The 2008 NCAA Tournament is set to begin this week and every college basketball fan will be rooting for their favorite NCAA team and/or filling out a tournament office pool form. However, they won't be the only ones watching March Madness with interest. NBA fans will also be watching to get a glimpse of the future of the NBA.
This year, there seem to be a lot of freshmen that are being projected for the upcoming NBA Draft, but if you think about it, it makes sense. Why? Well, the latest NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement has a requirement for draft eligible players to be at least 19 years old and/or one year out of high school. So, players that would normally make the jump from preps to pros have to wait a year.
So, why not give college basketball fans a thrill for at least a year? And where better to show off some serious hoops skills than the the biggest stage in college basketball - the NCAA Tournament.
The following six freshmen find themselves in a position to audition to a big-time degree for their future NBA teams:
- Michael Beasley, Kansas State
The Beast seems to be the consensus number one pick overall should he decide to come out after a spectacular freshman season. Beasley is an offensive phenom and when you add the fact that he's a big, it's no wonder NBA teams are salivating for the chance to draft him. - Derrick Rose, Memphis
Rose will give Beasley a run for going first overall in the draft. He's got excellent floor vision and can run a team, even a veteran one such as this season's Memphis squad. Rose came in as a freshman and elevated Memphis' play to the tune of losing only one game all season. Rose already has leadership ability on top of his excellent physical tools. - O.J. Mayo, USC
Talk about hype and expectations. Mayo has been a household name in NBA scouts' homes since he was in grade school and if anyone was hyped to fail, it was Mayo. However, he didn't do such a thing in his freshman year at USC. Instead, he quieted his critics by wowing the PAC-10 with his shooting and drives to the rim. Mayo can obviously play. - Eric Gordon, Indiana
Some say that Gordon is better than Mayo, but it really depends on who you ask. However, it's hard to argue what Gordon has done in his first year at indiana and he could very well be the best pure shooter in the draft. - Kevin Love, UCLA
However, there is no questioning that Love was better than Mayo. At least during their respective high school senior seasons in 2006-07 when Love won the Naismith High School Basketball Player of the Year award. At UCLA, Love cemented his reputation as a low-post monster. - Jerryd Bayless, Arizona
The Legynd may not have had as much hype as the previous freshmen on this list, but don't sleep on Bayless as he could be a top five pick in the draft. He has all the physical tools an NBA team likes in their guards and the boy can shoot.
So, as you are enjoying these freshmen playing in college basketball's biggest games, remember two things. One, these players are GOOD. And two, it will probably be the last time you see them in a college hoops uniform.