Best College Freshman you've watched?

[Kitaman]

Curious with all the Cooper Flagg hype, which player would you say is the best freshman you have seen in college.

My pick is Carmelo Anthony. I hate Cuse but Anthony was a unique and special talent, the Championship sealed it.

Texas Durant would be a close 2nd.

(I would date myself and say that Lew Alcindor, but the young'uns here might not know who he is).

 

[UC0NN]

Same, I'd go Carmelo, Durant, Anthony Davis.

Carmelo was so dominant. He could back you down in the low post at will.

 

[boog204]

Just from my time...

Carmelo (22/10 and a Natty), Durant (26/11), Ben Simmons, (19/12/5apg), AD (14/10/5bpg and a Natty), Zion (22/9), Michael Beasley (26/12), Kenny Anderson (21/5/8 and a FF), Chris Jackson (30ppg - Iverson before Iverson)

Honorable mention to guys like DRose and Iverson who were on an athletic/quickness level that I had not seen before. Especially Iverson. I had never seen a human being that quick with the basketball and, despite my complete dislike for him, Trae Young led the nation in scoring and assists as a freshmen. I do not think anyone had every done that regardless of class and he did it as a freshmen.

 

[HailUConn]

My vote goes to Castle for being a complete package, getting it done on both ends, playing a shutdown perimeter defense!

 

[7774]

It has to be Carmelo. I don't think people truly understand how great you have to be individually to drag those losers to a championship.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Curious with all the Cooper Flagg hype, which player would you say is the best freshman you have seen in college.

My pick is Carmelo Anthony. I hate Cuse but Anthony was a unique and special talent, the Championship sealed it.

Texas Durant would be a close 2nd.

(I would date myself and say that Lew Alcindor, but the young'uns here might not know who he is).

For those who do not know, Lew Alcindor led the UCLA freshman team to a 75-61 scrimmage victory over the UCLA varsity team during his first year. At the time, freshman played on a separate team.

 

[Improviser]

For those who do not know, Lew Alcindor led the UCLA freshman team to a 75-61 scrimmage victory over the UCLA varsity team during his first year. At the time, freshman played on a separate team.

Your post piqued my curiosity so I looked up an article which I am sharing.

I remember watching him play as a collegian and as a pro. Automatic skyhook, total domination in college and very dominant in the pros. Had a pretty good defensive game with shot blocking too. He was good even up to age 40 or maybe 41.

THE HOT BRUBABES

In 1948, when Johnny Wooden came from Indiana State Teachers College to coach UCLA basketball, the Bruins played their home games in a 2,000-seat Turkish bath

vault.si.com

 

[my2cents]

For a long time, freshman were not allowed to play until their sophomore year, so too many players were not seen as freshman making this discussion "kind of" pointless.

 

[BGesus4]

Durant for me. Beasley was up there too. Both you could just give them the ball and they were unstoppable offensively.

Carmelo was great but I think gets a little overvalued as a college player since they 2-3’d their way to an improbable title.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Patrick Ewing literally became the face of Hoya Paranoia the first time he stepped on the court.

His freshman numbers weren't off the chart for points or rebounds but he was a shot blocker supreme and set a tone. Would have won the 'chip as a frosh except for that Jordan kid on Carolina.

Culturally he was a phenom. His impact off the court is way higher than anything Durant or 'Melo or anyone else mentioned for their frehsman performance.

The right answer of course is Alcinder and as already mentioned he couldn't play as a frosh.

 

[UC0NN]

Cuse was a 3 seed, nothing improbable about it.

 

[superjohn]

Chris Jackson. It still blows my mind Dale Brown couldn't even do anything with the Tigers when Chris Jackson, Super John's son, Stanley Roberts, and Shaq all played together.

 

[Scottzer]

Not sure if he was a prop 48 casualty, but another guy who probably would have been high on the honorable mention list had he played as a freshman - was Anfetnee Hardaway.

 

[gtcam]

Pete Maravich - no matter what year it is

 

[blackuc]

Chris Jackson is my answer as well. I was in the building 5 rows off the court when he went for 53 against Florida.

 

[nomar]

Curious with all the Cooper Flagg hype, which player would you say is the best freshman you have seen in college.

My pick is Carmelo Anthony. I hate Cuse but Anthony was a unique and special talent, the Championship sealed it.

Texas Durant would be a close 2nd.

(I would date myself and say that Lew Alcindor, but the young'uns here might not know who he is).

Well, we've talked ad nauseum about how building your team around 1ADs isn't a good strategy, because it's only worked 3 times (Cuse '03, UK '12 and Duke '15). Two of those times it was one freshman who carried the load: Melo and AD. So those are my two answers, at least for the post-2000 era.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Chris Jackson, Durant, Shaq.

Plus a bonus vote for Nadav!

 

[alexd]

I just realized that "big dog" Glenn Robinson was a prop 48 guy and didn't play his freshman year. But he averaged 24/10 in his first year at Purdue. I remember him in the mcd's AA game with Donyell.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Carmelo. No doubt

 

[superjohn]

Chris Jackson is my answer as well. I was in the building 5 rows off the court when he went for 53 against Florida.

Chris Jackson AKA Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was Steph Curry before Curry. He unfortunately played when scoring and three point shooting were nothing like they are today and then he was blackballed. I would've loved to see Abdul-Rauf and Mark Price play in this generation.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

For those who do not know, Lew Alcindor led the UCLA freshman team to a 75-61 scrimmage victory over the UCLA varsity team during his first year. At the time, freshman played on a separate team.

Or Pistol Pete, relegated to the Frosh team at LSU for a season, but put up over 40 points per game for each of four seasons including that one.

 

[LIUCHusky]

For a long time, freshman were not allowed to play until their sophomore year, so too many players were not seen as freshman making this discussion "kind of" pointless.

Dr. J

 

[HuskyFich]

Carmelo Anthony is the most special college freshman I've ever seen.

Derrick Rose is probably second for me.

 

[gtcam]

Or Pistol Pete, relegated to the Frosh team at LSU for a season, but put up over 40 points per game for each of four seasons including that one.

Thats why I said Pistol Pete!!!

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Curious with all the Cooper Flagg hype, which player would you say is the best freshman you have seen in college.

My pick is Carmelo Anthony. I hate Cuse but Anthony was a unique and special talent, the Championship sealed it.

Texas Durant would be a close 2nd.

(I would date myself and say that Lew Alcindor, but the young'uns here might not know who he is).

Jordan with maybe Chris Mullin a close second. Just remember in Mullins day, St John’s played a brutal schedule. My how people forget. Jordan’s post season play as a freshman is legendary.