Remember the days when freshmen weren’t even eligible to play varsity basketball? Me neither.
It’s hard to imagine that Bill Walton had to wait until his sophomore year to play at UCLA. Today, freshmen not only play, but many are itching to depart for the NBA before their sophomore year begins.
Ask someone to name the best players around the country, and this year, a slew of college rookies will be named:
Eric Gordon leads the Big Ten in scoring for Indiana. Star point guard Derrick Rose drives the undefeated machine that is Memphis. In Los Angeles, Love and Mayo ““ no, it’s not a tasty sandwich ““ are the highest profile athletes on the hardwood not named Kobe. And the most prolific of the crop, Michael Beasley, leads the nation in rebounding and is fourth in scoring.
Freshmen no longer contribute; they dominate. Many of the best freshmen in the country are simply the best players in the country.
So where have all the upperclassmen gone?
Like a “brain drain,” college basketball has rapidly lost its senior foundation. The second a talented underclassman hears whispers he might be drafted, he declares for the draft.
More players ““ 32 ““ bolted last year than there are first-round selections in the draft. This hamstrings the NCAA with a paucity of experienced and talented upperclassmen.
The last four-year star who passed on being a top pick to complete school was a former swimmer from the Virgin Islands named Tim Duncan. That was back in 1997, when the average gallon of gas was $1.33 and the “World Wide Web” was gaining popularity.
Call it a “hoops drain.” It has been eight years since a senior was selected first in the NBA Draft, and the end of that streak is nowhere in sight.
The 2006 rule change prohibiting high school students from jumping directly to the NBA has strengthened freshman classes.
Imagine LeBron James and Dwight Howard being forced to play in college for a year. We were privy to something nearly as spectacular last season with Durant and Oden. This class has shown us more of the same.
Rose has upgraded Memphis from contender to favorite. Gordon has rendered Indiana a national power again. UCLA’s title hopes reside on the broad shoulders of Love. And Beasley is the best player in college basketball, regardless of age. They would all be wearing NBA uniforms if the 2006 rule weren’t in place.
At one time, it was considered almost impossible for freshmen to pilot teams through the tournament. But after Carmelo and Gerry Mac in 2003 and Oden and Conley last year, times, as Mr. Dylan would say, they are a-changin’.
Years of prep ball, all-star games and national Amateur Athletic Union competition have adequately prepared freshmen for the NCAA Tournament pressure cooker. Some even have their high school games aired on ESPN.
Gordon and Mayo possess NBA jumpers. Love could win player of the year in the conference. Kyle Singler has emerged as a star at Duke, and Arizona’s Jerryd Bayless is second in the Pac-10 in scoring. Even the land down under is providing imports: Aussie freshman A.J. Ogilvy is second on Vanderbilt in scoring.
From ineligible to indelible, never before have freshmen played such a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of college basketball.
Remember these names. They will be key players in March.
And then, in all likelihood, they will prematurely exit to the NBA.
E-mail Taylor at btaylor@media.ucla.edu.