The Four Freshmen

[maxdavid]

Young-Have really been impressed the past two games.  Young has finally stepped up to become the man.  I have a feeling we better enjoy him next year.

Mickelson-Just gets better and better.  I expect to see a huge improvement when next year rolls around and I expect he will be a beast by his junior year.

Madden-If anyone hit the freshman wall this year, it was Madden.  Still finding his game at the college level, but I believe when he is finished we will look back on his career as a success.

Abron-Golly, I sure hope I'm wrong, but I'm beginning to think his middle name is Alonzo.  Still he has spent most of the year battling bigger, stronger more experienced players so we will see.

[Spider-Pig]

You could say the same thing about Abron as you did Madden.  Abron has shown flashes of  being a good player just like the other three

[Dogtown Donkey]

Madden seems to have hit the "wall" the most mentally and Abron seems to have hit it the most physically.

[The_Iceman]

If Madden, Mickelson, and Abron all stay with the program until they are Seniors, they are going to be 3 solid players for us. That's something we haven't had in a long time, good players stay until they are seniors.

I expect these 3 to make a major jump next year due to having an offseason in the gym and weightroom.

Madden: needs to add overall strength to his body and work on his 3 point shot. I would look into compacting his form some, it seems a bit too long.
-2013 Projection: starting guard or 6th man. 9-11ppg.

Mickelson- also needs to add overall strength. He already has the jump shot, so he needs to work most on his post moves and finishing strong against contact under the rim.
-2013 Projection: starting Center. 8-10ppg, 5rpg, 2bpg.

Abron: needs to trim and tone up. I'd love to see him down to about 240lbs of muscle. He needs to work on making quick and decisive post moves. Also, he seems to shoot gliding to the basket instead of gather and exploding off of two feet strong.
-2013 Projection: Backup Center. 6-8ppg, 5-6rpg.

BJ Young: just keep doing what he's doing. The biggest thing he could work on is his pull up 10-12 foot jumper.
-2013 Projection: starting Guard. 15-17ppg.

[Smithian]

They're an excellent group of freshmen.

[Dogtown Donkey]

I'd be tickled pink if Abron can turn into a Murphy Holloway type and if Madden can turn into a Marquis Daniels type. I see Hunter developing into a better shooting/better shot blocking version of Spencer Hawes. Man, if these kids develop like they should, they are going to be gnarly to deal with as juniors and seniors. It's going to special. My head might explode if B.J. hangs on and players two more years.

[Hooch]

Madden had one of his best games of the season against Ole Miss, I believe he had 8 in the first half and then sat most of the 2nd. 

[waphill]

More than anything, Abron needs to learn how to finish with his right hand.

[Danny J]

More than anything, Abron needs to learn how to finish with his right hand.

Yep...and he needs to work on trimming off the fat and adding more muscle. If he could do what delvon did from his junior to senior year....that makes all the difference in the world. He will be able to jump higher and will be able to move his feet faster.

[WhiteHairedDevil]

You could say the same thing about Abron as you did Madden.  Abron has shown flashes of  being a good player just like the other three

When was this

[PonderinHog]

When was this

UConn.  I thought we had a man-child on our hands.

[Break & Run]

UConn.  I thought we had a man-child on our hands.

Abron played extremely well in that UConn game.  Him and BJ kept us somewhat close.

[Spider-Pig]

When was this

Few games ago he had 7 points, 10 rebounds, for example.

Had 13 rebounds vs lsu

[RazorAg]

I'd be tickled pink if Abron can turn into a Murphy Holloway type and if Madden can turn into a Marquis Daniels type. I see Hunter developing into a better shooting/better shot blocking version of Spencer Hawes. Man, if these kids develop like they should, they are going to be gnarly to deal with as juniors and seniors. It's going to special. My head might explode if B.J. hangs on and players two more years.

I like the Holloway and Daniels projections, although I would be surprised if Abron can become as athletic as Holloway.

And, um, I think you underestimate Spencer Hawes.  Very much so actually.  If Hunter can become a better player/prospect that Hawes was, I would be surprised and school-girl giddy.  The kid averaged 15 and 7 a game his only year in college and was drafted 10th overall.  I do think he has a chance to become close to as good by the time he leaves college.

[Dogtown Donkey]

And, um, I think you underestimate Spencer Hawes.  Very much so actually.  If Hunter can become a better player/prospect that Hawes was, I would be surprised and school-girl giddy.  The kid averaged 15 and 7 a game his only year in college and was drafted 10th overall.  I do think he has a chance to become close to as good by the time he leaves college.

I haven't underestimated Hawes at all. He was just clearly more polished and aggressive offensively coming out of high school. Mickelson has a better touch on his jumper and is better defensively (which is what often gets him in foul trouble and keeps him off the court - he tries to block everything). I don't see where I underestimated Spencer Hawes. I'm obviously stating where I hope to see Mickelson develop deep into his college career. The tone of your post indicates that I think Mickelson is close Hawes' level as a freshman, and that's not what I'm saying. I'm not also not saying he will necessarily be better. I'm just saying I think, once he develops, he'll be similar to Spencer Hawes but with a better shooting touch and defensive ability. Hawes, I think, will also be better with his back to the basket.

[RazorAg]

I haven't underestimated Hawes at all. He was just clearly more polished and aggressive offensively coming out of high school. Mickelson has a better touch on his jumper and is better defensively (which is what often gets him in foul trouble and keeps him off the court - he tries to block everything). I don't see where I underestimated Spencer Hawes. I'm obviously stating where I hope to see Mickelson develop deep into his college career. The tone of your post indicates that I think Mickelson is close Hawes' level as a freshman, and that's not what I'm saying. I'm not also not saying he will necessarily be better. I'm just saying I think, once he develops, he'll be similar to Spencer Hawes but with a better shooting touch and defensive ability. Hawes, I think, will also be better with his back to the basket.

I did interpret you to mean that he would be better than Hawes by your saying that he would be a better shooting/better shot blocking version of Spencer Hawes. I get what your saying now.

[Dogtown Donkey]

I did interpret you to mean that he would be better than Hawes by your saying that he would be a better shooting/better shot blocking version of Spencer Hawes. I get what your saying now.

And the more I've thought about it, the more I don't like the comparison. They're too different, upon further thought. I made the comparison based on height, body type, and passing ability. Hawes is much more of a true big man but Hunter is actually more of a 3 offensively. It's just hard to find good comparisons for Hunter.

[The_Iceman]

And the more I've thought about it, the more I don't like the comparison. They're too different, upon further thought. I made the comparison based on height, body type, and passing ability. Hawes is much more of a true big man but Hunter is actually more of a 3 offensively. It's just hard to find good comparisons for Hunter.

I always that Hunter's game was similar to 35 year old Kevin Garnett (not the early Garnett).

[RazorAg]

And the more I've thought about it, the more I don't like the comparison. They're too different, upon further thought. I made the comparison based on height, body type, and passing ability. Hawes is much more of a true big man but Hunter is actually more of a 3 offensively. It's just hard to find good comparisons for Hunter.

I liken him to an in-between version of Luke and Tyler Zeller.  Luke was  successful college player at Notre Dame and everyone is probably pretty familiar with Tyler.  Luke was more of a face-up guy, but was more finesse than Hunter.  Tyler is more of a back-to-basket guy that is more rugged than Hunter.

I hope Hunter can become more like Tyler but still use his perimeter strengths.  Tyler has really developed in his four years at UNC.  He was about the same size as Hunter coming out of high school.  Lanky and skinny.  Now, he's built really well, but still lean enough to get up and down the court extremely well.