Freshmen are always difficult to predict, which does not help college coaches or, more importantly, fantasy college basketball managers. Some disappoint, some surprise, while others are fairly vanilla and don't move the meter one way or the other. The following three predictions will not lose you your league - unless you take them as gospel, which is understandable - but if they come true, you might be on top come March (as will their real college teams).
1. Dion Waiters will lead Syracuse in scoring
Syracuse loses three double-figure scorers from last season, including Wesley Johnson, a lottery pick who averaged 16.5 points last season. The lone player who averaged more than 10 points per game is sixth man Kris Joseph, who will need to become a go-to-guy in the frontcourt. As a result, Jim Boeheim needs another player to step up and become a consistent offensive option for the Orange. Insert Dion Waiters. Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche will man the point, while Waiters is better suited to focus on scoring from the off-guard spot. He is nearly unstoppable off the dribble and has the strength to finish down low. Once his perimeter shot begins to fall, he is going to be a fantastic offensive weapon.
2. Keala King will pace Arizona State in two of the big three categories and win Pac-10 Freshman of the Year
A little bit of a long-winded prediction, yes, but stay with me for a second. King is an extremely versatile player who can handle the ball like a point guard, rebound like a big man, and finish like a wing. He is not overwhelmingly quick, but he gets into the lane using crafty moves and strength. Once there, he can finish with both hands and absorbs contact. On the glass, King sneaks in and grabs offensive rebounds and boxes out on the defensive end. When it comes to assists, King's penetration ability and vision will come in handy for a team lacking too many offensive weapons. Ty Abbott and Rihards Kuksiks are good shooters, but the team does not return as explosive of a player as King.
3. North Carolina State will start three freshmen, and at least one will produce better than Tracy Smith
The Wolfpack bring in one of the top recruiting classes in the country, including two dynamic guards in Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown and an athletic forward in C.J. Leslie. Harrow, who has plenty of swagger, is an extremely quick and aggressive playmaker who can get into the paint and finish in a variety of ways. He contorts his body and can also shoot on the run. Brown is very crafty and has tremendous court vision and passing ability. He is physical and explosive when driving the lane, and can handle the ball very well. Leslie is a dynamic athlete who is an unbelievable finisher around the rim. He is also usually too fast and quick for players his size, and his perimeter jumper is also improving. With all three coming in with so much hype, it is inevitable that Tracy Smith's numbers will go down. I'm going with Brown as the player who ends up being the biggest value from this team.