Who is a better keeper than a skilled freshman? For those in dynasty leagues, I wanted to give you a head start on the competition when by letting you know which first year players stood out this season in the Pac 10. It is always hard to project how freshmen will turn out down the line because talented youngsters can be blocked by upperclassmen (Lamont Jones), have a hard time transitioning to the college game (Abdul Gaddy), or even have issues becoming eligible (Roberto Nelson). Rather than just spit out averages, I wanted to look deeper into the crystal ball by posting the player's season-highs to give you a snapshot of what the future might hold.
Derrick Williams, F, Arizona Wildcats
28 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
He should be the unanimous choice for Pac 10 Freshman of the Year. He ranks seventh in the conference points (15.8), sixth in rebounds (6.8), fourth in FG% (59.1), and second in free throw attempts (7.6). He leads the Wildcats in all of those categories and blocks (0.6). If that wasn't enough to get you excited, he also now owns the school record for 20 point games by a freshman with nine. Remember that this is a school that has produced scorers like Gilbert Arenas, Mike Bibby, Damon Stoudamire, Sean Elliott, Richard Jefferson, and others. Not a bad freshman showing for a guy who wasn't one of the top three freshmen in the Wildcats class last year.
Tyler Honeycutt, F, UCLA Bruins
18 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, 5 blocks
He flew under the national radar early in the season after missing the first six games with a stress reaction in his right tibia. He is looking like a future point forward and defensive stopper. Not many players can control a game without scoring, but he has already mastered it. While his season averages don't jump out at you, his conferences averages show his promise. In conference play he is fourth in rebounding (7.1), seventh in assists (3.3), third in steals (1.9), and fourth in blocks (1.4). He is one of only two players (Matthew Bryan-Amaning) that average more than a steal and a block a game in the Pac 10. If he develops three-point range (only nine makes) he could be a fantasy breakout next year. Nothing seems out of the question with him whether it is a triple-double or even a coveted 5x5 game (five or more points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks).
Reeves Nelson, F, UCLA Bruins
21 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks
He is a classic bruiser and the type of player Ben Howland would have recruited when he was at Pitt. He spends most of his time battling in the paint which partly explains his 63.3% field goal percentage, which is second in the conference. He averages 11.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in just over 23 minutes. Going forward he might be limited by lack of offense repertoire and he might the type of player who is better off the bench since his all-out style may lead to foul trouble. Nevertheless, he is a player that puts up numbers.
Reggie Moore, Washington State Cougars
25 points, 12 assists, 5 rebounds, 6 steals, 6 threes
He went the East Coast route of attending a year of prep school prior to joining the Cougars this season. The extra year of maturity helped him become the floor general from the onset of the season. He has shown flashes of being a scorer (21 games in double figures) and a distributor (22 assists in a two-game stretch). He has a multi-faceted offensive game showing the ability to drain the three (27 makes) and get to the line (6.2 attempts). His 4.0 assists are good enough for fourth in the conference. He could be a star in the near future.
Trent Lockett, G, Arizona State Sun Devils
19 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 1 block
He started out the season with Dick Vitale singing his praises in a loss to Duke in the preseason NIT. Since then his season has been up and down as he has shuttled from the starting lineup to the bench. The emergence of Ty Abbott has also been a hindrance to Lockett's numbers. Even with all the turbulence, he has managed to put up a respectable 7.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 steals while shooting 48.4% from the floor. He needs to work on his outside shot (only four threes all season) in order to blossom into a true fantasy star.