Ranking the Best Freshmen to Watch in the 2016-17 NCAA Basketball Season

You've read the hype. You've seen the mixtapes. Now it's time for college basketball's latest crop of freshman phenoms to prove themselves for real.

The 2016-17 college basketball season is just over a week away, and there is no shortage of great storylines in the sport. One that stands out on an annual basis is how the newest players will perform, particularly those who garnered so much attention at the high school level and through various recruiting sites.

They were studs when playing against others who were their age, but not necessarily at their level. Now, they have to tangle with a more experienced crop of opponents, and not everyone can live up to expectations and handle the tougher competition.

We think these 20—ranked in order of impact to their team and overall projected performance—will be able to make the grade and are the ones you should make time to watch this season.

20. Ray Smith, Arizona

We're starting our list with a player who possesses a tremendous amount of talent but unfortunately it's never going to get shown in college. Ray Smith suffered a third torn ACL in less than three years on Tuesday during Arizona's exhibition game against College of Idaho, and on Thursday the 6'8” forward announced his retirement.

Smith missed his senior year of high school because of a knee injury and suffered a second torn ACL just before the start of his freshman year at Arizona in October 2015. He finally got to put on a Wildcats uniform when he started the exhibition, playing 10 minutes with four points and two rebounds. But he had to leave the court multiple times because of injury concerns, the last time not returning after he crumpled to the ground.

19. Omer Yurtseven, North Carolina State

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The top prep prospects in the United States are so meticulously followed that when they get to college there's little we don't already know about them and their game. When they come from overseas, though, a level of mystery still exists, making their debut a highly anticipated affair.

Unfortunately, North Carolina State fans have to wait a little longer to see what 7'0" Turkish product Omer Yurtseven has to offer. After reviewing his playing career prior to his arrival in Raleigh, the NCAA determined his amateur status had been compromised and suspended him for the first nine games of this season.

His first game will be in mid-December, which is just in time for the Wolfpack to get him geared up for the ACC schedule. Until then, NC State fans can daydream about Yurtseven scoring 91 points in a U18 game back in Turkey.

18. Zach Collins, Gonzaga

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Gonzaga is one of many top programs that will only have one exhibition game before the regular season starts, taking advantage of the NCAA rule that allows for Division I teams to face off in so-called "secret" scrimmages that aren't open to the public for their other preseason game.

Though no official numbers have come from the Bulldogs' scrimmage against Baylor over the weekend, plenty of people are talking about how 7-footer Zach Collins looked.

"Zags freshman Zach Collins has looked really good," ESPN's Jeff Goodman tweeted.

Big men have been an integral part of Gonzaga's prolonged run as a mid-major power, with last year's team paced by the frontcourt duo of Domantas Sabonis and Kyle Wiltjer. They're both gone, giving Collins a shot at stepping in and being a driving force right away.

17. Tyus Battle, Syracuse

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Originally committed to Michigan, Tyus Battle flipped to Syracuse last fall and has since been preparing to be Jim Boeheim's next great perimeter scorer. There were some immediate openings after Trevor Cooney and Michael Gbinije graduated following the Orange's surprise run to the Final Four.

Though not an official game, Battle's debut on Tuesday in an exhibition against Indiana University of Pennsylvania gave fans an idea of what to expect. That would be someone who plays with nonstop energy and who figures to make everyone else around him better.

The 6'6" Battle scored 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting (including 4-of-5 from three-point range) in 26 minutes off the bench.

16. V.J. King, Louisville

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Rick Pitino has had no shortage of great players during his college coaching career, but he's often brought his freshmen along slowly. Of the first-year players on the 2015-16 Louisville team, none played more than 19.1 minutes per game or averaged more than 7.4 points, and Samardo Samuels in 2008-09 was the last freshman to average double figures under Pitino.

That might end up being how V.J. King is used this season, though he's capable of getting more time if he plays for the Cardinals the way he did at the prep level. He's Louisville's first McDonald's All-American since 2011, and his versatility should "fit well in Pitino's tweaked system that will emphasize transition offense and ball pressure on defense," Steve Jones of the Courier-Journal wrote.

The 6'6" King could step into the role played last season by Damion Lee, who averaged 15.9 points per game.

15. Mustapha Heron, Auburn

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Though it hasn't shown up yet in the win column, Bruce Pearl has done some major work on the recruiting trail since getting hired at Auburn in March 2014. Mustapha Heron is the crown jewel of that work, a 5-star wing who chose the Tigers—who last made the NCAA tournament in 2003—over other SEC schools as well as Pitt and St. John's.

The 6'5" Heron should be a big boost for an Auburn team that was 11-20 last season. While speaking at SEC media days in Nashville, Tennessee, last month, Pearl told reporters he's concerned that changes to the rules of verticality in college basketball may be all that stops Heron from dominating.

"Translation: My freshman slasher plays like a young James Harden, and I want him drawing as many fouls at the rim as possible," AL.com's Joseph Goodman wrote.

14. Jarrett Allen, Texas

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One of the last major 2016 prospects to pick his school, Jarrett Allen didn't commit until June. But when he did, he instantly became one of the biggest pieces of Shaka Smart's second Texas team. Not just because he's 6'11” and 235 pounds, but because he is someone the Longhorns can build around down low.

In an exhibition against Angelo State on Wednesday, Allen had 14 points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes before fouling out. Body control was a major issue for Texas' big men a season ago, so if Allen can avoid having the same problem, he'll rarely leave the court.

Still on the raw side offensively, Allen's best attributes are finishing around the rim and disrupting on defense. That should fit in nicely with Smart's "Havoc" system.

13. Marques Bolden, Duke

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If there was one thing Duke was lacking last season, it was a true big man who could handle all that's needed from that position. Marshall Plumlee played admirably when thrust into a bigger role after Amile Jefferson got hurt in December, but the combination of him and converted wing Brandon Ingram wasn't enough for the Blue Devils to successfully defend their national title.

Marques Bolden helps fill a major void on the blocks for Duke. The 6'11", 245-pound center can bang around in a way no Blue Devils player has in the last few years, though he's also able to get around people like Jahlil Okafor did in 2014-15.

He had seven points and a game-high seven rebounds in Duke's intrasquad game last month and then went for 13 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks against Virginia State on Oct. 28.

12. Harry Giles, Duke

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Harry Giles finished as the No. 2 prospect in the 2016 class even though his senior season of prep basketball consisted of only a few minutes. A second torn ACL—his first was during his sophomore year—took him down last November in his first game after transferring to renowned Oak Hill Academy.

Since then, Giles has been working painstakingly to rehab his injuries and remain in playing shape, a slow and arduous process that was delayed again this fall, when he needed arthroscopic surgery. That procedure has kept him out since preseason practice began and may cause him to miss Duke's first few regular-season games, though the prognosis beyond that is promising.

"This is the right step for Harry at the moment as it will help him be 100 percent going forward," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said, per USA Today. "Harry has done a tremendous job in rehabilitation over the last year and I'm sure he'll continue to do the same after this procedure." 

The 6'10" forward will no doubt be rusty at first, but as the season goes on and the games get more important, he'll begin to show his diverse skill set that has him projected by DraftExpress as the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NBA draft. 

11. Malik Monk, Kentucky

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Kentucky's lineup is so stocked there isn't enough room to start everybody, certainly not every member of its five-man recruiting class. But even if Malik Monk isn't on the court at the beginning of games, don't think that means he'll struggle to make his mark.

The 6'3" Monk is a coiled ball of instant offense, evidenced by his 15 points in 19 minutes off the bench in the Wildcats' exhibition game against Clarion on Sunday. His game makes it possible to turn any possession into a big shot, either a pull-up jumper or a drive to the basket that often ends with a thunderous dunk.

An NBA scout told ESPN's Jeff Borzello that Monk has "some of the best elevation I've ever seen," and in John Calipari's offense, that is sure to be on display early and often in 2016-17.

10. Jonathan Isaac, Florida State

As is the case with most top college freshmen, Jonathan Isaac aspires to play in the NBA. For a brief time earlier this year, he thought that would happen in 2016 rather than after a year or more in college, as the 6'10" forward considered jumping directly to the pros.

Isaac ultimately decided to play it safe and stick to his pledge to play at Florida State, where his background as a guard—one who shot up like a weed late in high school—will make him unlike most players in the frontcourt.

You'll find Isaac spending a good amount of time on the perimeter because of his shooting ability and ball skills, but he'll also need to make his mark down low. Paired with sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon, the Seminoles could have one of the most potent inside-out duos in the country. 

9. Lauri Markkanen, Arizona

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Finland isn't known as a hotbed of basketball talent. Former Utah standout Hanno Mottola, who played there from 1996 to 2000, is the only Finnish-born NBA player.

A year from now, that number may double if 7-footer Lauri Markkanen leaves Arizona after what figures to be a tremendously impressive college season. NBA scouts are well aware of his talent, and DraftExpress has him down as the No. 13 pick in 2017 based solely on what he did for Finland's U20 team in the European championships this summer.

Markkanen averaged 24.9 points per game in that tournament, showing off the handles of a point guard, the shooting touch of a three-point specialist and rim skills of both the offensive and defensive variety. In Arizona's exhibition opener on Tuesday, he had eight points and 10 rebounds, showing off nifty moves all over the court.

8. Miles Bridges, Michigan State

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Miles Bridges might be the best freshman Michigan State has had since Magic Johnson in the late 1970s. While that's up for debate, what isn't in question is how important he's going to be to the Spartans this season. 

The 6'7" forward was already going to be a key cog for coach Tom Izzo's 21st season, but following significant injuries to big men Ben Carter and Gavin Schilling, his role appears set to increase. That has already been seen in the Spartans' two exhibition games, when he had 33 points on 12-of-14 shooting (including 5-of-5 three-pointers) against Northwood and 20 more against Saginaw Valley State.

Bridges is the latest Michigan State player from Flint, Michigan, where past stars such as Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell and Morris Peterson hailed from. That only enhances his reputation, and his stock will rise even higher if he's able to top Gary Harris' average of 12.9 points per points per game from 2012-13 and become the highest-scoring freshman in Izzo's tenure.

7. Bam Adebayo, Kentucky

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Most nicknames come and go, but Edrice "Bam" Adebayo has earned his. Don't believe us? Just check out some of the dunks he's thrown down on his way to Kentucky, and make sure to check back this season as he's likely to be on the receiving end of plenty of alley-oops and transition outlet passes.

The 6'10", 260-pound Adebayo is going to be the force down low for a Wildcats team that was sorely lacking in the paint in 2015-16. He's playing the same position that Skal Labissiere held a year ago, but there aren't any doubts about his physicality like there were with Labissiere. Opponents aren't likely to challenge him much unless they want to get swatted or knocked to the ground.

Take the competition for what it is, but when Adebayo faced Clarion (Pennsylvania) in an exhibition earlier this week, he had 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting with 14 rebounds and a block in just 19 minutes of action.

6. Markelle Fultz, Washington

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Despite having a pair of first-round draft picks in Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray, Washington finished in the middle of the pack in the Pac-12 and failed to make the NCAA tournament last season. Maybe the Huskies needed someone like possible No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz to lead them back to the Big Dance.

Fultz, whom DraftExpress has tabbed as the No. 1 selection next June, is a 6'4" point guard who may be Washington's most dynamic freshman ever. Chriss and Murray came to Seattle with far less hype and drew praise as the year went on, but Fultz has been raved about for some time.

As a key contributor to the Team USA U18 team's FIBA Americas Championship win this summer, Fultz scored 23 points with five rebounds and five assists in the title game. His first time in a Washington uniform will be Thursday in an exhibition, followed by a Nov. 13 game against Yale when the games start to count.

5. Dennis Smith, North Carolina State

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By the letter of the law, Dennis Smith is entering his second season as part of North Carolina State's basketball team. His time with the program began in January, when after graduating early from high school, he enrolled early in school in order to get a head start on his time with the Wolfpack.

It was also to rehabilitate a major knee injury suffered in the summer before his senior year that caused him to miss that season. While that injury was tragic at the time, it enabled the 6'3" guard to refocus and prepare for leading a team that's getting some run as a possible dark horse in the ultra-tough ACC. Smith is also being looked at as a prime pro prospect, despite the injury.

"Assuming Smith's knee returns to form, he'll cakewalk his way into this year's top-five (draft pick) conversation," Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman wrote. "He's physically and athletically gifted, with an advanced skill level and the intangibles lead guards require."

4. De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky

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Electric guards and John Calipari go hand in hand. Throughout his time in college basketball, Calipari has had some of the best ball-handlers and shooters in the country, and he may have his best one ever in De'Aaron Fox.

The 6'3" Fox is the most explosive member of the Wildcats' top-ranked recruiting class, a speedy ball-handler who can hit shots from all over and will make sure others get involved as well. He showed that in Kentucky's exhibition against Clarion, scoring 12 points with seven assists in just 22 minutes of work.

In the battle for minutes with Malik Monk, Fox is the early leader and the one who figures to gain the most from playing alongside sophomore Isaiah Briscoe. As the season moves on, expect him to become more of a leader.

3. Jayson Tatum, Duke

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The first member of Duke's stellar recruiting class to come on board, picking the Blue Devils in July 2015, Jayson Tatum has been waiting a long time to put on a uniform and play for coach Mike Krzyzewski. However, his official debut might be delayed as he suffered a left foot sprain during a practice in late October.

The injury is considered minor, and he could be back in time for Duke's Nov. 11 opener against Marist, but the 6'8" forward missed last week's exhibition against Virginia State and isn't likely to play Friday in a warm-up game against Augustana (South Dakota).

When he does take the court, though, Duke will have at its disposal a rare product in a long wing who prefers the mid-range jumper to just camping out on the perimeter. He was 6-of-11 from the field including 1-of-2 from outside in Duke's Countdown to Craziness intrasquad game.

Duke's got plenty of three-point shooters and a strong complement of post players, enabling Tatum to make his mark in the middle ground that's sadly become an afterthought for most college players.

2. Lonzo Ball, UCLA

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Is he a program savior, or just another highly rated freshman? How about both?

Lonzo Ball is one of three 5-star prospects UCLA added this season, but the highest-ranked newcomer since Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson in 2012-13. That duo came along at the end of Ben Howland's tenure in Westwood, which included three straight Final Four appearances before dipping downward.

The Bruins are coming off a 15-17 record in Steve Alford's third season, the first in which the roster was primarily his guys and not leftovers from Howland. How this class performs could make or break his coaching career, and Ball is at the center of it all.

The 6'6" point guard is capable of taking over a game as a scorer but also has the awareness to find open teammates with crisp passing, not to mention the length to pull down rebounds. He showed this in Tuesday's exhibition against the Master's University, scoring 14 points with 10 rebounds and six assists.

1. Josh Jackson, Kansas

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Our top choice is the same one found atop the recruiting rankings, a guy who has been compared to a recent Kansas superstar before he even got in uniform.

Josh Jackson, a 6'8" guard, is conjuring up memories of what Andrew Wiggins did for the Jayhawks in 2013-14, when he averaged 17.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. With Kansas losing its top two scorers from a year ago, Jackson may be called on to do even more than that as his team pushes for a 13th consecutive Big 12 title and its first Final Four since 2011-12.

If first impressions are anything to go by, Jackson is going to be a good one. He scored 14 points in just 19 minutes of the Jayhawks' exhibition win over Washburn (Kansas) on Tuesday, making six of his 12 shots and adding four rebounds, two blocks and a steal.

"I was a little nervous for my first time out," Jackson said, per CBS Sports' Gary Parrish.

Jackson seems like a cinch to be Kansas' third freshman to average 15 points per game in the past five seasons.

All statistics courtesy of Sports-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com, unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter: @realBJP.