I've Got Five On It: Four-stars poised to impact as college freshmen
With the 2023 recruiting cycle nearing its close and Rivals.com preparing to release the class’ final ranking, it’s time to look ahead to the college careers of the prospects that make up the Rivals150.
Today in I've Got Five On It, recruiting director Rob Cassidy does just that by breaking down five non-five-star prospects that figure to play massive roles as freshmen.
*****
RELATED: Freshmen of the Year predictions
2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2025 Rankings: Top 80
Transfer Portal: Latest news | Portal player ranking/transfer tracker (hoops) | Portal player ranking/transfer tracker (football)
*****
1. ELMARKO JACKSON – KANSAS
WHY HE WILL IMPACT THE SEASON: Bill Self rarely trusts freshmen enough to play them massive minutes in their first season, but there’s reason to believe the ever-improving Jackson may be capable of forcing his coach's hand once he gets on campus.
Obviously, Jackson’s path to playing time will depend largely on what Self does in the transfer portal during the coming weeks, as the Kansas roster is close to bare in the wake of a season that saw the program hit hard by transfers and the NBA Draft. For now, however, Jackson seems like the closest to a sure thing the Jayhawks have in the cupboard. The fact that he has the size to guard multiple positions may also put Self at ease when it’s time to cobble together a starting lineup.
And, truth be told, the existence of the portal may also nudge the veteran coach toward playing Jackson big minutes in an effort to keep him on the roster long term. Jackson certainly has professional upside, but will likely be a multi-year player in Lawrence before he realizes that goal.
*****
2. JACKSON SHELSTAD – OREGON
WHY HE WILL IMPACT THE SEASON: When you talk about rapid development you talk about Shelstad, who seems to be peaking just in time to arrive at Oregon and battle for major minutes. Jackson’s trajectory is encouraging, to say the least, as he capped off a massive senior season with a head-turning performance at the Nike Hoops Summit. There, the future Duck managed to pop off the page despite playing with some of the best prospects from all over the country.
Shelstead was one of the most effective players at the prestigious event and once again helped his stock. Almost no prospect in the class has played better than Shelstad over the last few months. His ranking will certainly improve in the final update, but he seems like a good bet to make a splash in Eugene next season regardless of ranking.
*****
3. ADEN HOLLOWAY – AUBURN
WHY HE WILL IMPACT THE SEASON: Stylistically, Holloway and Auburn are a dream marriage as the lightning quick guard seems tailor-made to thrive in Bruce Pearl’s up-tempo system. Maybe the most encouraging sign for Holloway, however, is a late growth spurt. The four-star point guard measured at 6-foot-2 at the Nike Hoops summit, up a few inches from where he was just a few months ago.
A dynamic scoring guard capable of filling it up at all three levels, Holloway has long dealt with questions about his limited size, so the fact that he's still growing is a positive, to say the least. It feels like a foregone conclusion that Holloway will get big minutes as a freshman and could be even more effective if he adds additional muscle between now and the first game of his college career.
*****
4. DYLAN JAMES – GEORGIA
WHY HE WILL IMPACT THE SEASON: Physically, James is ready to play in the SEC and there are plenty of available minutes to seize in Athens. Mike White and his staff are big believers in James, and think they can mold the 6-foot-8 forward into a pro, based on his versatility and outside-shooting ability. It’s his defense, however, that will allow him to battle for early minutes in Athens, as the freshman-to-be has proven to be capable of protecting the rim at a high level but also moves well enough to stay in front of smaller players in the perimeter when he gets caught in a switch.
James chose his school based largely on fit, and he could be rewarded for doing so with big minutes in his first college season. The Bulldogs staff seems to trust James to play a number of roles as well as to cause matchup issues on the perimeter, which will serve him well as a freshman.
*****
5. DARRIN AMES – KANSAS STATE
WHY HE WILL IMPACT THE SEASON: The Wildcats are in need of another roster overhaul and that starts with the point guard position, where leading scorer and NCAA Tournament darling Markquis Nowell has left a gaping hole. The good news, however, is that the aforementioned hole could well be filled by Ames, the program’s highest-rated recruit since Wally Judge in 2009.
Whether or not Ames will walk into a starting role will hinge on what Jerome Tang is able to pull off in the transfer portal, but the Chicago-based guard will almost undoubtedly play minutes next season. Ames seems to fit what Tang wants out of the point guard spot, as his confidence and scoring ability are reminiscent of Nowell’s, even if the incoming guard is a bit less crafty and needs some physical development.