As one of the top basketball conferences in the country, the ACC sees substantial talent turnover from year to year. The ACC lost five first round picks to the NBA, but with three ACC schools ranked in the top 10 recruiting classes, the ACC boasts one of the most talented freshmen crop of any league in the NCAA.
According to rivals.com, North Carolina’s recruiting class and NC State’s recruiting class ranked fourth and fifth in the country respectively. Harrison Barnes is expected to be the ACC’s top freshman this year as shown by his 46 out of a possible 62 votes for Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year. Barnes even finished sixth in votes for Preseason All-ACC Team, and he may be the best freshman in the country this year.
“Comparing Harrison to Tyler [Hansborough] when Tyler got here, Harrison is more focused at this point than Tyler was,” Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said. “I’ve never been around a freshman who has this much intensity at this point in the season.”
Joining Barnes for North Carolina is highly touted point guard Kendall Marshall. Marshall was in the race with Duke point guard Kyrie Irving and Kansas newcomer Josh Selby for the best point guard in high school last year. Many scouts called Marshall the best passer of the three, and his new head coach agrees.
“Kendall has the ability to understand the game and to be a true quarterback out there,” Williams said. “He may be as good a passer as I’ve ever coached.”
Marshall's ability to create can be seen here.
The matchup between Marshall and Irving will be one to watch when the cross-town rivals meet this season. Irving is currently projected to start alongside Nolan Smith in the backcourt for the Blue Devils and he likely will be a mainstay there all year. Irving is an athletic, dynamic playmaker who can create plays with his defense and passing ability as well as finishing. Irving showed the Cameron Crazies flashes of brilliance during the Blue vs. White scrimmage in October.
“He’s just mature, mentally, physically,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said after his team’s dominant exhibition win over St.Augustine. “He’s a special player. I think he had it in high school, but then playing for the US this summer when they won the gold medal, that helped him even more.”
Right behind Irving in the Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year voting was power forward C.J. Leslie. Wolfpack head coach Sidney Lowe had his most successful recruiting off-season bringing in three talented freshmen. Joining Leslie are god-brothers Lorenzo Brown and Ryan Harrow.
“We’ve known each other since we were 7,” Harrow said at NC State’s Media Day. “I’ve basically been playing basketball with him since then. We know each other’s game and compliment each other really well.”
As it goes with anything else, there is always a learning curve in college basketball. Some freshmen, namely Harrison Barnes and Kyrie Irving will be called upon early and often to contribute for their squads; however, most freshmen will have to wait to get their number called. These players are all very talented and they will be worth keeping an eye on this season.
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