The NCAA men’s basketball season is underway.  Many teams have already played at least ten games.  I have been impressed by the play of a few rookies and have wanted to see more.  The list below shows the freshman players that I have been most impressed with.

 John Wall

School: Kentucky

Position: Point Guard

Number: 11

Height: 6-4

Weight: 195 lbs.

Key Stats: 18.1 PPG, 7.1 APG, .368 3P%, 4.1 RPG

 Up first is John Wall.  I have been really impressed with his play so far.  As it stands right now, he is projected to be the number 1 draft pick in the 2010 NBA draft (assuming he declares for the NBA at the end of the season).  Wall has great speed, he can shoot, and he can get to the basket at will.  He has also exhibited leadership qualities and clutch play.  Wall hit the game winner against Miami of Ohio and he displayed poise and great competitive spirit with his 25 point performance in the win against UConn.  He is ready for the NBA right now.  At times he seems to get out of control on the court and turn the ball over, but he will learn and he will be a great player.

 Xavier Henry

School: Kansas

Position: Shooting Guard

Number: 1

Height: 6-6

Weight: 220 lbs.

Key Stats: 18 PPG, .533 3P%, 4.1 RPG

 Xavier Henry is the second best player in this class behind John Wall.  Henry has an NBA ready body and NBA ready shooting range.  Henry can score from anywhere on the floor.  He can shoot the three, he punishes defenders as he attacks the basket, and he has a good midrange game.  He is a very good all around scorer.  He leads his team in scoring with 18 points a game.  What amazes me the most about Henry is that he is a freshman that demands the ball.  Kansas returned two great players in Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins and it seems as if they both defer to Henry at times.  Xavier Henry will definitely be a lottery pick in the 2010 NBA draft assuming that he declares for the draft after the season.

 DeMarcus Cousins

School: Kentucky

Position: Forward

Number: 15

Height: 6-11

Weight: 260 lbs.

Key Stats: 14.2 PPG, .500 3P%, 8.3 RPG, 2.2 BPG

 DeMarcus Cousins is a beast and he is versatile.  He can shoot the ball well and he bangs down low.  Coach Cal has made his business to get as much from Cousins in the post as he can.  Cousins is also a man on the boards.  I’m impressed with Cousins’ numbers because he plays with John Wall and Eric Bledsoe who both have the ball in their hands a lot.  Somehow though, Cousins still manages to put up solid numbers.  Cousins will likely be a lottery pick in the 2010 NBA draft but he needs to get stronger and work on his conditioning to be effective at the NBA level.

 Derrick Favors

School: Georgia Tech

Position: Forward

Number: 14

Height: 6-10

Weight: 246 lbs.

Key Stats: 13.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.3 BPG

 I really like Favors.  He has great size and freakish athleticism.  He may be the best forward in this class.  I have him ranked slightly below DeMarcus Cousins because Cousins is more versatile.  I would like to see Favors score a bit more and grab more rebounds, but I do realize that he plays with junior forward Gani Lawal who leads the team in both categories.  His talent level suggests that he should be averaging a double-double.  I also like his defensive presence.  Expect Favors to be one of the top 5 forwards drafted in the 2010 NBA draft.  His game will translate well to the NBA.

 Eric Bledsoe

School: Kentucky

Position: Guard

Number: 24

Height: 6-1

Weight: 190 lbs.

Key Stats: 11.1 PPG, .533 3P%, 3 APG

 Bledsoe is good combo guard.  He can run the point and is a more than capable scorer when needed.  He scored 24 points in the season opener against Morehead St. while John Wall was carrying out his one game suspension.  His numbers would be more impressive if John Wall was not on the team.  He is a good ball handler and he can shoot.  He also attacks the basket well.  When Wall leaves the game, Bledsoe provides stability and leadership.  He also keeps the team in games and picks up the scoring load if no one else is scoring well.  He has the ability to know when to score and when to get his teammates involved.  He should stay another year in college before considering the NBA so that people can get a chance to see him lead the team when Wall leaves for the NBA.

 Avery Bradley

School: Texas

Position: Guard

Number: 0

Height: 6-2

Weight: 180 lbs.

Key Stats: 11PPG, .409 3P%

 I like Avery Bradley’s game.  He doesn’t really force anything.  He lets the game come to him.  He plays good defense and he scores when needed.  He needs to get stronger for the NBA game, but he has NBA shooting range.  He seems to have picked up his aggressiveness offensively as of late which is good.  I would like to see him be more aggressive all of the time.

 Lance Stephenson

School: Cincinnati

Position: Guard/Forward

Number: 33

Height: 6-5

Weight: 210 lbs.

Key Stats: 12.9 PPG, 2.5 APG, 5.9 RPG

 Mr. “Born Ready” has been solid so far, but I was expecting a bit more from him.  At times he seems to force his shots and his shot selection is questionable some times.  But, I cannot deny that the kid has talent.  He will be a lottery pick in the 2010 NBA draft based on talent and upside alone.  The only question mark that people have about the kid his is attitude.  Stephenson is a good scorer.  He can score from anywhere on the floor but excels at taking the ball to the basket.  He also draws a lot of fouls and is a good rebounding guard.  His three point (.208 3P %) shooting has been good so far, but I expect him to start shooting the ball better once his shot selection improves.

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