I've Got Five On It: Freshmen with something to prove
The 2022-23 college basketball season sits just more than a month away, and, as is the case every year, freshmen will do wonders to help shape the road ahead. This week in I Got Five On It, Rivals.com's Rob Cassidy has a look at a group of five freshmen that will enter the season with something to prove and be scrutinized by reporters and professional scouts all season long.
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DILLON MITCHELL, Texas
Ranking: No. 4
What’s left to prove: Mitchell was one of the top defenders and best pure athletes in the 2023 class, but, last we saw him, his offense was still catching up to the rest of his game. The 6-foot-7 wing will certainly impact the upcoming Big 12 season, but how pro-ready he is will be a question worth asking. People in NBA front offices see him as a one-and-done-type talent, but he’ll need to show an improved jumper as a freshman at Texas if that prophecy is to be fulfilled. Few players have more upside than the Florida native, but all eyes will be on his offensive output as he begins his college career. Texas has a special prospect that could develop into an absolutely dominant force if he comes out shooting the ball well this season.
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GG JACKSON, South Carolina
Ranking: No. 6
What’s left to prove: Once the top-ranked prospect in the 2023 class, Jackson decided to reclassify to 2022 when he committed to South Carolina. Some wondered whether the reclassification was the best idea for a promising NBA prospect that still needed to become more consistent from a production standpoint. Alas, here we are. Jackson will be expected to make a massive splash from day one as part of a Gamecocks roster that isn’t exactly stocked with top-flight talent. South Carolina will look to the touted freshman to become an alpha right away, and answering that bell in the SEC isn’t an easy task. Few players nationally will be more scrutinized than Jackson this season.
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AMARI BAILEY, UCLA
Ranking: No. 13
What’s left to prove: Bailey played sparingly in his final summer as a high school prospect and shined as part of an absolutely loaded Sierra Canyon high school team when he wasn’t nursing an injury. His limited exposure during his final year as a prospect makes him intriguing, however, as there were a few evaluators that felt he should be in the running for the class’ No. 1 spot. It’s possible that he was a bit under-ranked because of the relatively small sample size of games he played on the grassroots and high school circuit. Bailey will almost certainly impact the 2023 season and could be even better than his lofty ranking would suggest.
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UGONNA KINGSLEY, Kentucky
Ranking: No. 35
What’s left to prove: Like Jackson, Kingsley was originally a member of the 2023 before reclassifying. The 7-footer made the move despite still being a bit raw offensively, but it’s impossible to argue with his size, strength or shot-blocking ability. The good news for Kingsley is nobody will expect him to be the alpha at Kentucky, where Oscar Tshiebwe still rules the roost. Still, it will be interesting to watch what kind of minutes Kingsley plays as a freshman and how far he comes under John Calipari. Learning behind Tshiebwe may end up being a long-term win for the big man, who has some polish left to acquire from a skill standpoint. Exactly what Kentucky will get out of the freshman this season seems difficult to predict. A possibility that he’ll redshirt exists and will depend on how ready the Wildcat staff feels he is to contribute.
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SKYY CLARK, Illinois
Ranking: No. 38
What’s left to prove: Clark’s prove-it situation is based on his continued recovery from an injury that stole a good chunk of his high school career. The talented guard suffered a torn ACL in the summer of 2021 and didn’t look quite as explosive or comfortable upon his return to action as a senior. That said, he was trending in the right direction the last time we saw him on the court. If he returns to the quick, hyper-explosive Clark of old at Illinois this year, the Illini will be in possession of a point guard capable of outplaying his high school ranking by miles. The situation makes Clark could be a bit of a wildcard for a Big Ten powerhouse with a long history of talented backcourts.