Based on what you've seen so far, what five freshmen have you taken a liking to?
1. Greg Monroe (Georgetown)He does it all. He's a 6'10'' presence that can put the ball on the floor, pass the ball as well as any big man in the country, step out for jumpers, defend both taller and agile opponents... and he just has a great feel for the game. So fundamentally sound, so fluid, so intelligent, so versatile. He reminds me of Chris Webber in a lot of ways.
It doesn't hurt that he's a Hoya, either.
But in all honesty, Hoya or not, Greg Monroe is the best freshmen in the country.
2. Willie Warren (Oklahoma)The man can flat out score the basketball. He can put it on the deck, bury long balls, and he's got a quick first step. I need to see more of him, but the couple of games that I've watched Oklahoma (with the sole intent of watching Blake Griffin), he's impressed me.
3. Ed Davis (North Carolina)Gotta love the all-out hustlers. Davis wants every rebound, and he's not your average young player who tries to get a rebound with length and athleticism. He knows how to box out and put himself in position to clear the glass. For a freshmen, he's pretty savvy.
4. Samardo Samuels (Louisville)I've only seen him once, and he didn't play all that well. UNLV made him uncomfortable. But he's got soft hands, bangs hard, and from the clips I've seen, he's got a nice touch around the basket. Again, I need to see more of him, but I like his skill set.
5. Tyreke Evans (Memphis)Honestly, I think Evans has been pretty overrated. From what I've seen, he tends to dribble without a purpose and his shot selection is abysmal. Yet, he's so fun to watch. You can clearly see that the talent is there. He's got good size, he's long, he's athletic, very quick.. and he really does move/weave like Dwyane Wade. He's got a long way to go, but I see why people have made those comparisons.
I hope he decides to stay in school. It's only January 1, but I think he needs more than three more months of college experience.
I'm still waiting to see the following guys: Jrue Holliday, DeMar DeRozan, Devin Ebanks, B.J. Mullins, Scotty Hopson, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Chris Singleton.