Dreams of the Future: Top 5 Incoming Freshman

Like most college basketball fans, my teams are knocked out and my bracket is ruined.  Instead of dwelling on the championship your team could have had, look to the future with some of the top incoming prospects in college basketball.  These players all could be NBA stars and expect them to be major players next March.

Just Missed

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NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 25: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels points to the court during the first half of the east regional semifinal of the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the Prudential Center on March 25, 2011 in Newark, New

These players are just outside my top 5, but are highly touted prospects who could light up college basketball for at least a year.

Anthony Davis—Kentucky

James McAdoo—North Carolina

Adonis Thomas—Memphis

P.J. Hairston—North Carolina

5. Brad Beal: Florida

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 26: Head coach Billy Donovan of the Florida Gators yells to his team during their game against the Butler Bulldogs in the Southeast regional final of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at New Orleans Arena on March 26, 2011

Beal is arguably the best pure shooter in the recruiting class.  His game starts with his jump shot, but Beal has no problem with contact and drives aggressively to the lane as well.  

Look for Beal to team with Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton (assuming neither declare for the draft) to give Billy Donovan one of the highest octane backcourts in the nation.  Beal is also an above average defender and if your looking for NBA range in a freshman look no further than this future Gator. 

4. Quincy Miller: Baylor

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 09: Head coach Scott Drew of the Baylor Bears looks on from the sidelines during their game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round of the 2011 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at Sprint Center on March 9, 20

Baylor fans may miss Perry Jones after this season (I am assuming a trip to the NBA is in line for the freshman standout), but they couldn't ask for a better replacement than Quincy Miller.  

Miller is 6'9", has range and can play in the post and has a polished face-up game for a high school senior.  He is an incredible athlete, but must remember to attack the rim and not camp in the perimeter.  He may need to put on some weight to bang in the post with other college bigs, but look for Miller's explosive athleticism to shine through in Waco.

3. LeBryan Nash: Oklahoma State

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 09: head coach Travis Ford of the Oklahoma State Cowboys looks on from the sidelines in the first half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first round of the 2011 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at Sprint Ce

Look for Nash to be one of the most frequent highlight-makers in the nation.  At 6'7", 230 pounds Nash can pound inside, but he is one of the most dangerous players in transition in recent memory.  The scariest part about Nash's game is that he is steadily developing a perimeter game to go along with his strong finishes around the basket.  

Nash is the best athlete Oklahoma State has had to work with in a long time and who knows how coach Travis Ford will utilize him.  Nash's biggest concern coming into college is attitude issues, but he seems to have matured as his high school career is about to close and is now even more focused on humiliating opponents with his elite athleticism.

2. Marquis Teague: Kentucky

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HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 01: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats looks on during practice prior to the 2011 Final Four of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at Reliant Stadium on April 1, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Streeter

Teague is the type of incredibly fast, game-breaking, elite-finishing point guard that John Calipari's motion offense is tailored to.  The future wildcat is unstoppable in isolation situations because he is simply too fast to stay in front of.  He also excels at finishing with contact and is adept at driving and dishing to teammates. 

Teague needs to work on avoiding charges and improving his outside shot, but his transition and driving abilities are unbelievable and you can count on him putting up big numbers as the next NBA prospect in Calipari's line of elite point guards. 

1. Austin Rivers: Duke

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 20: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils reacts while taking on the Michigan Wolverines during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2011 in Charlotte, Nor

It's no easy task for a recruit to fill the shoes of some of the best Blue Devils in recent memory, but if anyone can help lead a Duke team likely losing three key starters  (Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler, and Kyrie Irving) it's Austin Rivers.  Rivers is the most complete offensive player of this recruiting class.  He has NBA range, can attack the basket, has a great mid-range pull-up, and an elite floater in traffic.  

The major criticism of Rivers is that he gambles on defense too much, but he is still overall a solid defender.  Also his incredible offensive repertoire more than makes up for occasionally overaggressive defense.  With the game on the line you want the ball in River's hands as he is poised, confident, and smart with the ball.  Look for his smooth, NBA-ready game to captivate college basketball fans across the nation.