HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

It’s never easy for a freshman to decide whether or not he should stay in school or enter the NBA Draft. Typically there are two sets of people telling them to both stay and go, making it a situation where someone ends up unhappy. The uncertainty surrounding a new Collective Bargaining Agreement being in place in time for the 2011-2012 season makes the decision even tougher than it’s been for first-year players in the past.

The upcoming CBA meeting between the players and owners is one the NCAA’s top underclassmen should keep a very close eye on as it could determine how much more time they’re going to be spending with their respective programs. In hopes that the owners and players are able to make some progress during All-Star Weekend, we take a look at the best fits for potential one-and-done players who could be selected in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Kyrie Irving (Duke) – 6’2, 185 lbs. Point Guard
We are still without any type of definitive answer as to whether or not Kyrie Irving is done for the 2010-2011 season. If he is it’s a big blow to the Blue Devils this year, but quite possibly the only way they could keep him around for his sophomore season. At the next level Irving is considered as a lead guard who can potentially enter that elite point guard class, which has seemingly been increasing year-by-year. No team near the bottom of the rankings needs a pass-first point guard like the Sacramento Kings, making Irving an ideal player to put alongside former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans. Best Fit: Sacramento Kings.

Jared Sullinger (Ohio State) – 6’8, 250 lbs. Power Forward
After watching future pro big men Byron Mullens and Kosta Koufous underwhelm in their only year at Columbus, Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta has finally seen a blue-chip big man live up to the hype in Jared Sullinger. Sullinger, Ohio State’s best big man since Greg Oden, has dominated from day one. He’s well on his way to becoming the Player of the Year in the Big Ten thanks to his unstoppable combination of size, strength, footwork and touch. There are some concerns that Sullinger is a tad bit undersized for an NBA power forward and that he also isn’t as athletic as some at the position, but Sullinger is going to produce as a pro and nobody needs his skill set more than the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers. Best Fit: Cleveland Cavaliers.

Perry Jones III (Baylor) – 6’11, 220 lbs. Forward
At 6’11 with the ability to play multiple positions out on the floor on both ends, Perry Jones III is the kind of prospect teams fall in love with at draft time. He’ll win them over even more when they watch what he’s capable of in a private setting. He’s currently ranked as our top prospect, although there is a strong argument that can be made for other players like Irving, Sullinger, Jonas Valanciunas and Derrick Williams of Arizona. The Toronto Raptors immediately jump out as an ideal destination for Jones as they have a talented young core that is lacking only at the small forward position right now. Best Fit: Toronto Raptors.

Terrence Jones (Kentucky) – 6’8, 200 lbs. Forward
Playing for John Calipari at Kentucky has really allowed Terrence Jones to display his full arsenal as a freshman. He’s doing a little bit of everything for the Wildcats, averaging 17 points, nine rebounds, nearly two assists and two blocks a contest while connecting on 30% from deep and 44% from the field. His stroke from the free throw line needs some work, but overall Jones is one of the most versatile players in the NCAA regardless of class. He’s best suited for an up-tempo offense where he can handle the ball, use his size against smaller defenders and speed against bigger ones. Best Fit: Phoenix Suns.

Harrison Barnes (North Carolina) – 6’8, 210 lbs. Small Forward
If there is one thing we’ve learned this season it’s that we were too quick to make Harrison Barnes the top pick in the draft without any debate at the beginning of the year. It’s become very clear Barnes is much further away from being a go-to player at the collegiate level, let alone in the NBA, than many projected. With that said, Barnes remains an intriguing prospect who still justifies being selected in the lottery with all the natural tools needed to be a successful NBA wing man. Landing on a team with some veterans to show him the ropes would be a perfect situation for the young Barnes, who may just decide to stay at UNC one more year. Best Fit: Charlotte Bobcats.

Josh Selby (Kansas) – 6’1, 180 lbs. Guard
Forced to sit the first eight games of the year by the NCAA, Josh Selby has looked like a typical freshmen since making his December 18th debut for the Kansas Jayhawks. On some nights he’s the team’s best player and flat-out unstoppable offensively. Then on other nights he can’t buy a bucket and hurts the team with unnecessary turnovers. He’s got the size of a point guard, but the game of a shooting guard right now. He’ll have to adjust accordingly in the NBA because the minutes available at point guard are likely going to outnumber those at shooting guard significantly. He’s best off in a situation where he can do a little of both. Best Fit: Houston Rockets.

Brandon Knight (Kentucky) – 6’3, 170 lbs. Point Guard
For the first time in several years Coach Calipari isn’t going to have his freshman point guard selected in the top five, but that doesn’t mean Brandon Knight can’t play. Knight is putting up 17 points and almost four assists a night as the lead guard in Coach Cal’s offense, also knocking down 41% from distance. Knight’s assist-to-turnover ratio of 1:1 creates concerns over how well he can run an offense at the next level, but he’s a young kid with a lot of room to improve. He will not be ready for the big load that former Calipari-coach guards Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall did in their first years in the NBA. Behind a proven point guard in a offense that gives freedom to the ball handlers is where Knight needs to be. Best Fit: New York Knicks.

Tristan Thompson (Texas) – 6’8, 235 lbs. Power Forward
The University of Texas is collectively holding their breath as much as any school right now over the future of freshmen big man Tristan Thompson and fellow freshmen Corey Joseph. The two of them have turned the Longhorns into national title contenders and the Longhorn faithful would definitely like them to stay. Thompson’s stock is currently the highest of the two as he has exactly what teams look for at the power forward position. He’s already showing flashes of dominance, which is scary because he has so much room to improve. Thompson should provide an instant-impact, but he will be inconsistent until he gets stronger. He could be great alongside Pacers point guard Darren Collison for many years to come. Best Fit: Indiana Pacers.

Tobias Harris (Tennessee) – 6’8, 210 lbs. Forward
There may not be a freshmen in the country more underrated than Tobias Harris right now. Harris, who has been good for 14 points and seven rebounds a night for Volunteers head coach Bruce Pearl, has been a handful for teams all year long. He can score in a variety of different ways and can be quite the force on the glass when he wants to be. It’s unknown what position he’ll play at the next level right now, but the same was the case for soon-to-be restricted free agent Jeff Green and he turned out alright. Best Fit: Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Other Curry

One thing that wasn’t talked about much in former Davidson guard Stephen Curry’s rise to stardom was that he had a younger brother full of great potential himself. Seth Curry originally was going the same route Stephen did, tearing things up at the mid-major level with Liberty.

While Seth was breaking records as a freshmen at Liberty Duke head coach Mike Kryzewski was kicking himself once again for missing out on a Curry. He regretted not giving Stephen more of a serious look, just as every other high-major program did, and it was looking like he made the same mistake again with his younger brother.

Seth wanted to be different than his brother, though. After proving in his first year at Liberty he was one of the best freshmen in the country, he decided he wanted to transfer to a bigger program.

{AUTHOR_BOX}Coach K was quick to capitalize. Knowing Curry would become eligible the year after Jon Scheyer graduated, Coach K sold him on being his replacement and keeping the Blue Devils amongst the national title contenders.

Although few knew, Curry actually played a big role for the Blue Devils team that won it all last year despite never stepping out on the floor. Curry worked relentlessly in practice to better himself and the team, biding his team.

Since star freshmen point guard Kyrie Irving went down Curry’s minutes have jumped up and he’s been solid for Coach K. However, in the biggest game of his life against North Carolina on Wednesday he brought the real fireworks.

Seth came off of the bench to score 22, grab six boards, and dish out five assists in 35 minutes of work as Duke came back from a double-digit deficit to break the hearts of rivals UNC 79-73.

Dell Curry, a former NBA player remembered for his sharpshooting ability, has always touted his youngest son as the better all-around player in comparison with Stephen. Seth isn’t the lethal shooter that Stephen is, but he’s not bad himself at 41% from deep and is also very mindful of creating for his teammates and crashing the boards.

In a jammed-pack Duke backcourt Curry is likely at least a year away from giving the NBA any serious thought, but he’s quickly earning the attention of scouts and GMs. They’ll be keeping a close eye on him as come 2012 he could be a first round pick.

What To Watch

There’s no lack of great, meaningful college basketball games on the horizon this weekend. Ohio State and Wisconsin is the must-watch game of the week on Saturday along with a major clash in the Big East between Pittsburgh and Villanova. In the Big XII Baylor vs. Texas features several future NBA players as does Tennessee at Florida in the SEC. For those of you looking to fill your NFL football void on Sunday, Purdue taking on Illinois will also be a good one. 

HOOPSWORLD’s senior NBA and NCAA analyst Yannis Koutroupis took your questions earlier today. You can view his chat wrap here. You can also follow him on twitter.