --particularly those recruiting against Kansas -- that Self is too tough on his first-year players and that wing players struggle to succeed in the Kansas system.
Consider this, Jackson is the eighth five-star shooting guard or small forward to sign with Self and six of them have already been first-round draft picks with Andrew Wiggins going first overall before his Rookie of the Year season. Another who just missed five-star status, Ben McLemore, was a top 10 pick after leading the Jayhawks in scoring as a freshman. Given the track record, a suggestion that Self is too strict with wings seems out-of-line, but a big season from a high-profile player like Jackson would go a long way towards silencing that type of negative recruiting.
Recruitment: There was never much doubt about where Ball would land and he committed to UCLA during January of his junior season. His brothers LaMelo Ball and LiAngelo Ball are committed to play for the Bruins down the road.
Why he’s so important: A pure point guard with terrific size and an uncanny ability to find open teammates from anywhere on the floor, Ball is a big-time prospect. Looking at the Bruins roster, they already have three other players – Bryce Alford, Isaac Hamilton and Aaron Holiday – capable of playing the point. However, anybody who saw the Bruins play in 2015-16 saw a team that often looked a bit dysfunctional and out of sync regardless of who was playing point.
This season could be a make or break one for Steve Alford’s tenure in Westwood and in Ball he appears to have a guy capable of getting everybody on the same page. Ball will need to be more vocal, but he has the tools to keep everybody happy.
Recruitment: The Washington D.C. area product took the nation by storm as a junior before selection the Huskies because of a relationship they had formed before he found mainstream popularity.
Why he’s so important: Because of inconsistency, a young but wildly talented Washington team just missed the 2016 NCAA Tournament. They figured to be one of the country’s most exciting teams in 2016-17 with their returning talent and the addition of Fultz. Then power forward Marquese Chriss and guard DeJounte Murray decided to leave for the NBA instead of coming back for their sophomore seasons, putting the Huskies in a bit of a bind.
Now, Fultz won’t be expected to be a great complementary piece. He’ll be expected to be the man. The Huskies have missed the last five NCAA Tournaments and if they want to make it back, they’ll need a monster year out of Fultz.
Recruitment: For much of his recruitment, Adebayo was considered a heavy lean to stay home and attend N.C. State. Instead, John Calipari was able to turn the tide towards Kentucky once he began to prioritize Adebayo during the summer before his senior year.
Why he’s so important: As usual, the Wildcats have recruited a ridiculously talented freshman class that should have several difference-makers. However, the biggest question mark for the 2016-17 team is who will step up as a low post threat. Adebayo isn’t known for being the most skilled post player, but he’s got NBA ready strength and athleticism and the tools to emerge as a double-double type guy. If he can be anywhere close to that, the Wildcats could be a tough out.
Recruitment: Smith picked NC State shortly before the beginning of his senior year and enrolled early after tearing an ACL.
Why he’s so important: NC State lost point guard Cat Barber to the pros a year early and he was leaned on heavily before leaving. The Pack have high hopes for transfer Torin Dorn and senior Terry Henderson should be a quality scorer after missing last season with an ankle injury. Still, Smith is a potential game-changing talent who needs to be at his best.
Smith is an explosive athlete who plays a style reminiscent to a point guard that arrived shortly after Mark Gottfried coached as an assistant at UCLA, Baron Davis. A Davis-esque freshman season from Smith would go along way towards keeping Gottfried’s seat in Raleigh from getting warm.
Recruitment: A one-time BYU pledge, Jackson’s pick of Duke after he opened things up came as a surprise to nobody.
Why he’s so important: The Blue Devils are loaded with talent and remarkably enough Jackson is only the fourth-highest ranked freshman on the team. However, if the Blue Devils do have one weakness, it is at the point guard position. A big-time athlete and mid-range scorer, Jackson was more of a natural combo guard than full-time point guard in high school. If he can play extended minutes at the point, it will free scorers like Grayson Allen, Luke Kennard and fellow freshman Jayson Tatum to focus on doing what they do best. If Jackson can’t handle the point, then Allen and Kennard in particular will have to play out of position as part of a point guard by committee system.
Recruitment: In what seemed like a recruitment that would never end, Allen finally decided to stay home in Austin and selected the Longhorns in June.
Why he’s so important: Shaka Smart is hoping to take a run at Kansas in the Big 12 and while he’s loaded up with perimeter talent, they lost some serious size and experience with the departure of seniors Cameron Ridley, Prince Ibeh and Conner Lammert. Shaquille Cleare is a big body with experience, but he's never been a huge scorer. The Horns really need Allen to emerge as a legitimate low-post scoring option if they want to give Kansas a run for its money.
Recruitment: A one-time Pittsburgh commitment, Heron surprised the recruiting world with a quick commitment to Auburn prior to the start of his senior season.
Why he’s so important: Bruce Pearl and his staff have made all kinds of noise on the recruiting trail, but the Tigers have only managed a total of nine SEC wins during the last two seasons. Year three is the one where more wins will be expected and a big part of taking the next step will be Heron making the most of his strength, skill and versatility. Another thing to consider is this, while Pearl and his staff have cleaned up regionally -- particularly in the Atlanta area -- on the recruiting trail, Heron is one of the few out-of-region talents to pick the Tigers. If things go well for him, Auburn has a chance to extend their recruiting footprint.
Recruitment: Coffey took his time with his recruitment, but in the end he elected to stay home as expected.
Why he’s so important: There’s a chance that Richard Pitino and his staff are coaching for their jobs after a rough 8-23 campaign in 2015-16. The bright side is that they’ve returned their best players and should be much improved this season. A key to that improvement, though, is going to be the play of Coffey. A smooth wing who has reportedly grown to 6-foot-8, he has a versatile game and could be a huge piece.
Frankly, he may be just as important to the Gophers' future efforts recruiting local talent. Of the seven top 100 players produced by the state of Minnesota between the classes of 2014-2017, Coffey is the only one who has elected to stay home. If he can be a big part of leading the program’s resurgence, it could go a long way to helping make sure future locals stick around.
Recruitment: Moore committed to Memphis in the fall but found his way to California when Josh Pastner left for the Georgia Tech job.
Why he’s so important: A dynamo who can score, Moore plays with flair and is much tougher than you would expect him to be given his relatively diminutive stature. He’s going to need every ounce of that toughness as a freshman because Cuonzo Martin and Cal need him to not only meet, but exceed early expectations. There simply aren’t that many proven ball-handlers in Berkeley right now and though he’s only a freshman, Moore looks like the best bet to handle the point guard load. If he can excel early and take care of the ball, it will be much easier for the Bears to ride Ivan Rabb as their interior horse.
