Ranking College Basketball's 10 Most Scintillating Freshmen

With the college basketball season merely weeks away, here is a look at some of the most exciting freshmen to watch for during the 2014-15 season.

This year features one of the better classes in recent memory and one that's filled with plenty of potential future pros. Many schools, such as Duke, North Carolina and Kansas, were even fortunate enough to snag multiple top recruits.

How long these talented freshmen will stay with their respective programs is as good as anyone's guess, but in the meantime, here is a glimpse at what they may have in store for the upcoming season.

The list is compiled based on recruiting ranks, scouting reports and how much impact they may have for their new schools.

Honorable Mentions

• D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State
• Theo Pinson, North Carolina 
• Daniel Hamilton, UConn
• Isaiah Whitehead, Seton Hall
• Kevon Looney, UCLA

10. Justin Jackson, North Carolina

One of the best shooters of his class, North Carolina’s Justin Jackson can rack up the points in a hurry if he gets hot on the floor.

Unlike the other wing players on the list, Jackson doesn’t have a body (6'7", 185 lbs) that allows him to take a lot of bumps from bigger guys. His slender build resembles that of Kevin Durant, but his long arms give him the ability to shoot over defenders like Reggie Miller did.

Jackson likes to take jumpers and has a nice and easy set release. However, he can handle the ball well if he is asked to. He can also be used in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations with Marcus Paige to create some nice scoring options for the Tar Heels.

Ideally, getting physically stronger would make him a more versatile player, but his ability to shoot the ball will catch many eyes and should be enough to satisfy UNC’s needs for the short term.

9. Rashad Vaughn, UNLV

With plenty of combo guards roaming around college basketball these days, it's nice to see a pure 2-guard like UNLV's Rashad Vaughn step up to the stage.

Vaughn's size at 6'6" and 200 pounds gives him an edge on nearly every opposing guard that he will face at the college level, and his strength allows him to attack and defend to the best of his abilities.

Like any good shooting guard, he is capable of creating his own shots. With his dribble moves, he can shake loose of defenders to get to the open lanes, and he is strong and athletic enough to finish in traffic as well.

When the defense does key in on him, Vaughn is also capable of distributing the ball and finding the open man.

The biggest strength in his game, though, is his superb shooting touch. As a volume shooter, Vaughn can score points in bunches if he gets on a roll. However, the downside to that is his shot selection is often questionable.

The good thing is that there is plenty of upside to Vaughn's game. If he can improve his ball-handling skills and decision-making a little more, he could become one of the most exciting freshmen to watch for this season.

8. Trey Lyles, Kentucky

With all the talented freshmen Kentucky brings in each year, sometimes a few can get lost among the shuffle. Trey Lyles, however, is not likely to be one of those guys this season.

A proficient scorer from the post, Lyles has an array of moves that can get him clean and easy looks at the basket. His offensive game often draws comparisons to Tim Duncan, and his ability to score from almost anywhere on the floor makes him nearly unguardable.

Lyles isn’t the most athletic player of the bunch, but he is a solid defender who is capable of blocking and altering shots if he is in the right place.

The only concerns for him this season would be how much playing time he gets in a loaded Kentucky frontcourt and how much his recent leg injury will affect his performance.

7. Kelly Oubre Jr., Kansas

Kansas’ Kelly Oubre has one of the highest upsides out of this freshman class.

A lengthy player, the 6’7” Oubre had his wingspan measured at 7’2” and his standing reach at 8’8” at the 2014 Nike Hoops Summit, according to DraftExpress. Add in his quickness and lateral movement and that makes him a very capable defender on the wing. 

As the video above shows, Oubre is quite athletic as well, but he prefers to shoot jumpers more often than driving to the basket, and that might limit his scoring options if opposing teams catch up to that. 

A more diverse offensive repertoire can make him a go-to guy on offense for the Jayhawks. If he can get stronger too, he has a chance to be one of the most complete wing players in college basketball this year.

6. Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky

Like Trey Lyles, Towns is another frontcourt player who is looking to get his share of minutes with the Wildcats. 

The reason why Towns is ahead of Lyles on this list is due to Towns’ performances when Kentucky was in the Bahamas while Lyles sat out with a leg injury.

In the six games the Wildcats played there, Towns emerged as one of Kentucky's best players, averaging 11 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. Both were good for second on the team.

Unlike some big men, Towns does not take his height for granted. He finishes strong at the rim each time he gets the chance to attack.

If he gets a chance to set up down low, he can score with a nice hook shot and some spin moves from the post, as shown around the 0:50 mark in the video above.

When he is kept out of the paint, however, Towns also has the ability to knock down shots from either the mid-range or beyond the arc like Lyles. That’s a skill that can set both of them apart from the other frontcourt players like Dakari Johnson and Willie Cauley-Stein.

Towns’ skills compare to LaMarcus Aldridge's, but the shortcomings in the freshman’s game are his defense and rebounding skills, which in turn, are the strengths of Johnson and Cauley-Stein.  

Towns' talents will only compound the problem for John Calipari, as he gives Kentucky a very talented yet crowded frontcourt. Towns' impact this year will depend on how much playing time he gets.

5. Stanley Johnson, Arizona

One of the best wing players of his class, Arizona’s Stanley Johnson measures at 6’7” and 245 pounds, according to the team website. He has a body built for the NBA already.

Johnson often utilizes that size advantage to power his way to the basket and finish strong in traffic. Combine that with great perimeter skills and you have one of the most unstoppable players in the country. 

He plays a physical game, especially on the glass, but he needs to improve his defense in order to prevent agile opponents from blowing past him with their speed.

One of the only ways to contain Johnson is to pack the paint, which means if he can develop a more consistent shooting touch, he can adapt to the opposition's game plan with some versatility.

4. Tyus Jones, Duke

Andrew Nelles/Associated Press

Part of the package deal with big man Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones joined Duke with hopes of winning and competing for the starting point guard position right away.

One of the best attributes Jones brings to the table is his high basketball IQ. He possesses some of the true point guard traits many current college players lack.

With above-average ball-handling skills, Jones excels in ball screens and pick-and-roll situations. His ability to read the defense and limit his mistakes resembles that of Jason Kidd or Kyle Lowry. 

Don’t let his passing fool you, though—Jones can score in bunches and occasionally do things like this.

The key to his success, especially in his freshman season, will be his chemistry with his teammates. Having a familiar face in Okafor helps a bit, but Jones needs to make sure he is on the same page with the rest of the players on the floor in order to excel at the point guard position.

3. Myles Turner, Texas

Andrew Nelles/Associated Press

At 7’0” and 240 pounds, Texas’ Myles Turner has excellent size to be a successful center at any level.

That kind of height is enough to create matchup problems against the pros, let alone college players. With that kind of physique, it is pretty much a given that Turner can be a force on the glass and an anchor on defense, and he has shown those qualities throughout his high school career.

Like any skillful big man, Turner also possesses a solid low-post game, but perhaps the most surprising part of Turner’s game is his excellent shooting touch.

It’s not often that you see a 7-footer can take part in a three-point shooting contest and knock down shots at the rate he does.

If Turner can establish this part of his game on a consistent basis, then coach Rick Barnes can utilize his ability to stretch the floor.

With two talented frontcourt players on the roster already in Cameron Ridley and Jonathan Holmes, Barnes just might be able to squeeze all three of them in the same lineup together instead of worrying about which one has be the odd man out.

2. Cliff Alexander, Kansas

If there is one word to describe Cliff Alexander’s game, it would simply be “physical.”

However, once you dig into his skill set, you can find that there is a lot more substance than just the pure physical attributes the Kansas big man possesses.

At 6’9”, 240 pounds, Alexander is a force to be reckoned with on the boards and a tough player to stop once he gets in the low post. 

His offensive game is rather raw at first glance, since he does most of his scoring off dunks or close to the basket. However, Alexander is an imposing figure on the defensive end, and his shot-blocking ability is perhaps the best of this class; just look at some of the shots he sent five rows into the stands in the video above.

Alexander’s sheer size and toughness can make him a very effective player for Bill Self and the Jayhawks, but he needs to develop more post moves and add a mid-range game to his arsenal if he wants to evolve into a more well-rounded player.

1. Jahlil Okafor, Duke

Duke’s Jahlil Okafor lived up to his hype as the nation's top recruit with a 29-point performance at the Jordan Brand Classic earlier this year. If that game was any indication as to what's to come in this season for Okafor, then there is little doubt that he will be the best freshman of his class.

Okafor brings a refreshing change to the college basketball centers we have seen of late. He does not possess superior athleticism like Anthony Davis or Andre Drummond, but he does have a sound and fundamental repertoire that can make him a major weapon for the Blue Devils this year.

With great hands and excellent footwork, his post game is perhaps the best of his class. Throw in his ability to be active on the glass, and he might be a constant threat to record double-doubles.

At 265 pounds, Okafor also runs the floor surprisingly well for his size and can give Duke options to exploit the transition game. If you skip to the 1:05 mark in the video above, you can get a glimpse of what that might look like with a connection between Okafor and his Duke teammate, Tyus Jones.

Okafor’s skills obviously demand a lot of attention from the opposing defense, and with a talented roster surrounding him, he can help and create some deadly inside-out combos for the Blue Devils.

The only thing that's left to come together for Okafor is his defense. If he can establish himself as an imposing defensive presence like many expect him to be, then he can carry Duke deep into March and set himself up as one of the top picks in the 2015 draft, should he decide to leave.