Freshman class highlights new NCAA basketball season

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Julius Randle of Kentucky goes up for a basket in front of Branden Dawson (22) of Michigan State on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013, at the United Center in Chicago. Michigan State won, 78-74.

With the first week of the highly anticipated NCAA men’s basketball season under way, the freshman class has already made its presence felt. Littered with NBA talent, the incoming freshman class is headlined by Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins.

The most touted of these freshmen is Wiggins, a forward for Kansas, who is projected by many to go first overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. Wiggins scored 16 points and was active on both sides of the ball in the Jayhawks’ opening win against Louisiana-Monroe. He is considered to be a physical anomaly, with the talent and intelligence to become a great player in the future.

However, Kentucky’s Julius Randle might be the most physically imposing freshman in the class. Kentucky, preseason No.1 in the AP Poll, has started off the season 2-0 behind Randle, who has posted a double-double in each game. With his strong performances on both ends of the floor, Randle is making an early push for best freshman in college basketball.

The most well-rounded freshman, though, is probably Duke forward Jabari Parker. In the Blue Devils’ opening win against Davidson, Parker scored 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting but also displayed exceptional vision by passing out of double-teams for a pair of assists. Under the instruction of Duke’s Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski, Parker will have the ability to hone his skills and become an even better player.

One of the most exciting freshman to watch for is Arizona’s Aaron Gordon. Gordon is a force to be reckoned with and is already drawing comparisons to former players such as Dominique Wilkins and current players like Blake Griffin. In his first game, he not only showed his ability to dunk and defend, but also his outside shooting touch.

This star-studded class will definitely make the 2013-14 season one to watch. The Kentucky Wildcats, with their freshman group, might be favored to win it all but some other talented teams are ready to capture the crown as Michigan State, Arizona, Kansas and Duke all won their season openers and are ranked in the AP top 10.

Defending national champions and No. 3 ranked Louisville are also poised to make a deep run in March. With veterans such as Russ Smith and Chane Behanan, as well as the heartwarming return of Kevin Ware following his traumatic tibia injury during last season, the Cardinals will look to defend their title.