#1. Josh Jackson - Kansas Freshman
Josh Jackson comes into the 2016-17 season ranked #2 on the ESPN Top 100 Recruits and by the end of March Madness, this will be the guy that everyone is talking about. Standing at 6' 8" and weighing 205 lbs., Jackson is built like an athletic scoring machine. He runs the floor very well and is explosive from the wing. Think of a Tracy McGrady type of athlete. Bill Self had some high praises for his new Forward, saying "He's coming in here about as mature or as worldly as any kid we've ever had. He's good at it, but it's not fake. He naturally enjoys company but he also respects elders. He's well beyond his years as a college freshman." With Jackson poised to lead Kansas, he has a chance at a huge year and should be the #1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
#2. Harry Giles - Duke Freshman
Harry Giles has all the potential that can translate to college basketball star and Duke legend, but after another knee surgery, his third in four years, Giles' future is looking questionable. Standing at 6' 11" and weighing in at 220 lbs., Giles reflects the new era of basketball big men. He can run the floor, has tremendous bounce, and is lengthy, with a 7' 3" wingspan. When I watch Giles' highlights from High School, I see Chris Webber. He has a tremendous amount of potential. The only knock on him is his health. He's already looking at missing up to 6 weeks for Duke. However, when healthy, he should be spectacular and should push Jackson for that #1 spot next June.
#3. Jayson Tatum - Duke Freshman
Coach K really outdid himself this year in terms of recruiting, snagging Harry Giles, #1 on ESPN's Top 100, and Jayson Tatum, the #3 recruit on ESPN's Top 100. The only problem? Tatum is injured, as is Giles. Thankfully, Tatum, who sat out of Friday's season opener versus Marist, only suffered a foot sprain in October, and should be back in action as soon as this week. Tatum, a 6' 8", 205 lbs. Forward, specializes in isolation sets and finishing around the basket. His game is very fluid, and he has a smooth shot around the basket. However, offensively, his mindset is focused too much on 1 on 1 isolation ball and he fails at times to find the open teammate. Playing at Duke under Coach K can help this. Look for Tatum to be one of the top Freshmen we are talking about throughout the season.
#4. - Malik Monk - Kentucky Freshman
Ever since watching this guy's Junior year highlight tapes, I knew he could be special. Having thought it would be neat to see Monk go to Arkansas, considering he's from Bentonville, he chose to play for Coach Cal and attend Kentucky. I don't fault him for this decision at all though. Going to Kentucky, he can play for one of the greatest current coaches in all of college basketball and face elite competition. Monk is an explosive Point Guard who has an array of dribble moves. He excels in finding open teammates in the half court. He is a big reason why the expectations for Kentucky are sky high coming into the season.
#5. Ivan Rabb - California Sophomore
If this name sounds familiar, don't worry, you aren't freaking out. Rabb returns to California for his Sophomore year after a 12.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 1.2 BPG Freshman season. Many experts had Rabb going in the lottery for the 2016 NBA Draft. However, he decided to skip out on a trip to the NBA to go back to Cal. Rabb's explained his decision to ESPN, saying "I didn't just want to be in the NBA. I wanted to make sure I was ready when I got there." Very mature answer from a 19 year old if you ask me. Going back to Cal, Rabb has a chance at a monster year. He developed a solid low post game last year with a persistent baby hook, but still has plenty of room to improve in this area.
#6. Justin Jackson - North Carolina Junior
Anyone that knows me knows that Justin is my guy. I was homeschooled my entire life as was Justin. As I played homeschool basketball through High School, Justin was the poster-boy for homeschool sports. He was the first guy to give homeschool sports a good name. Naturally, I began to root for him. Our paths crossed in Springfield, Missouri in March of 2014, when the NCHC was hosting its National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships. I was able to briefly talk with him and get a picture. Anyway, enough of riding down memory lane. Here we are, in 2016. Jackson returns to Chapel Hill for his Junior year. His game has improved over the past two years, but this is a make or break year for the 6' 8" Forward from Tomball, Texas. With Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige graduating last spring, Roy Williams will now turn to Jackson to lead the Tar Heels. Jackson is not a tremendous athlete and only weighs in at 193 pounds, but he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. He dominates on the baseline, whether it's on quick cuts to the rim or elevating over an opposing defender for a runner. His outside shooting, along with strength need work, but he is an intriguing player to watch this year as he leads North Carolina.
#7. Dennis Smith - NC State Freshman
Smith might be the most unknown Freshman in this year's class. However, he has all the makings to be one of the best, if not the best. After tearing his ACL and missing his entire Senior year of High School, Smith is back. In preseason play, Smith showed no clear signs of the ACL injury slowing him down. Junior, as he is often referred to, has drawn the comparison of being a mix between Derrick Rose and Chris Paul. He is a quick, blow-by-you Point Guard who can finish around the rim. That's not all he does though. Smith distributes the ball tremendously and is very team first oriented. The biggest knock on him is his struggle to shoot the ball from outside. However, if he plays to his potential and the hype that he had prior to his Senior year of High School, Smith could be golden for the Wolfpack and has a real shot at going #1 in next years NBA Draft.
#8. Markelle Fultz - Washington Freshman
Fultz has a similar story to that of Michael Jordan. As a Sophomore in High School, Fultz did not make the Varsity roster. Instead, he played the year on the JV squad. Fast forward three years later, and Fultz is a projected lottery pick and the face of Washington basketball. At 6' 4", Fultz has great length for a Point Guard. He excels in changing speeds and is apt in finding teammates for open shots. His jumper needs work and when he's pressured he tends to throw the ball away. However, coming into his Freshmen year, the sky is the limit for Fultz. He will surprise many this year and, like Smith, could legitimately be the #1 pick come June.
#9. Bam Adebayo - Kentucky Freshman
BAM! Edrice "Bam" Adebayo is Kentucky's newest big. With a nickname like that, he better throw down some nasty dunks! Judging from his High School highlights, this isn't very far out of the realm of possibility. In fact, this is where Bam succeeds the most. Having a similar frame to Dwight Howard (and even looking like him a bit, too) Adebayo gives Coach Cal and Kentucky a force inside. His post game isn't polished but has the potential to be solid. Other than that, at 6' 10", 260 lbs., he plays above the rim on the defensive and offensive ends. He also possesses a great team first attitude and is the kind of guy you want to represent your school.
#10. Allonzo Trier - Arizona Sophomore
Here's some more homeschool basketball history. Back in 2013, as Sophomore in High School, Trier , just like Justin Jackson, played for a homeschool team, the Tulsa NOAH Jaguars. The two squared off in the semifinals of the NCHBC in what was the biggest matchup in homeschool sports. With the games running behind schedule in the NCHBC tournament, what should have been an 8:45pm start time turned into about a 9:15pm start. Jackson and his HCYA Warriors ended up prevailing, winning 67-61. Trier still lit it up though, scoring 40 points after putting up 51 the night before. For the time being, he and Jackson ruled homeschool hoops. After the 2013 season, though, Trier bounced around a bit, attending Montrose Christian (Kevin Durant's old stomping grounds) his Junior year and Findlay Prep for his Senior season. Now with Arizona, Trier returns for his Sophomore year. He averaged 14.8 PPG last season, returning this year as the high point man. However, in a rather bizarre development, Trier has not suited up for any of the Wildcats preseason games and did not fly out to Hawaii for Arizona's first game against Michigan State Friday night. Head Coach Sean Miller is not saying anything about his star Guard and the mystery of what has happened to Trier continues to grow. IF he plays this season, he is an instant scoring threat. His game involves pulling up from outside and driving aggressively to the hoop. He has the potential to be a lottery pick but he needs to get back on the court first.
#11. De'Aaron Fox - Kentucky Freshman
Fox completes Coach Cal's trio of Freshmen. Along with Guard Malik Monk and big Bam Adebayo, De'Aaron Fox will push Kentucky to the top this season in college basketball. While he isn't a great scorer at this stage in his career, Fox shines in spreading the ball around the floor. In addition, his other strength is on the defensive end. The level of energy that Fox brings on a night to night basis for Kentucky will be right near the top in the NCAA. As he continues to develop, watch to see how much he works on his offensive game. If he can establish a solid jump shot and finish when he gets the bucket, Fox will draw consideration for being the best Point Guard in the country.
#12. Lonzo Ball - UCLA Freshman
Coming into the season ranked #4 on ESPN's Top 100, Ball has just as much hype and potential as any other Freshman. He showed the hype Friday night, when UCLA took on Pacific. Ball, running the floor, caught an alley-oop pass from Aaron Holiday, flushing it down with the right hand and finding himself on SportsCenter's Top 10. As many other Freshmen Point Guards, Ball has great size at 6' 6". However, where he separates himself is with his tremendous vision. He is superb in the fast break, dishing off outlet passes and finding the open teammate in transition. This was something many grew accustomed to at Chino Hills, where Lonzo was constantly finding his two older brothers open behind the arc. Ball is no exceptional athlete but finds ways to beat his opponents. He comes into this season as the #1 Point Guard and could very well finish #1.
BONUS:
#13. Grayson Allen - Duke Junior
I'll give you an extra one. By now, everyone should know who Grayson Allen is. From the diving for loose balls, make-the-most-of-every-minute Freshman that starred in Duke's Championship run two years ago to the leading scorer and accused "dirty"player last season after tripping two different opponents, Allen has just about seen it all. Now, back for his Junior year, Grayson looks to take even more strides offensively, and hopes to put the negative image that people perceive of him in the rear-view mirror. Last season he averaged 21.6 PPG to go along with 4.6 RPG and 3.5 APG. Allen, now looked to as the "veteran" of Duke basketball, will be relied on for his scoring and leadership with a young squad featuring two of the top three recruits in the nation in Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum along with Point Guard Frank Jackson (#10 in the nation).
There you have it, the top 12 (+1) guys that I'm excited to watch this season. I don't know about you, but I'm really excited for this season of college basketball. There are so many skilled Freshmen and a number of solid upperclassmen. Remember these names, mark them down, and catch any games of them that you can. And if you're looking for more names to follow, here's a list of a few more guys:
Name
|
School
|
Year
|
Position
| |
#14
|
Miles Bridges
|
Michigan State
|
Freshman
|
Forward
|
#15
|
Josh Hart
|
Villanova
|
Senior
|
Guard
|
#16
|
Frank Mason III
|
Kansas
|
Senior
|
Point Guard
|
#17
|
Dillon Brooks
|
Oregon
|
Junior
|
Forward
|
#18
|
London Perrantes
|
Virginia
|
Senior
|
Point Guard
|
#19
|
Melo Trimble
|
Maryland
|
Junior
|
Point Guard
|
#20
|
Monte Morris
|
Iowa State
|
Senior
|
Point Guard
|
#21
|
Alec Peters
|
Valparaiso
|
Senior
|
Forward
|
#22
|
Kobi Simmons
|
Arizona
|
Freshman
|
Guard
|
#23
|
Thomas Bryant
|
Indiana
|
Sophomore
|
Center
|
#24
|
Joel Berry II
|
North Carolina
|
Junior
|
Guard
|
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