College Basketball: 25 Players We Can't Wait to See Next Year

Prior to the 2011 men's college basketball season there were several freshman expected to have a major impact on the court from day one.

From preseason All-American Harrison Barnes, to others such as Josh Selby and Kyrie Irving, freshman are making a larger impact on the college game as the years pass by.

Now that the 2011 season has come to a conclusion, there is a new crop of freshman ready to leave the high school ranks and wade into the waters of the collegiate game.

Here are twenty-five everyone should be keeping an eye on:

25. Tony Wroten

Committed: Washington Huskies

Coming out of Seattle, Washington, Tony Wroten will be expected to fill in for Isiah Thomas in the back court from day one for Lorenzo Romar's Huskies.

Averaging a little over 25 points per game, Wroten is a physical presence at the point guard position and can slash to the basket using his 6'4'' frame.

With the return of Abdul Gaddy from injury next season for the Huskies, look for Wroten to step in right away and make an impact in the Pac-10.

24. Quinn Cook

Committed: Duke Blue Devils

With Kyrie Irving declaring for the NBA draft after his freshman season, a heavy weight will fall on the shoulder's of freshman-to-be Quinn Cook.

Cook possesses great court vision and is also great at getting to the rim and using his body to shield defenders and finish the play.

Cook will potentially have a tall order next year, being asked to step into a back court in Cameron minus Nolan Smith and Kyrie Irving.

If Cook can use his court vision and control the tempo for the Blue Devils, it should be another great year for Coach K and Duke.

23. Kyle Wiltjer

Committed: Kentucky Wildcats

As seen in the video, Kyle Wiltjer can shoot the three ball.

Wiltjer, at 6'9'', is a big man that plays with a great face up game. He is an outstanding perimeter shooter similar to another Oregon high school product, Kyle Singler.

Considering the depth and star power of John Calipari's 2011 recruiting class, Wiltjer's passing ability should also come in handy as he will be able to find his highly-athletic supporting cast.

On a Kentucky team that suffered from a lack of depth this season, Wiltjer will be a more than welcome sharpshooter off the bench in Lexington.

22. Myck Kabongo

Committed: Texas Longhorns

With the departure of Dogus Balbay from the Longhorn backcourt, Myck Kabongo can step in and contribute immediately.

While still trying to find his way as a scorer, Kabongo is an excellent lockdown defender and always seems to be in the right place at the right time when defending off the ball.

Originally from Canada, Kabongo should give Rick Barnes an immediate option to facilitate the offense and find proven post scorer Tristan Thompson on the interior.

21. Chane Behanan

Committed: Louisville Cardinals

After the disappointing upset to Morehead State in the first round of the 2011 NCAA tournament, Louisville is looking for reinforcements.

Chane Behanan should help their cause.

Behanan, out of Bowling Green, Kentucky, is a 6'6'' power forward with a bulky 250 pound frame.

While being a little undersized, Behanan uses his explosiveness and his bulk to chisel out areas in the paint. He is also a fair perimeter shooter, which helps to keep defenders honest.

With a Big East-ready body, Behanan should slash his way to the rim very early for Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals.

20. Jabari Brown

Committed: Oregon Ducks

When you think Jabari Brown, think scoring.

The 6'5'' guard from Oakland, CA knows how to fill up the bucket in a hurry.

He is known for his outside shooting stroke, but with his college-ready body should be able to make contributions by slashing to the bucket as well.

The bottom line is, Brown is an athlete and should fit make Pac-10 opponents very nervous next season.

19. Cody Zeller

Committed: Indiana Hoosiers

The youngest and possibly the best of the three Zeller brothers is about to arrive in the Big Ten.

Cody Zeller at 6'11'' is very similar to his brother Tyler, currently playing the the North Carolina Tar Heels, in the way he effective on offense.

Zeller runs the floor extremely well for a big man and has an adequate mid-range game.

While still a work in progress, Zeller is one of the players being trusted to bring Hoosiers basketball back to prominence in the Big Ten.

18. Norvel Pelle

Committed: St. John's Red Storm

Norvel Pelle, out of Compton, CA, is a lanky athlete standing 6'8'' and 180 pounds.

Because of his lanky frame, Pelle has the usual traits of an athlete that is still unpolished. While being a great shot blocker, Pelle needs to work on his interior moves and his rebounding down low.

With the Red Storm being gutted by players graduating, look for Pelle along with fellow freshman Maurice Harkless and Jakar Sampson to get a chance to prove themselves in the rugged Big East early and often.

17. B.J. Young

Committed: Arkansas Razorbacks

Mike Anderson won't be the only person on the Razorbacks sidelines this coming season familiar with the state of Missouri.

B.J. Young, who played his high school basketball in Florissant, Missouri, is an explosive and aggressive guard that knows how to score the basketball from all over the court.

While Young's main strength is getting into the lane and finishing once he reaches the rim, Young does need to work on his perimeter shooting.

If Young can improve from the outside, Mike Anderson will be happy he made the move to Razorback country.

16. Ben McLemore

Committed: Kansas Jayhawks

With the early departures of the Morris twins underneath, and the possible departure of Josh Selby from the back court, the Jayhawks will need some help in the scoring department next season.

Ben McLemore, a 6'5'' guard playing for Oak Hill Academy, should help to alleviate that situation.

McLemore is a scorer that can play multiple positions and is good shooter from the perimeter and in teh mid-range.

As a scorer, McLemore should find an immediate home in Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

15. Michael Carter-Williams

Committed: Syracuse Orangemen

Michael Carter-Williams is a big-time scorer who can beat you from anywhere.

Anywhere from acrobatic layups, to floaters in the lane, to deep three-point shots, Carter-Williams can knock it down.

A 6'5'' wing player, Carter-Williams should have an impact on a Syracuse team that needs a major threat from the perimeter. However, in the rough and tumble Big East conference, Carter-Williams will need to bulk up before he hits his full potential.

14. Adonis Thomas

Committed: Memphis Tigers

Adonis Thomas is a versatile 6'6'' small forward who should give the Memphis Tigers a boost in athleticism from day one.

He has a college-ready body and because of that is a very good rebounder and is very difficult to contain once he gets position in the paint.

Thomas is a big time athlete that should create a lot of highlights for the Tigers as early as next season.

13. P.J. Hairston

Committed: North Carolina Tar Heels

The Tar Heels' Achilles heel last season was perimeter shooting, P.J. Hairston should give the defending ACC regular season champions a boost from beyond the arc right away.

Hairston can score with the best of them whether it be a highlight reel dunk, or a deep three.

Not lacking confidence, Hairston has NBA three-point range and should give the Tar Heels another dangerous option going into next season.

12. Branden Dawson

Committed: Michigan State Spartans

Branden Dawson, at 6'6'', rebounds well above his height.

Using his athletic frame, Dawson should create many second chances on the offensive end for Tom Izzo and the Spartans next season.

While he still needs work on offense to become a perimeter threat on the wing, look for Dawson to make an impact as an athlete early on.

11. Rakeem Christmas

Committed: Syracuse Orange

With Big East Defensive Player of the Year Rick Jackson now graduated from the program, Rakeem Christmas' arrival in Syracuse could not have come at a better time.

While still a work in progress on offense, Christmas is a force in the paint defensively at 6'8''.

Christmas is very explosive and is a shot blocker in the paint.

He should step into Jim Boeheim's zone defense and have a disruptive impact along with developing sophomore Fab Melo, to give the Orange an exciting duo down low.

10. Josiah Turner

Committed: Arizona Wildcats

Josiah Turner, in the potential absence of Derrick Williams, could have a major impact for a Wildcat team looking to make another run in Big Dance next season.

Turner, a 6'3'' point guard, is not a major threat from outside but can drive to the hoop and either finish or find an open teammate.

For Turner to reach his full potential, he will need to work on his perimeter shooting, but either way Turner will find his way onto the court for Sean Miller very early.

9. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Committed: Georgia Bulldogs

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a fearless shooter that can hit a three on a defender if given any amount of space.

With Trey Thompkins departing for the NBA early, the Bulldogs will need a scoring lift and Caldwell-Pope should provide help early and often.

If Caldwell-Pope can develop his strength and ability to penetrate as he matures, he has a very high ceiling moving forward in his career.

8. James McAdoo

Committed: North Carolina Tar Heels

Highlighted by an MVP performance at the McDonald's All-American game, James McAdoo has Tar Heel nation buzzing heading into next season.

A 6'8'' forward, McAdoo is a tireless worker that loves to score while facing the basket.

He is a great athlete that should have an impact on the boards from day one in the ACC.

Look for McAdoo to give Roy Williams another piece to an already scary Tar Heel puzzle.

7. Brad Beal

Committed: Florida Gators

Along with Kenny Boynton, Brad Beal will give the Gators a back court with a very high ceiling.

Beal was the captain of the USA 16 and under basketball team that won the gold medal, and carries that winning attitude over to the collegiate level.

He can score in a variety of ways, including beyond the three-point arc.

Billy Donovan snagged a great scorer in Beal, and most importantly, a proven leader.

6. Anthony Davis

Committed: Kentucky Wildcats

John Calipari flat out knows how to recruit big-time athletes who will have an impact for his program right away.

Anthony Davis fits the mold perfectly.

A freaky athlete, Davis is big enough to play center but athletic enough to play small forward.

A true matchup nightmare, look for Davis to start right away and make a major impact on both ends of the floor for the Wildcats next season.

5. Quincy Miller

Committed: Baylor Bears

Similar to Perry Jones as freshman this season for the Bears, Quincy Miller is a super-athletic forward that can score in a variety of ways.

A great finisher at the rim, Miller is an elite prospect that should continue to improve his overall skill set.

Look for Miller to start from day one for the Bears as they look to have a bounce back season in the Big 12.

4. LeBryan Nash

Committed: Oklahoma State Cowboys

LeBryan Nash is yet another elite, athletic wing prospect in the 2011 class.

Faced with the task of getting the Cowboys' program back on track, Nash should provide an immediate boost.

Able to score in a number of ways, Nash uses his 6'6'' frame to overpower smaller and slower defenders on his way to the hoop.

Nash should make an immediate impact as an elite talent right away.

3. Michael Gilchrist

Committed: Kentucky Wildcats

Yet another athlete for Coach John Calipari.

Michael Gilchrist is a true slasher that will hurt opponents in transition and around the rim.

While his perimeter game is a work in progress, Gilchrist continues to improve in that area of his game.

Standing at 6'6'' on the wing, Gilchrist is able to create his own shots underneath, and seems to be a guarantee to be an NBA star.

2. Marquis Teague

Committed: Kentucky Wildcats

Derrick Rose. John Wall. Brandon Knight.

All elite point guards in John Calipari's system, and Marquis Teague should be the next name added to the list.

A burner with the basketball, Teague is great at getting out in transition and creating for his teammates off the dribble.

While not an elite scorer yet, Teague coupled with fellow freshman Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist should have Wildcat fans very excited heading into next season.

1. Austin Rivers

Committed: Duke Blue Devils

Austin Rivers, considered by Rivals.com to be the top recruit in the country, is an elite scorer who can hurt you in any way he chooses.

With range that extends beyond the three point line, Rivers will fit into the Blue Devils' system flawlessly with his three point shooting ability.

His strength may be his only concern when trying to create separation from defenders at the collegiate level, but make no mistake about it, Austin Rivers is going to score the basketball in high quantities for Coach K in Cameron.