Top 15 Freshmen

After watching John Wall on Wednesday night in the Garden, its safe to say that John Wall is far and away the best freshman this season, if not the best player in the country. But there have been some great freshmen over the years, so the next logical step is to ask who were the best freshmen of all time.

Honorable Mention: Shareef Abdur-Raheem, Johnny Dawkins, Penny Hardaway, Allan Houston, Larry Hughes, Bobby Hurley, Allen Iverson, Kevin Love, Stephon Marbury, Alonzo Mourning, Troy Murphy, Lamar Odom, Derrick Rose, Dwayne Washington, the Fab Five


15. Pervis Ellison, Louisville - 13.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.2 bpg

Ellison is on this list not because of his overall performance as a freshman, but a result of his incredible NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18 and 12 as the Cardinal beat LSU and Duke to win the 1986 title. He won the tournament MOP, and picked up the nickname "Never Nervous Pervis".




14. Shaquille O'Neal, LSU - 13.9 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.5 bpg

Shaq wasn't the force he would eventually turn into as a pro, but a large part of that was a result of sharing the court with Chris Jackson and Stanley Roberts. While the footwork and skill level wasn't there yet, the overpowering physical presence and athleticism was. He was the first freshman to ever post two triple-doubles.


13. Patrick Ewing, Georgetown - 12.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.2 bpg

Ewing's numbers look paltry in comparison to the rest of the players on this list, but from the second he stepped on the Hoya's campus, he was the centerpiece for John Thompson's aggressive defense. Ewing would lead the Hoyas to the 1982 title game, becoming the standard with which all defensive centers are now compared.




12. Michael Beasley, Kansas State - 26.2 ppg, 12.4 rpg

All Michael Beasley did at Kansas State was produce. He led the nation with 28 double-doubles, three 40 points games, 13 30-10 games, and 22 20-10 games; he set the Big XII single-game scoring record with 44 points in a loss to Baylor; his per game averages of 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds were Big XII records; he helped K-State beat Kansas in Manhattan since 1983; overall, he set 30 K-State and 17 Big XII single-season and career records.


11. Mark Aguirre, DePaul - 24.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg

Aguirre was a prolific scorer in his college basketball career, leading the Blue Demons to an upset win against UCLA as DePaul reached the 1979 Final Four, where they would lose to Larry Bird's Indiana State team.




10. Kenny Anderson, Georgia Tech - 20.6 ppg, 8.1 apg

Teaming with Dennis Scott and Brian Oliver to form "Lethal Weapon 3", Anderson was the spark plug for a Yellow Jacket team that made it to the Final Four. One of a long line of NYC "point gods", Anderson hit one of the controversial shot to force overtime in the Sweet 16 against Michigan State.




9. Kevin Durant, Texas - 25.1 ppg, 11.4 rpg

Despite being built like a pipe cleaner, Kevin Durant dominated a physical Big XII conference to the tune of 28.9 ppg and 12.5 rpg in league player. Twenty times, Durant eclipsed the 30 point mark as a freshman as he was named national player of the year.


8. Tyler Hansbrough, UNC - 18.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg

Hansbrough kicked off one of the most debated careers in college hoops history with an all-american season as a freshman in 2006. He carried a Tar Heel team that was devastated by the loss of their stars after the Heels' 2005 NCAA title with a combination of skill and effort.


7. Bernard King, Tennessee - 26.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg

Teaming with TNT's own Ernie Grunfeld to form the "Ernie and Bernie Show", King dominated the SEC, winning the player of the year award as a freshman while being named an all-american.




6. Magic Johnson, Michigan State - 17.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.4 apg

Magic Johnson almost didn't go to Michigan State, opting for the Spartans over the Wolverines because Jud Heathcote would allow him to play the point. Good decision by Heathcote, as Sparty won the Big Ten title and reached the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament riding their 6'9" point guard.


5. Ralph Sampson, Virginia - 14.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.6 bpg

Sampson, despite not being named to the first or second all-ACC team, was named first team all-america as he led the conference in rebounding and blocked shots as UVA won the 1980 NIT title. At 7'4", Sampson was one of the most intimidating interior presences in college basketball history.




4. Wayman Tisdale, Oklahoma - 24.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.5 bpg

Tisdale was Blake Griffin before there was a Blake Griffin. As a freshman, Tisdale was named Big Eight Conference player of the year and was named a first team all-american, the first freshman to do so after they were allowed to play again (the '71-'72 season).




3. Fly Williams, Austin Peay - 29.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg

There have been few talents like Fly Williams in the history of college hoops, who twice scored 51 in a game as a freshman. His 854 points as a freshman was a record, only topped by LSU's Chris Jackson who had the benefit of a three point line. Williams was the biggest reason that Austin Peay reached their first ever NCAA Tournament in 1973.


2. Chris Jackson, LSU - 30.2 ppg, 4.1 apg

Hands down, Jackson (who changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) was one of the best scorers college basketball has ever seen. Lightening quick with a deadly cross over and range for days, Jackson would lead LSU to the NCAA Tournament while setting the record for points scored by a freshman, a record which still stands. He was the first freshman named SEC Player of the Year.


1. Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse - 22.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg

This was, in reality, a pretty easy choice. Anthony was the centerpiece offensively for a Syracuse team that won the national title. He was named second team all-america and first team all-Big East as well as being named the 2003 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.