College Basketball: Best of the Fresh 2008-09

[Groundhog]

One of the things that really interests me about college basketball is the buzz around the 5 star freshmen and whether they wind up approaching the lofty heights expected of them. I thought I'd create this thread a sort of a reference thread to track how these guys progress over their college/pro careers, similar to the thread that was made for Tebow and co. in college football.

Here's a list of who Rivals said was the top guys at their position out of the current crop of freshmen, and a general overview of what the scouts were saying earlier this year, prior to taking the court in college:

C - B.J. Mullens - 7-0, 275lbs. Ohio State. Rivals #4 overall.
Considered a bit of a finesse player in high school with comparisons to a Patrick O'Bryant type player, which probably hurts his pro stock more than his college stock. Athleticism and his touch out to mid-range are what excited the scouts. Needs to shake the "soft" label.

PF - Greg Monroe - 6-11, 250lbs. Georgetown. Rivals #1 overall.
Similar to Mullens in that he seemed to have a bit of a soft/finesse knock against him, but with a far more varied skillset that drew comparisons to perhaps Chris Bosh, with a little of former Hoya Jeff Green thrown in for good measure. Perhaps considered the best pro prospect out of the 5 guys on this list.

SF - Al-Farouq Aminu - 6-9, 215lbs. Wake Forest. Rivals #11 overall.
The lowest overall rated player out of the 5 guys here, Aminu has great size and athleticism that allows him to play either of the forward spots. Has a nice jumper, and good passer for his size. A real pro prospect if his skills live up to his physical tools.

SG - DeMar DeRozen - 6-7, 200lbs. USC. Rivals #2 overall.
Very athletic swingman with great size for his position. Ability to shoot off the dribble, get to the basket, and a very well developed mid-range game. There are questions about his shooting range beyond the mid-range however.

PG - Jrue Holliday - 6-3, 180lbs. UCLA. Rivals #3 overall.
Really more of a combo-guard than a true PG. Very athletic and a strong penetrator, but can also shoot the ball. Reputation as a strong defender.

I'll chime in with some comments in a little while from what I've seen of some of these guys, but anyone who follows the teams these guys play on have any comments at this early stage of the season?

[Chief Rum]

Love Holliday's game so far. Terrific athleticism, but not in the high-flying manner, so much as just tremendous body control. He always seems under control. What I like about him particularly is that even now, when he's not brash enough to take a ton of shots (he's actually too unselfish), you still get this sense that when he has the ball, you (the defender) really have to pay attention, because he will hurt you if you give him the chance. There's just a confidence about his game that is stronger than I have seen from a freshman. I suppose KLove was comparable, but it doesn't feel the same.

Having Collison and Holliday out there, each handling the ball, that is a scary good combo that opposing teams have to figure out how to handle. And when Holliday gets seasoned and starts being aggressive with the ball, he's only going to get better.

He is already plenty aggressive on the defensive end, a pickpocket, and a steady ballhandler. He was burned by Abrams versus Texas for 30-plus points, but it wasn't for lack of effort. Holliday was in Abrams' face all night. That was just Abrams night (making 25 footers, tossing up shots on the go at an angle to the basket and shit, everything swish).

Holliday will remind people of Paul and Roy when they came out, and he will be a Top 5 pick in June.

[HerRealName]

Mullens has started slow but is getting better with each game. He doesn't even start for Ohio State and was likely overrated but the 2008 class had nowhere near the talent of the 2006 and 2007 classes at the top of the class.

On defense, OSU is playing a 1-2-2 zone and pressing often so he doesn't have man responsibilities. I expected him to be a better shot blocker but he's a very good and aggressive rebounder.

On offense, he's too tentative. He has good post moves but he looks so uncomfortable out there. Ohio State has only played 5 games so I think he'll improve dramatically in this regard with more games.

The jury is still out on whether he'll be a one and done guy. He hasn't played up to expectations but he has the potential. I could see it going either way.