Freshman Tracker: Youngsters shining bright in SEC
In today's edition of our Freshman tracker, we take a look at the SEC. Of course, that’s the home of LSU’s Ben Simmons, the power forward who has had a stranglehold on the top spot in our bi-weekly ranking of the top ten freshmen in America.
Also hailing from the SEC is Kentucky shooting guard Jamal Murray who has been among the top 10 freshmen all season and checked in at No. 5 on last week’s list. Having covered those two pretty thoroughly, we spotlight five other SEC newbies this week.
Skal Labissiere, PF, Kentucky
This season: 7.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
How he got here: The No. 1 ranked player in the class of 2016, Labissiere came to the U.S. from his home in Haiti at the beginning of his high school career. After being presumed a lean to Memphis for much of his high school career, he locked in on Kentucky a few months before committing in the fall of his senior season.
Analysis: Everybody has a theory on why Labissiere hasn’t played up to his ranking and there’s some truth to many of them. The reality is that he’s a faceup guy who has struggled to play in the low post and some of that has been effort while some has been trying to put a square peg in a round hole. We still believe his best years are ahead of him but he has to get more physical.
Kevaughn Allen, SG, Florida
This season: 11.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
How he got here: A native of Arkansas, Allen committed to Florida in the spring of his junior year. He caused a stir as a senior when it appeared that he didn’t sign with Florida in the early period and whether he actually signed early or late remains a point of contention. Bottom line, he stuck with the Gators even after Billy Donovan left for the NBA and was replaced by Mike White.
Analysis: As a high schooler, Allen was impressive in the open floor and as a driver to the rim. But, there were questions about his size and whether he could shoot the ball well enough to thrive in the SEC. He’s kicked it up a notch in conference play where he’s averaged just under 15 points a game. He still has room to improve his jump shooting, but at 33.3 percent from deep he’s already shooting better than expected.
Malik Newman, SG, Mississippi State
This season: 13.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game
How he got here: A top 10 prospect who dragged his recruitment into the spring of 2015, Newman is a Mississippi kid whose father played for State. Once Ben Howland was hired, most figured Newman would end up in Starkville.
Analysis: What made Newman such a priority prospect in high school was his ability to manufacture baskets via the dribble. In college, Newman has had some difficulties creating space off the dribble because he no longer enjoys a strength advantage and it turns out he isn’t quite as quick as he was thought to be. Over the course of the season, he’s adjusted and has turned into much more of a deep jump shooter.
Tyler Davis, C, Texas A&M
This season: 11.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.
How he got here: When he first burst onto the national scene as a high school sophomore, Davis said that his favorite program was Kansas. Either the Jayhawks didn’t prioritize him or they waited too long as Texas A&M moved into the picture and tapped into a pipeline with Davis’ Texas Titans program (the Aggies scored four players in two years out of the program) to land the center.
Analysis: Davis has always been a solid, back-to-the-basket player with good hands and strength. However, there were worries about his relative lack of lift off the floor and whether or not he could make an immediate adjustment to the speed of the SEC. Davis has been one of the SEC’s most pleasant freshman surprises and he’s done so while playing efficiently.
Antonio Blakeney, SG, LSU
This season: 9.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game
How he got here: Blakeney’s recruitment was an eventful one. As a junior, he looked like a lock to stay home and go to Florida. He passed on the Gators and committed to Louisville during the fall of his senior year before opening up things again and committing to LSU during the winter.
Analysis: On the high school level, Blakeney was a free wheeling gunner who put up huge amounts of points in short amounts of time. Making the leap to college there weren’t any worries about his confidence or athleticism, but the questions were whether he could handle being a second or third option on offense or overcome his relative lack of strength. After a quick start, Blakeney labored for a while on an LSU team where everything runs through Ben Simmons. Lately, he’s picked it back up and has notched double-digit scoring numbers in four of the last five games.