(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Cole Aldrich averaged just 8.3 mpg as a freshman, before becoming one of the best centers in the country this past season.
Jodie Meeks had two unimpressive, injury-plagued seasons before becoming one of college basketball's most electrifying scorers as a junior.
Every season, there are kids that come from college basketball obscurity and burst onto the national scene. Who will have a breakout year in 2009-2010?
Ed Davis, North Carolina - 6'10" 225lb: Davis is in kind of the same boat Aldrich was last season. As a freshman, he was a promising prospect that was stuck behind a loaded front line.
Davis is long, athletic, and plays with a great deal of energy. He has shown the ability to be one of the better defenders and rebounders in the country, and with the added scoring opportunities with the graduation of Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson, it isn't a stretch to think Davis could average 15 and 10 as a sophomore.
Ed Davis could be the next great Tar Heel big man.(photo credit: Raleigh Durham About)
Kemba Walker, UConn - 6'1" 172lb: Walker was stuck playing behind AJ Price as a freshman. But with Price's graduation, this will be Kemba's UConn team to run. And run they will. The last two seasons, UConn has played a much more controlled pace than you expect from a Jim Calhoun team. Price, Hasheem Thabeet, and Jeff Adrien were all more suited to a slower paced, grind-it-out style.
With those three gone, UConn will rely on Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson to lead them, all of whom could be considered the most athletic player at their positions. UConn is going to press defensively and run offensively, and Walker is going to be the catalyst.
Kim English, Missouri - 6'6" 200lb: Anyone that watched the NCAA tournament (and if you read this blog, that means you) should know what English can do when he gets hot: during a four-minute stretch against Marquette in the second round, English hit three threes and scored 15 points.
A 6'6" two-guard, English is tall enough to get his shot off over most perimeter defenders, but he also has enough athleticism to survive in the 40-minutes-of-hell style the Tigers play. With guys like Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, JT Tiller, and Matt Lawrence all graduating, expect English to get many more minutes and shots.
Chris Wright, Georgetown - 6'1", 208lb: Wright was a much-hyped recruit coming out of St. John's high school in Maryland, but an injury to his foot severely limited his court time as a freshman. Combine that with playing behind Jonathon Wallace, and last season was essentially Wright's first in the Big East.
With that came the growing pains—at times he was brilliant, but overall he had an inconsistent season. He now has a year of experience under his belt, and knowing what to expect in a watered down Big East, Wright should be more comfortable and confident leading the Hoyas.
Wesley Johnson, Syracuse - 6'7", 198lb: Johnson was a player for two years with Iowa State, averaging 12 ppg both seasons. But during his sophomore year, he played on an ankle that required surgery after the season was done. Now that he has had 16 months to get healthy, Johnson will start over in a program looking for their own fresh start.
The Orange lost a ton of talent on the perimeter, and Johnson will be expected to shoulder the scoring load from day one. Johnson is a tremendous athlete with a jumper that is very effective when he doesn't fall in love with it—which is what happened during his sophomore season (although, that was most likely a result of his injury).
If he can become the player he was as a freshman—attacking the glass, going to the basket, defending—Johnson should put up impressive scoring numbers and thrive playing the back line of the Syracuse zone.
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