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2009 College Basketball Freshman of the Year Predictions

The 2008-2009 class of freshman in college basketball is loaded with talent, but only one can be named as the AP Freshman of the Year.  This year’s candidates have all had a significant impact on their team’s success and each possesses his own special set of skills.  This article takes a look at those freshman players that I feel have the best chance of winning the award this year.

Tyreke Evans (Memphis): Evans is the odds-on favorite to win the award as he has come into one of the best overall basketball programs in the nation and has made an immediate positive impact.  In just his first season at the college level, Tyreke is averaging 16.9 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game, and 3.6 assists per game.  He has taken some criticism for deferring to the more senior players on the team with the game on the line, but that is to be expected to a certain extent from any freshman player.

Greg Monroe (Georgetown): Monroe has impressed Georgetown fans from the moment he stepped onto the court.  He’s consistently posted 12.7 points per game and grabbed 4.1 rebounds per game.  I would like to see him be more of a physical presence in the paint at 6′ 11” 250 lbs., but he certainly has the talent to be a force at Georgetown for years to come.

Willie Warren (Oklahoma): Often overshadowed by the dominating presence of Blake Griffin for the Sooners, Willie Warren has quietly become Oklahoma’s second biggest offensive threat.  Warren is posting an impressive 14.8 per game as a freshman.  With a little work he could be a dominant force in Oklahoma’s backcourt, but he needs to develop as a passer and it is yet to be shown how well he can create his own shots on a consistent basis with Griffin out of the lineup.

Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest): Aminu has been a monster in the paint for Wake Forest this year, nabbing 8.2 rebounds per game and chipping in with 12.7 points per game.  My only concern with him is that he leaves the paint to often, and when he does he tends to turn the ball over or force shots that are out of his range.  With a little more discipline, Aminu can be the dominant forward in the ACC for years to come.

Luke Babbit (Nevada): As the only player on our list playing in a “small” basketball conference, you might not be aware of Babbit’s prowess on the court.  He averaging a hefty 16.4 points per game to compliment his 7.5 rebound per game.  The biggest difference between Babbit and the other candidates is the quality of opponents he faces in the WAC.  Quite simply, he hasn’t had to face the talent of the Big 12, ACC, or Big East for an entire season, so it makes it a little bit harder to gage just how good he is in comparison to the other top freshman in the nation.

Prediction: Tyreke Evans is a cut-above the rest, and while he may not have the biggest upside of any candidate, he has had the best season so far, and is my pick to win the 2008-09 AP Freshman of the Year award.

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