I've Got Five (or Six) On It: Most intriguing college freshmen
With the 2023-24 college basketball season just more than 100 days away, it’s a good time for a peek ahead at some of the most important newcomers that will crash the sport when things get started.
With that in mind, Rivals recruiting director Rob Cassidy explores who he sees as the most intriguing incoming freshman in each major conference.
Note: This week’s I've Got Five On It includes six entries because a catchy column name is not a suitable excuse for Big East erasure.
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MORE: USC freshman Bronny James stable after cardiac arrest during workout
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ACC
PLAYER: Trentyn Flowers
SCHOOL: Louisville
WHY HE’S INTRIGUING: Because Louisville doesn’t have time for growing pains.
Sure there are higher-ranked prospects in the league, but none have a task quite as daunting as Flowers, who is being looked to as part of a class Cardinals fans hope is able to save the Kenny Payne Era after a 4-28 lemon of a season a year ago. Flowers is already being buzzed about in NBA front offices, mostly due to his long-term upside, but Louisville fans will only be concerned about what he can do as a freshman.
If Flowers arrives on campus able to routinely impact games with his versatility and wide-ranging skill set, the program should be able to take a massive step forward. If he experiences extended growing pains, Payne’s squad could struggle to stay afloat on the offensive end, as Flowers will need to pull serious weight when it comes to scoring in order for this team to find success.
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BIG 12
PLAYER: Omaha Biliew
SCHOOL: Iowa State
WHY HE’S INTRIGUING: Because he’s the highest-rated recruit in school history.
Iowa State’s quick turnaround in year one of the T.J. Otzelberger Era gave way to a second straight NCAA Tournament berth in his second season at the helm last year. The on-court momentum quickly bled over to the recruiting trail and helped the Cyclones land Biliew, the No. 11 prospect in the 2023 class.
Biliew is expected to be a focal point for a team with a bevy of question marks on its roster and is also the crown jewel of a large freshman class that will make the Cyclones one of the youngest teams in the Big 12. Just how college- ready the five-star forward is will play a massive role in how ISU’s season plays out.
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BIG EAST
PLAYER: Simeon Wilcher
SCHOOL: St. John's
WHY HE’S INTRIGUING: Because he’s front and center in the Rick Pitino storyline.
Wilcher represents Pitino’s first big splash as the head coach of the Johnnies. The celebrated head coach flipped the touted point guard from North Carolina in what many saw as a warning shot for what the Pitino Era in Queens may have in store. Nobody is quite sure what the ceiling is for this particular Red Storm team, but whatever it is will be determined in large part by how quickly Pitino's prized point guard acclimates to the college game.
People will tune in to see the legendary coach on a Big East bench, and they will get a heavy dose of the exciting Wilcher when they do. If Wilcher is able to lead his team back to the NCAA Tournament in year one, the rapidly growing buzz around the program could reach a fever pitch.
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BIG TEN
PLAYER: Coen Carr
SCHOOL: Michigan State
WHY HE’S INTRIGUING: Because he’s a walking highlight reel.
The list of freshmen more exciting than Michigan State’s Carr is short, as watching him on the court is oftentimes an absolute thrill ride. Carr may be the best pure athlete in the 2023 class, and his freshman season is a near lock to feature dunks and other athletic plays that will find viral success online.
Carr, who boasts one of the most impressive verticals in the country, always seems to be in attack mode and is likely to routinely dazzle Spartan fans in transition. There could be more impactful freshmen in the Big Ten this season, but finding a more exciting one will be difficult. Carr was playing the best basketball of his life near the end of his high school career, so his trajectory as he heads to the Big Ten is encouraging, to say the least.
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PAC-12
PLAYER: Isaiah Collier
SCHOOL: USC
WHY HE’S INTRIGUING: Because he’s expected to shine from day one.
The No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, Collier was already going to be asked to do some heavy lifting in his first year as a Trojan, but his workload will likely increase due to the uncertainty that now surrounds the career of fellow touted freshman Bronny James. James has recovered and left the hospital following a cardiac event he suffered in practice earlier this week, but his future on the court remains uncertain.
Regardless of what happens with James, Collier will be front and center as a freshman and will serve as one of the focal points of a Trojan team looking to notch its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. The presence of veteran guard Boogie Ellis is good news for Collier, as the seasoned floor general could help the top-ranked freshman ease into his role as the face of the program this year.
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SEC
PLAYER: Reed Sheppard
SCHOOL: Kentucky
WHY HE’S INTRIGUING: Because he looks to be ahead of schedule
The least talked about member of Kentucky’s ultra-talented 2023 class, Sheppard was impressive in a number of ways during the Wildcats’ gold medal run at GLOBL JAM this month. He averaged 8.5 points per contest in his first four games in a UK uniform, but the fact that he managed to lead the team in assists per contest despite coming off the bench was the real eye-opener.
Sheppard flashed some serious defensive prowess to go along with his advanced court vision and suddenly feels like a bigger piece to Kentucky’s 2023 puzzle than he did a month or so ago. If the Bluegrass State native has a bigger-than-expected impact on the upcoming season, things will get a lot easier for the rest of the new-look Wildcats. John Calipari doesn’t need Sheppard to post All-SEC numbers, obviously, but getting big minutes and major production out of the forgotten freshman in year one would give UK a massive boost.