Best freshmen in college basketball

Today's freshmen impact college basketball in much bigger ways than ever. Not only do they step into bigger roles immediately now, but several programs rely on them as leaders. There has been a lot of hype surrounding Duke's crop of freshmen, but we are seeing great performances by many first-year players aroudn the country. Even Oregon's Bol Bol, who played just nine games before becoming injured and then declaring for the NBA Draft, made an impact during his short time in Eugene (21 points, 9.6 rebounds).

Here is a list of the 11 best freshmen in college basketball this season.

RJ Barrett, Duke

Zion Williamson gets much of the publicity, but Barrett leads Duke — and is among the nation's best — in scoring. He's averaging over 23 points while grabbing seven rebounds and nearly four assists. Barrett's leadership and ability to get to the basket and hit open jumpers have allowed Williamson the space to do his thing. The amount of talent at Duke could cause any of the stud freshmen to lose some of the limelight they would enjoy elsewhere, but Barrett seems to love the challenge.

Charles Bassey, Western Kentucky

Bassey is a bit raw offensively, but he shows explosiveness around the rim and is a great rebounder. He grabbed 17 rebounds in back-to-back games against Marshall and Southern Miss. He's active in the paint both offensively and defensively and is aggressive at attacking the basket. With Western Kentucky not having a great season, it is doubtful you'll see too much about him until June. He will likely spend just one year with the Hilltoppers before entering the NBA Draft.

Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan

Born in Lithuania, he then immigrated to Canada, and Brazdeikis has been one of the most pleasant surprises in college basketball this season. He burst on the scene from the start and gained recognition after his 24-point outing against North Carolina in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. He is right-handed but shoots left, and he is skilled as a combo forward who can attack the basket with the drive, in the post or with a jumper. He is fluid on the floor and has a great feel for how to be effective. It is amazing that a true freshman has been able to become the instant leader Brazdeikis is, especially for a team that played in the national championship game last April.

Antoine Davis, Detroit

You may have not heard of Davis, but his game certainly deserves attention. He is averaging over 27 points per game, which leads all freshmen. He scored 48 points against Wright State a few weeks ago and has attempted at least 10 three-pointers in 15 games.

Luguentz Dort, Arizona State

Dort stormed out to a great start to his college career (he averaged 22 points in his first eight games) but has cooled off a bit as the season wears on. He leads the Sun Devils in scoring due to his high-volume shooting (nearly 14 shots a game), but he is shooting only 38.9 percent from the field and just 28 percent from three. Still, he is Arizona State's best all-around player and has the talent to take over a game.

Ashton Hagans, Kentucky

Hagans reclassified to join the Wildcats this season, and that decision looks like it is starting to pay off. He struggled to find his footing early in the season, as he was feeling his way into the college game as well as sharing point guard duties with Quade Green. Once Green transferred from the program, Hagans stepped up and became a steady scorer as well as a fantastic defensive stopper. (He had eight steals in a win over North Carolina.) If his offensive game rounds out and he limits his turnovers, Kentucky could become a...sleeper?

Keldon Johnson, Kentucky

After a rocky start to the beginning of the season, Johnson has emerged as the Wildcats' star. He leads Kentucky in scoring with over 14 points per game and is the best long-range shooter on a team that is inconsistent in that department. He's had some good outings (23 points against Duke, 21 against North Carolina, 24 against Utah), along with some rough ones — including putting up a goose egg in a blowout win over Georgia. His development as the conference season moves on will be key in seeing how far Kentucky can go in the NCAA Tournament.

Romeo Langford, Indiana

The Hoosiers have hit a rough patch, but Langford has been solid this season. Despite struggling a bit during Big Ten play, he is averaging more than 17 points and five rebounds on the season. He's great at getting to the basket and finishing in the paint but is having a tough time hitting from behind the arc (23 percent on the season). He's one of the biggest freshman gets for the Hoosiers in years, but Indiana hasn't helped him reach the level of hype that surrounds some other names on this list. He's a star who is somehow flying under the radar at one of the most storied college programs.

Nassir Little, North Carolina

One of the more controversial storylines of this freshman class is the case of Nassir Little at North Carolina. Little was a top-five recruit heading to Chapel Hill and won the MVP Award at both the McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Classic. Despite his resume, Little has come off the bench for every game of his career, and his playing time has been scrutinized. He has struggled with his defense and his perimeter shot, but he is so smooth getting to the basket and is athletically explosive. Despite all the noise, he is fourth on the Tar Heels in scoring and has shown signs of understanding his role on a deep, senior-laden team. If it clicks at some time over the next couple of months like it did against Virginia Tech, look out!

Coby White, North Carolina

Little was the freshman who got all the publicity heading into Chapel Hill, but White has made the biggest impact. Despite Roy Williams being hard on his point guards, White has stepped in from Day 1 to lead the offense. Sometimes it looks great, like when he dumped 33 points on Texas. Other times it's bad, like when you look at his excessive turnover numbers. With White's confidence and his ability to run the Carolina offense, he will continue to improve and could make the deep, talented Tar Heels a tough out in March.

Zion Williamson, Duke

Williamson is a great player who grabs attention with both his style as well as his substance. Duke is among the favorites to win the national championship, and it is Williamson who makes a Blue Devils game a must-see event. He's averaging 22 points and more than nine rebounds this season while shooting over 68 percent from the field. His dunks fill highlight shows, and his overall game could make him the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. Williamson is trying to be the third freshman to win the national Player of the Year Award.