The college basketball scene this season has a plethora of great freshman ball players that it is hard to keep up with them all. When I posted my College B-Ball Preview, I only mentioned very few of the freshman that will be making immediate impacts for their teams this season. While watching the Syracuse/St. Joseph's game last night, two of the Orangemen freshman had some great moments, with one of them being the game winning three-pointer made by Jonny Flynn with 5 seconds left in the game, and Donte Green finishing with 18 points for the victors. But, Syracuse isn't the only program that will be relying heavily on their freshman. Ohio State, who the Orangemen play next week at Madison Square Garden has a 7-foot freshman in Kosta Koufos. Top recruit Derrick Rose of Memphis is already having a huge impact on his top rated team as well. The starting guard is averaging 19 points, 5 boards, and 3.5 assists in the first two games for the 2-0 Tigers. Ucla will look to go back to the Final Four for the 3rd time in a row, but will need great contributions from its big man in the middle in Kevin Love, who is averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds for the 3-0 Bruins. O.J. Mayo, whos flash and publication on television during high school has the cameras watching every one of this kid's moves, Mayo had 32 points in his college opener. When the NBA put in the rule that the age requirement for players to be eligible for the draft is 19, we are finding more and more great "diaper dandies" in the college scene. This is great for college basketball but the thing that hurts it is that these kids might or probably will only be there until the eligibility is up for the NBA draft. So we only get to enjoy them for a year maybe two, and when the general Bobby Knight said that this was bad for the game, I could agree with his side. Not only now do coaches have to get the top talent over to their school so that they can win and not lose their jobs. But, they have to find the right talent that will stay more than a year or two so they can keep the program respectable. I can't even imagine what the college game would be like if these great incoming freshman this season stayed through their junior years. So enjoy the college basketball season this year and it's great players, because next season most of them will be gone and a new crop will be in.
1 comment:
Den,
I was hoping you would write about this. I sent you an email last night after the Cuse game. My phone is all screwed up. But anyway, I won't get into a big drawn out talk about Cuse(I did that last night-Like a chapter about them in the email) but I think the fact that players have to come to college for a year is good for basketball. I'm not just saying that because I love college basketbal and loathe the pro game. Too many high school players jump the college ranks and blow it on the big stage. Some are not mentally or physically mature enough to make that jump. Some of these players are leaving the comfort of mommy and daddy's house for the first time and they are so scared that they shit themselves and don't do well. I would make a guess that yes, Kevin Durant is going to be a good pro but also think that he would not have been that prepared if not for a year of college play in the Big 12 or the tourney. Same could be said for Carmelo Anthony. Some players may now decide to stick around for a couple years and work on their skills. Possibly the only legit frosh that could have contributed right away is Michael Beasley, the kid from K-State who went 32 pts and 24 rebs in his first official college game. Mayo, Love, Rose, and many other college youngins are going to get their shot, in a couple of years. Cuse- National Champs in 2008-2009 season.- Pitbull
Post a Comment