Top 100 Freshmen Look Back: Part 1

The 2013 recruiting class certainly came to college with a lot of expectations. Fans were expecting the second coming of Lebron and NBA general managers were jockeying for lottery balls in the 2014 draft. It’s safe to say that the crown jewels of the class (Wiggins, Randle, Parker, and Gordon) adapted to the college game quickly as all four won their respective conference freshman of the year awards. After the top four there are numerous players that did not play up to expectations (Harrison twins, Isaiah Hicks, Jabari Bird, etc) and a plethora of freshmen in the Top 100 that exceeded expectations (Joel Embiid, Tyler Ennis, Jordan Mickey). Then there are those players that weren’t ranked in the top 100 that on hindsight definitely should have been. Each of the power conferences has at least one player that made the all-freshman team that was not ranked. In hindsight it is safe to say that the boat was missed when it came to evaluating players such as Malcolm Brogdon (UVA), Billy Garret Jr. (DePaul), Marcus Foster (K-State), and Isaiah Taylor (Texas).

Note: Rankings are from the Recruiting Services Consensus Index which takes the rankings from Scout, Rivals, ESPN, etc to form a "consensus."

1. Andrew Wiggins, SF, Kansas

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
32.2	16.8	5.9	1.6	113.9 (25.4)

Wiggins and Parker lived up to their rankings

It was going to be hard to live up to the hype that was placed on Wiggins before he even played a game. A first team pre-season All-American and projected No. 1 draft pick, Wiggins did not live up to the hype, but he did a pretty good job. He was named to the Big XII first team and was also the conference rookie of the year. He scored almost 17 points per game for the top team in the Big XII and shot 34.5% from the three point line. Wiggins hit the game winner at Texas Tech and ended the regular season with a 41 point performance against West Virginia. While he is no longer a lock to go at the top of the draft, he proved himself on both sides of the ball throughout the year.

2. Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
30.6	15.4	10.5	1.4	112.3 (26.4)

Randle was a double-double machine from start to finish. While the Wildcats did not live up to their pre-season hype, Randle was one of the few consistent bright spots. He was named to the All-SEC first team and was also the top freshman in the conference. In Kentucky’s first big game of the year, Randle went for 27 points and 13 rebounds against Michigan State and was pretty much unstoppable in the second half. With his strength and ball-handling skills, Randle was a match-up miss-match in high school and that continued this year at the college level.

3. Jabari Parker, F, Duke

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
30.3	19.2	9	1.3	113.3

Parker never looked like himself during his senior year, but he came out blazing in his first college game and never really let up. The 6’8” Parker played the power forward spot for Duke and had an advantage on the offensive end in almost every game he played. In his first game against Davidson, Parker went 8-10 from the field and 3-3 from behind the line. In his last regular season game against UNC, Parker shot 10-17 and put up 30 points and 10 rebounds. While he struggled shooting the ball at times during ACC play he became much more aggressive attacking the basket and grabbing rebounds. While not the best player on the defensive end, he did enough on the offensive end to become a first team All-American and ACC rookie of the year.

4. Aaron Gordon, F, Arizona

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
30.8	12.3	7.8	1.6	104.5 (23.1)

Playing for the most talented team in the country, Gordon fit in seamlessly. He provided highlight reel dunks and timely defensive stops. Gordon was named to the PAC-12 first team as well as the conference freshman of the year. He struggled from the outside only making a total of three 3’s in conference play but had some of his best games in February including a 23 point, eight rebound performance against Colorado.

5. Andrew Harrison, PG, Kentucky

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
30.5	10.8	3	3.5	104.3 (21.5)

It wasn’t the freshman season that Andrew Harrison expected. While his stats are solid he fell out of most mock drafts and currently sits as the first pick in the second round of the 2015 Draft Express mock draft. Harrison shot 35% from the floor and had a 1.45 A/TO ratio.

6. Aaron Harrison, SG, Kentucky

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
31.5	13.5	3.3	2.1	114.4 (21.0)

The other Harrison twin averaged 13.5 points per game and had a 114.4 ORTG and now sits atop his brother in the mock draft rankings (No. 26 – 2015). Harrison had several games where he scored 20+ points in conference play, but he only shot 30.5% from the three point line. 

7. Chris Walker, PF, Florida

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
5.5	1.8	1.6	0.1	N/A

Walker sat out the first three months of the year and played his first game on February 4 against Missouri. He scored four points in seven minutes on two dunks, but with his late arrival and senior laden front-court it has been hard for Billy Donovan to find playing time for the former McDonald’s All-American.

8. Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
26.3	11.4	9.1	0.6	110.5 (21.7)

Indiana is most likely going to miss the NCAA tournament, but it won’t be because of Vonleh’s play. IU’s star freshman easily won the Big 10 freshman of the year and averaged close to a double-double. The sinewy Vonleh shot 53% from the floor and has impressed NBA scouts enough to put him in the discussion for a Top 5 pick in the summer.

9. Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
12.2	4.9	3.6	0.2	116.0 (20.7)

Johnson’s first year was a tale of two seasons. For the first part of the season, Johnson rarely got over 10 minutes of playing time, but as SEC play progressed his minutes started to increase. Johnson had his best game in a close loss to LSU with 15 points, six rebounds in just 20 minutes. 

10. James Young, SF, Kentucky

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
32.5	14.4	4.1	1.8	110.7 (22.0)

The high scoring wing is Kentucky’s second leading scorer and so far has hit 67 three’s on the year. In Young’s first SEC game he had arguably his best performance with 26 points and 10 rebounds against Mississippi State. 

11. Kasey Hill, PG, Florida

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
23.1	5.6	1.8	3.2	97.5 (18.6)

In an injury plagued season, Hill has averaged 23 minutes per game backing up SEC Player of the Year Scottie Wilbekin. After having an outstanding senior year it has not been an easy transition for Hill. After scoring in double figures in two out of his first three games, Hill has not scored more than nine points in any of his other games and is just 5-34 from the three point line on the year.

12. Jarell Martin, C, LSU

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
25.5	10.2	4.6	0.7	106.3 (19.7)

A strong freshman campaign for the big bodied Martin. A McDonald’s All-American last year, Martin averaged 10.2 points per game and shot almost 32% from behind the arc. Martin also scored in double-figures in 11 SEC games and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team.

13. Wayne Selden, SF, Kansas

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
28.9	10.1	2.7	2.6	107.4 (18.8)

Despite being just a freshman, Selden is one of the strongest wings in the game. He can overpower defenders on drives to the basket and also shot 35.4% from deep. Selden put his name on the map in just the Jayhawks second game with a 15 point, six rebound, and four assist performance against Duke and also had back to back 20+ point games to open Big XII play.

14. Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
27.3	12.4	6.6	1.5	118.8 (20.7)

Portis was named to the SEC second team and was also on the SEC All-Freshman team. He was the leading rebounder and second leading scorer for the Razorbacks and put on one of the best individual performances seen in the SEC this year. In a game against Alabama, Portis went 14-17 from the floor for a total of 35 points, nine rebounds, and six blocks.

15. Isaiah Hicks, F, UNC

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
7.5	1.3	1.1	0.2	86.9

It’s been a rough freshman year for Hicks who has struggled to find minutes in Roy’s rotation. Hicks has shown small glimpses of his 5-star talent whether its been drives to the basket or blocked shots on the defensive end, but he has not been able to contribute consistently. After playing in the post in high school, Hicks has been asked to play the small forward position for the Tar Heels. This year has been a learning experience for Hicks and he will need to add some strength and an outside jump shot to improve as a sophomore.  

16. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, F, Arizona

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
24.9	8.6	5.5	1.5	109.5 (20.4)

Hollis-Jefferson was getting about 20-25 minutes a game, play aggressive defense and attacking the glass. Then Brandon Ashley got hurt and all of a sudden Hollis-Jefferson was getting approximately 30 minutes a game. Despite not being a threat from the outside, Hollis-Jefferson started scoring around 10 points per game. Originally known as a great defender, Hollis-Jefferson will need to continue his strong play if the Wildcats want to cut down the nets in April.

17. Joel Embiid, C, Kansas

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
23.1	11.2	8.1	1.4	112.2 (24.7)

Everytime Embiid stepped on the court he seemed to improve. Before his back injury, Embiid averaged 2.6 blocks per game and was named the Big XII defensive player of the year. He also titillated NBA scouts and now has a chance to go in the top three of this summer’s draft if he declares. It remains to be seen when or if Embiid will step on the floor again, but it’s safe to say that Embiid was the biggest surprise of the college basketball season, especially considering that he wasn’t even ranked until last April’s Jordan Brand All-Star game.

18. Marcus Lee, PF, Kentucky

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
6.2	2.4	1.4	0.1	N/A

The 6’9” Lee was probably anticipating more than six minutes a game when he signed on with James Young and the Harrison twins as part of the greatest recruiting class ever. Lee recorded a DNP in half of the SEC games.

19. Isaac Hamilton, SG, UCLA

Hamilton was forced to sit out the year after UTEP did not let him out of his LOI.

20. Austin Nichols, PF, Memphis

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
22.6	9.3	4.3	0.5	113.3 (16.9)

Nichols came on late and was named the AAC rookie of the year. Nichols ended conference play with a 14 point, nine rebound, and three block performance for the Tigers.

21. Jabari Bird, SG, California

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
19.5	7.7	1.9	1.1	98.8 (22.0)

After getting hurt in late December, Bird was forced to miss the first three games of conference play and was never able to really find his rhythm after that. His minutes were up and down throughout and Bird probably had his best game s against UCLA where he averaged 11.5 points per game.

22. Robert Hubbs, SG, Tennessee

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
18.3	5	1.5	0.7	92 (18.2)

Hubbs played 12 games this year before his season was cut short due to shoulder surgery. He scored in double figures once with 13 points against Citadel.

23. Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
35.5	12.4	3.4	5.5	114 (22.4)

Ennis was one of the top freshmen in the country and led Syracuse to an undefeated record into February. Taking the place of Michael Carter-Williams, Ennis had an outstanding assist to turnover ratio and hit numerous big shots including the half court buzzer beater against Pittsburgh. Ennis was named to the All-ACC second team.

24. Anthony Barber, PG, N.C. State

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
24.9	8.9	2.2	3.5	98.1 (24.1)

Barber lost his starting spot to Tyler Lewis half way through the year and struggled in ACC play after a strong start to the year. 

25. Jermaine Lawrence, F, Cincy

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
16	3.1	3.2	0.6	78.2 (17.6)

The 6’9” Lawrence missed eight games during conference play and struggled mightily on the offensive end given his 78.2 ORTG. He didn’t score in double-figures this year, but was part of a strong Cincinnati basketball team. 

26. Rysheed Jordan, SG, St. John’s

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
26	9.4	3.1	3.1	95.7 (24.2)

Jordan just lost out to Billy Garret Jr. as the best freshmen in the Big East. The 6’4” guard picked his play up when the conference games started and he scored in double figures 11 out of 18 games.

27. Keith Frazier, SG, SMU

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
15.1	5.4	2	0.9	98.7(20.0)

The Dallas native represented Larry Brown’s first McDonald’s All-American recruit. While SMU far exceeded expectations the same can’t be said for Frazier who only scored in double figures two times in conference play. Assuming Frazier is back for a second year, SMU should have a dynamic backcourt with Frazier and Top 5 recruit Emmanuel Mudiay. 

28. Nigel Williams-Goss, PG, Washington

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
33.1	13.3	4.4	4.4	103.1 (23.6)

Overlooked in PAC-12 play, Williams-Goss had a strong case for conference rookie of the year over Gordon. He averaged 13.3 points and 4.4 assists per game and also led the Huskies to a 9-9 conference record while shooting a tad under 50%. He scored in double figures in 10 of his 11 last conference games including a career best 32 points against Oregon State.

29. Zak Irvin, SF, Michigan

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
16	7	1.5	0.4	115.5 (20.0)

Irvin turned into a three point threat for the Wolverines and showed the ability to get hot in a hurry. In back to back games against Nebraska and Iowa he hit four three’s in each game and went for 16 and 19 points in just 19 and 22 minutes, respectively.

30. Kuran Iverson

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
9.4	2.5	1.7	0.8	79.4 (18.6)

The lanky Iverson only played in about half of the Memphis games and scored in double figures just once. The 6’10” forward only played five minutes since February 4.

31. JaJuan Johnson, SG, Marquette

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
13.5	4.3	1.1	1	108.9 (16.3)

The shooting guard from Memphis has scored only 13 total points in Big East play and has accumulated several DNP’s.

32. Semi Ojeleye, SF, Duke

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
4.7	1.6	0.9	0.1	N/A

Ojeleye has barely played for Duke this year and is primarily known for the sick dunk he threw down in practice.

33. Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
22.3	6	2.2	1.9	108.9 (16.2)

Jackson had his moments for Notre Dame this year but they were few and far between playing behind senior starter Eric Atkins. Jackson had 17 points against Miami and 13 points against Virginia Tech. With increased playing time expect Jackson to increase his output next year.

34. Matt Jones, SG, Duke

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
7.7	2	0.9	0.1	95.7 (16.6)

A McDonald’s All-American, Matt Jones was another top Duke recruit that barely got off the bench this year. Known as a strong outside shooter, Jones only made one three in conference play and barely played over 100 minutes in conference play. 

35. Sindarius Thornwell, SG, South Carolina

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
30	13.5	4.2	3	97.5 (27.7)

The Gamecocks finished second to last in the SEC and besides for beating Kentucky at home there were not a lot of bright moments. One of those bright moments came from Sindarius Thornwell who was named to the SEC all-freshmen team. He was the second leading scorer for Frank Martin’s squad although he shot only 38% from the floor.

36. Brannen Greene, SF, Kansas

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
6.4	2.5	1	0.4	106 (20.8)

Greene came off the bench for the Jayhawks this year and received sporadic playing time. In an overtime loss, Greene played 15 minutes and scored 10 points as Bill Self entrusted him to play down the stretch. While it looked as though Greene might have turned the corner, he was suspended the next game and back to his sporadic playing time.

37. Tyler Roberson, F, Syracuse

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
8.1	2.1	1.8	0.3	88.3 (21.3)

Roberson never really made it into Jim Boeheim’s short rotation this year and only played more than seven minutes twice in ACC play. In Syracuse’s last game of the ACC regular season, Roberson did play a career high 23 minutes where he went 1-4 from the field. 

38. Jordan Mickey, PF, LSU

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
32.4	13	7.6	1	104.9 (20.1)

Mickey was a pleasant surprise for the LSU Tigers as he easily surpasses expectations and finished the year ranked No. 9 In Jeff Goodman’s Freshmen Tracker. The 6’8” Mickey joined Jarell Martin on the SEC freshmen team. During conference play Mickey recorded five double-doubles including a 22 point, 11 rebound, six block performance against Arkansas.

39. Eric Mika, C, BYU

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
25.6	11.7	6.4	1.0	110.1 (22.3)

After playing for one of the top high school teams in the country last year, Eric Mika did not miss a beat when he stepped on the court for the Cougars. He reached double figures in 19 of his first 21 games and finished the year shooting 53% from the field. Mika was named to the WCC all-freshman team.

40. Conner Frankamp, SG, Kansas

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
7.5	1.9	0.6	0.5	104.8 (13.6)

Similar to Greene, Frankamp’s playing time has been sporadic throughout the year. Another three point marksman, Frankamp is shooting just 28% from long distance. He has taken 50 shots overall with 39 coming from deep.

41. Nick King, SF, Memphis

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
10.7	4.8	3.3	0.3	106.4 (21.8)

King scored in double figures his first three games and then only landed in double figures two more times. During conference play he has received steady playing time and logged double digit minutes in three of his last five games.

42. Johnathan Williams III, PF, Missouri

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
25.8	5.8	6.4	0.6	105.1 (15.3)

Williams only averaged 5.8 points per game; however he did lead the Tigers in rebounds and blocked shots per game. In a one point win over Texas A&M, Williams recorded five blocked shots.

43. Xavier Rathan-Mayes, SG, Florida State

The Canadian shooting guard was ruled academically ineligible for the year. 

44. Derrick Walton, PG, Michigan

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
26	8.1	2.9	2.9	110.3 (19.1)

The Michigan Mustangs PG was named to the Big 10 All-Freshman team after averaging 8.1 points per game for the conference champs. While he isn’t Trey Burke, Walton was an impressive lead guard for just a freshman. In a win over Michigan State, Walton scored 19 points and added five rebounds and four assists. He ended the year by not turning the ball over in the last three games.

45. Christian Wood, F, UNLV

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
13.3	4.7	3.3	0.4	108.9 (18.3)

Wood’s season high was 11 points against Nevada. Wood shot 41% from the floor and played a season high of 30 minutes in UNLV’s second to last regular season game against San Diego State.

46. Roddy Peters, G, Maryland

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
15.1	4.1	1.3	2.2	83.8 (22.4)

Peters was a hot name in the summer of 2012 as he jumped up the recruiting rankings; however he failed to have much of an impact for the Terps in their last year in the ACC. A lot of noise was made with Peters becoming the first Turgeon recruit from the famed DC Assault AAU program. Peters joined a crowded backcourt and only scored 32 points in ACC play.

47. Moses Kingsley, C, Arkansas

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
11.2	3.9	3.3	0.2	116 (17.4)

Kingsley didn’t perform like his freshman teammate in Bobby Portis, but he did receive 10-15 minutes per game during conference play. Kinglsey had two 12 point games in the Razorbacks out of conference play and he also recorded eight rebounds in a blowout win over Ole Miss.

48. Brandon Austin, SF, Oregon

Austin was suspended indefinitely at Providence and transferred to the University of Oregon in January.

49. Zach LaVine, G, UCLA

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
25.6	10.5	2.6	2	111 (19.1)

LaVine was named to the PAC-12 all freshman team and grabbed the attention of NBA scouts with his early season play. A stellar athlete, LaVine struggled at times in conference play but he did have three double-digit scoring games in his last five.

50. Anton Gill, SG, Louisville

Min	Pts	Rbs	Ast	ORTG
5.8	1.4	0.7	0.2	92.1 (14.3)

With Russ Smith, Chris Jones, and Terry Rozier manning the backcourt, there wasn’t a lot of time from the Raleigh shooting guard. Gill scored 32 points on the year but should see more PT as a sophomore when Louisville enters the ACC.

Part 2