College basketball these days is a ton of one-and-done with player personnel. A lot of freshmen will play college basketball for one year and then declare for the NBA Draft after the fact to make a ton of money in the pros. Check the Five-star Recruit below.
The NIL has changed things a little bit at the college level, but the top-tier freshman still wants to play in the NBA right away.
The top-tier college programs like Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, etc., land the top recruits in the nation.
NCAAB odds are already out for the 2023 National Title, and there will be freshmen that make major impacts. Which six freshmen in men’s basketball will make a major impact on their respective teams this season?
Dereck Lively
- Team: Duke
Dereck Lively is the number one recruit in the ESPN100 for the class of 2022. He is going to play college basketball next season at Duke.
Lively will be playing for head coach Jon Scheyer after the Coach K retirement tour last season. Lively is going to be one of the six Freshmen in Men’s Basketball that is going to make an impact in college basketball and also for the Blue Devils.
Five-star Recruit
He is going to be an elite rim protector for this basketball team. Lively is a five-star recruit, and he is 7’1” and weighs 215 lbs.
He is from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and also attended Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The NCAAB experts picks think he could be one of the top picks in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Dereck Lively is more of an interior offensive player, but he is starting to expand a little bit on his 3-point shot.
That could be critical as the college basketball season goes on for the Duke Blue Devils. They could be one of the favorites to cut down the nets because of him.
Dariq Whitehead
- Team: Duke
Dariq Whitehead is the second-ranked prospect in the ESPN100 for college basketball for the class of 2022.
He is 6’6” and weighs 190 lbs and played high school basketball in Montverde, Florida, and attended Montverde Academy.
Whitehead could be one of the six freshmen in men’s basketball this upcoming season. He is also playing for Duke.
Top Picks in the 2022 NBA Draft
Whitehead is also a five-star recruit. He could have solid NCAAB stats this year for the Duke Blue Devils and could be in contention for the ACC Player of the Year, as well as Freshman of the Year. Dariq Whitehead can be one of the top picks in the 2022 NBA Draft as well.
He is a wing player who is solid two ways, and Whitehead is going to turn heads in college basketball this season.
Nick Smith
- Team Arkansas
Nick Smith is the third-ranked prospect in the ESPN100 for college basketball for the class of 2022. He is 6’4” and weighs 170 lbs. Smith is also a five-star recruit and attended North Little Rock High School in North Little Rock, Arkansas but he is from Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Head coach Eric Mussleman landed his best recruit ever, and Nick Smith is going to be one of the six freshmen in men’s basketball that makes an impact in the NCAA this season.
Possible Best Team in the SEC
A lot of people think that the Arkansas Razorbacks might be the best team in the SEC this season. Arkansas has been to the Elite 8 in back-to-back seasons and is close to knocking down the door for a potential Final Four appearance.
Nick Smith Might be a Top 3 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He is going to be an elite scorer next season for the Razorbacks in the SEC. The SEC is more known for its College football teams than its college basketball teams.
Cameron Whitmore
- Team: Villanova
Cameron Whitmore is the 21st-ranked prospect in the ESPN100. He will be playing for the Villanova Wildcats this season.
Whitmore will have Kyle Neptune as his head coach since Jay Wright retired in the offseason. Villanova has not had an impact freshman on its roster in a very long time.
It feels like they have juniors and seniors as their top players, but Whitmore will be a Freshman in Men’s Basketball who makes an impact right away and could be one of the best six.
Villanova’s Seniors Lost
Villanova lost some key seniors like Collin Gillespie in the offseason. Cameron Whitmore can dominate game in and game out, and did during the summertime.
He is a player that can take over a basketball game. Whitmore is 6’7” and weighs 220 lbs, and is also a five-star recruit.
He is already climbing up NBA Draft Boards. Cameron Whitmore played at Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Maryland.
Keyonte George
- Team: Baylor
Keyonte Goerge is the sixth-ranked prospect in the ESPN 100. It has been very rare for head coach Scott Drew to land top recruits for his basketball program, but that is what winning a National Title over Gonzaga in 2021 will do for you though.
George is 6’3” and weighs 185 lbs, and will be one of the six freshmen in men’s basketball who can dominate.
Mix of Veterans
He is also a five-star recruit and is going to be an elite iso-scorer. Baylor will have a mix of veterans and youth like Keyonte George to make another deep NCAA Tournament run. He is an elite iso-scorer and can score from anyone on the basketball floor.
Keyonte George went to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He will be elite in the BIG12 conference this season. The college football betting guide for the BIG12 conference is out.
Jordan Walsh
- Team: Arkansas
Jordan Walsh is the 11th-ranked prospect in the 2022 ESPN100. He has elite strength. Walsh is 6’7” and weighs 195 lbs.
He is also a five-star recruit. Jordan Walsh, as one of the freshmen in men’s basketball, is going to be solid for Arkansas and could be one of the top six in the nation.
Link Academy
He played at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri, but he is from Cedar Hill, Texas. Walsh has a lot to work on before getting into the NBA.
He is going to be on an elite Arkansas Razorbacks team in college basketball, and they are thinking National Title this season in college basketball.
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