There are so many great college basketball players leaving the college level each year to head to the NBA. There’s never a shortage of star talent in college basketball. The overall talent is boosted every year by a new crop of talented freshmen, many who we have been hearing about for years as they starred at the high school level for four years. This coming college basketball season is going to be an exciting one with the new crop of talent. Here are six freshmen who will be making a name for themselves this coming season.
Lonzo Ball (UCLA)
Ball has tons of talent and skill. The 6’6” guard is known for his passing ability but he can also take over a game with scoring. He averaged a triple double in his senior year in high school. The issue with Lonzo is how he will he fit into the UCLA backcourt that is pretty loaded. Bryce Alford, Isaac Hamilton and Aaron Holiday all combined for 43.2 points and 12.5 assists per game last season and one of them is going to have to come off the bench since Ball is too good not to start. It is a good problem to have for UCLA and coach Steve Alford is going to figure out how to manage all these talented guards. Ball is the best passer out of all of them and should be one of the best passers in college basketball this season.
Lauri Markkanen (Arizona)
Lauri Markkanen, a 6’11” native of Helsinki, signed with Arizona back in November and since has continued to develop his game against professionals over in Europe. He recently starred for his country’s under-20 team at the FIBA European Championships. Markkanen made the all-tournament team thanks to his 24.9 points per game. Markkanen does need to improve his defense to go along with his dominating offense, he will sure beat out junior Dusan Ristic for the starting center spot.
Jonathan Isaac (Florida State)
Jonathan Isaac has very raw talent and has tons of potential. He possesses great footwork and ball-handling skills that most players at 6’10 don’t have. He can shoot the three ball well, but he can also put the ball on the deck and get to the rim. Isaac does need to improve on his strength and defense. Fighting for position down low with bigger and stronger players will be a struggle for him until he gets stronger. Once he becomes more consistent, he will be a dominant player.
Harry Giles (Duke)
Harry Giles is already being talked about as one of the tops guards in the 2017 NBA draft. Giles is freakishly good with a ton of potential. He’s the type of player who gets up and down the court with ease. Giles isn’t a great shooter yet, but he is a tremendous rebounder with solid footwork and great ball-handling skills. He’s one of the few players who can rebound the ball and get up the court with ease and lay it in on the other end. Look for Giles to be a one and done player at Duke.
De’Aaron Fox (Kentucky)
De’Aaron Fox is a great defender. His length, quickness and instincts lets him force a lot of turnovers. Fox is an elite player when it comes to fast-break situations. Whether finishing for himself or setting up a teammate, his ability to turn defensive possessions into offensive points is very impressive. Right now, Fox isn’t a great shooter. Where he gets most of his points is in transition or getting to the rim. If he improves on his jump shot where opponents have to at least respect his jump shot, he’ll be one of the best two-way players in the nation.
Josh Jackson (Kansas)
Josh Jackson is pretty clearly the best of the bunch of the freshmen class of 2016-17. Josh has everything you would want in a player. He is very explosive on the court while having toughness and a very quick motor. He is a 6’7 small forward and he’s going to fill up the stat sheet every single game. The only thing he doesn’t have yet is a great shooting stroke from the perimeter. Josh can easily correct his shooting stroke between now and the time he gets drafted.