NCAA Freshmen: What A Difference A Year Makes

With the 2014-15 NCAA basketball season just around the corner, there are a number of names of first-year players that sit on top of the potential Player Of The Year lists and there is a good chance that one of the incoming freshmen will hear his name called first in the 2015 NBA Draft next June.

Whether it be Draftexpress.com, NBAdraft.net or one of countless other sites that create mock drafts, there is a good chance that at least six out of the first 10 names will be NCAA one-and-done wonders next summer. Among the favorites to leave school early this year include players from Kansas, Duke, Arizona and Kentucky, to name but a few. Coincidentally enough, last summer of the top 10 picks made, the Jayhawks saw two players (Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embid) leave early, the Blue Devils lost one (Jabari Parker), Arizona one (Aaron Gordon), and Kentucky one (Julius Randle). Throw in an international player (Dante Exum) and one might mistake this June for last.

While plenty of young faces dominated the press last year, not all of the news was positive, as plenty of critics had their opinion on how the first-year players failed to meet the lofty expectations that were set out for them. Many feel that the class of 2014 will have a huge impact on the NCAA season and tournament this year, but it appears as though the near extreme expectations have been kept to a dull roar.

Out of all the diaper dandies, Randle’s road to the championship reached the final game, only to fall short to the more experienced UConn Huskies. Individually, Randle earned third team All-American honors, while Wiggins and Parker were listed as second and first team respectively.

Breaking down the incoming top freshman this season, similarities to their predecessors are evident and while the Kentucky Wildcats are the early season favorites to cut down the nets, the following first-year players are poised to have a huge impact as to whether or not that prediction comes true.

1. Kelly Oubre (Andrew Wiggins) – The Kansas Jayhawks freshman may not have had the hype that the Canadian did coming into the season, but may find more success by the time it is done. While expectations for the 6’7″ wing are high, they aren’t so far out of reality that they cannot be met no matter what. �Whereas if Wiggins had a 15 and 8 game, critics would say why not 20 and 10, Oubre will have a little more leeway throughout the season. More of an offensive threat than the defensive Wiggins, Oubre’s calling card is his ability to run the transition and hit the midrange jumper.

2. Stanley Johnson (Jabari Paker) – At 6’7″, 220 pounds, Johnson is listed as slightly smaller than Parker was when he pulled on the Blue Devils jersey, but the Arizona Wildcats forward may be the most NBA-ready player by the time the season is over. As was Parker, Johnson will be tough to stop in the open court, where he makes the most of his strength and quickness to get to the rim and take over the game offensively. With a near complete tool box of skills to work with, Johnson just needs to fine-tune his jumper and continue to improve his athleticism. With a high school resume that had him playing at almost every position on the floor, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Coach Miller use this to his advantage throughout the season.

3. Cliff Alexander/Trey Lyles (Julius Randle) – These two power forwards will make Jayhawks and Wildcats fans very happy this season. If you were to mesh their game together, they would resemble what Randle provided the Kentucky last year. �Whereas Alexander has the size and weight to bang inside and to smash everything through the hoop, while gobbling the boards, Lyles provides more of the midrange and transition game that Randle portrays. Both freshmen are listed between 6’8″-6’10” and roughly 240-250 pounds and will have a chance to play meaningful minutes for their respective teams early and often.

4. Kevon Looney (Aaron Gordon) – Looney has the skills and body size to play both forward positions with the UCLA Bruins, which is the one difference that he possesses from Gordon. At 6’9″, 225lbs, Looney may not have the freak athleticism that Gordon had, but he still has the speed, agility and vertical to get through traffic and finish with power in the paint. What he does have in his pocket that Gordon didn’t (and maybe doesn’t even at this point) is the ability to handle the ball and shoot from distance, which will certainly be an asset if the Bruins plan to challenge Arizona (Gordon’s alma mater ) for the Pac-12 title.

5. Emmanuel Mudiay (Andrew Harrison/Dante Exum) – Taking the Brandon Jennings route to the NBA, Mudiay decided to take his talents overseas straight out of high school rather than to Larry Brown and SMU. Compared to anyone from Penny Hardaway to Tyreke Evans to John Wall, Mudiay will more than likely be the first point guard selected next summer, as was Exum. The difference is that Mudiay will be ready to play right away, whereas Exum appears to be a couple years away. Compared to one who spent time in the college ranks, Mudiay’s body is similar to the Wildcat guard who decided he wasn’t quite ready for the pros and returned for another year with Coach Cal. With the size, length and ball handling skills similar to his fellow Texan, Mudiay will also need to work on improving his shot this season, something Harrison found out last year with the Wildcats.

6. Jahil Okafor (Joel Embiid) – While he isn’t as raw as Embiid was, Okafor will be one of, if not the most dominate post players in the NCAA this season. Standing 6’11”, 270 pounds, Okafor has the size, length and speed to take over the paint on both ends of the floor, just as Embiid did a year ago. With a far more polished game and at least thirty more pounds on his frame than the former Jayhawk, look for Coach K to run a huge portion of the Duke Blue Devils offense through the Chicago native. Whereas last year there were questions about who the No. 1 draft pick would be between Wiggins, Parker and Embiid, Okafor seems to be a deadlock for the first name Adam Silver calls.