Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils are favored to repeat on the hardwood.
With most of the focus currently on baseball and the upcoming college and pro football seasons, now marks an ideal time to get an early jump on the quickly approaching college basketball season. Freshmen remain an integral part of the college game due to the rule that prevents high school players heading straight to the pro game.
Years ago, high school phenoms such as Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James skipped college to directly cash NBA paychecks. Now that these type of players are forced to spend one year on college campuses, it is interesting to see what programs are stockpiling these key players before they move onto the pro game. Most of college basketball’s traditional powers will be bringing in highly sought-after freshman talent for the upcoming campaign.
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Kentucky used freshman superstars John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe to reach the Elite Eight last year. All three of these players have bolted to the next level after just one year in Lexington, but head coach John Calipari has stockpiled another top class of incoming freshman.
According to sportsbook.com, Kentucky is currently listed at plus 2000 on the college basketball betting board to win the 2010-11 national championship. ‘Big Blue’ secured another top class of incoming players, led by point guard Brandon Knight, small forward Terrence Jones and shooting guard Doron Lamb. Knight is a scoring combo-guard, and figures to form a potent backcourt with Lamb.
Defending champion Duke, currently listed as the plus 700 favorite to repeat, will also be relying on freshman talent this season. Point guard Kyrie Irving has been rated as the fourth-best recruit by various scouting reports, and is expected to help the Blue Devils backcourt with his ability to distribute the ball.
Another highly recruited player that will be spending the season in Durham will be power forward Joshua Hairston. Listed as one of the best forwards in this class, Hairston is equally effective in the paint or with his outside shot.
North Carolina is another Atlantic Coast Conference team that brought a ton of talent to Tobacco Road, led by the nation’s top-ranked recruit in small forward Harrison Barnes. The 6-foot-8 player is already being compared to Carmelo Anthony, who led Syracuse to a national championship as a freshman. Barnes is a physical player that can also beat opponents off the dribble.
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The Tar Heels are also bringing in highly regarded shooting guard Reggie Bullock, who is a prolific scorer from all spots on the court. Roy Williams’ team is currently listed at plus 2500 to cut down the nets at Houston’s Reliant Stadium.
One Big Ten team to keep an eye on this season will be Ohio State, a plus 1800 selection to win the national championship. Most of the focus will be on Michigan State, but the Buckeyes are adding two players ranked in the top-12 of the freshman class.
Ohio State scored a recruiting coup when power forward Jared Sullinger decided to play in Columbus. His physical style of play is perfectly suited for the Big Ten, but he can also consistently hit the mid-range jumper along with banging in the paint.
Deshaun Thomas is a small forward that should blend in seamlessly with Sullinger. Thomas isn’t as physical as Sullinger, but always seems to grab offensive rebounds and put-backs during key stretches.