Freshmen to keep an eye on during the 2020-21 college hoops season

We know how Kentucky and elite freshmen talent go hand-in-hand. Askew, from Sacramento, is the first of three rookie Wildcats we'll feature. While starring at the mega-successful Mater Dei High School, Askew averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds as a senior. While he might not play to the talent-gifted level of the two other Kentucky freshmen on this list, Askew could be the glue that holds the Wildcats together this season.

Considered the No. 1-ranked power forward in this year's national freshmen class. The 6-foot-9 Barnes starred at basketball factory Montverde Academy. As a senior, on a prep squad loaded with talent, Barnes averaged 11.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists last season when the school went 25-0. It's quite possible Barnes ends up as one of the ACC's best players this season, not just among freshmen.

Regarded by scouts and recruiting gurus as the prize of Kentucky's 2020-21 freshmen class. A Georgia native, Boston is a five-star talent. A 6-foot-7 thoroughbred who can run the floor and dominate at both ends of the court. Prepping at Sierra Canyon in California, Boston averaged 19.7 points and 7.0 rebounds as a senior for a team that went 30-4. If there's a star right out of the gate for the Wildcats this season, Boston should be the guy.

The local Austin product is ready to get things going for the Longhorns. At 6-foot-9, Brown is a special talent who does just about everything on the floor. Which is exactly what Texas needs after going without a true star in recent seasons. At Vandegrift High, Brown averaged 26.1 points, 13.2 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.1 assists. There's a good chance Brown will be the Longhorns' best player the first time he steps on the court.

A Chicago product who eventually prepped at California's Prolific Prep, Burnett is the first Texas Tech recruit ever to be named a McDonald's All-American. The Red Raiders open the season ranked 14th in the country. They expect Burnett, a strong shooter with equally impressive ball-handling skills, to fit right in with a talented lineup that also features transfers Mac McClung (Georgetown) and Marcus Santos-Silva (VCU).

Think the Dun Devils and their fans are excited about having preseason all-American (from The Associated Press) Remy Martin and Christopher playing together in the same backcourt? A top-10 national prospect, Christopher, who will be playing with older brother Caleb, ended his prep career at Mayfair High in the Los Angeles area with 2,755 points, 923 rebounds, 454 assists and 365 steals. As a senior, Christopher averaged 39.4 points and 11.2 boards.

The possibilities for Cisse to shine right away seem to be endless. The 6-10 Cisse, who was recently deemed eligible for the season, is a ferocious post presence with the potential to dominate in the paint within the American Athletic Conference. At Memphis' Lausanne Collegiate School last season, Cisse averaged 18.4 points, 15.3 rebounds and a remarkable 9.2 blocks.

While Askew has the potential to be a young leader and Boston is Kentucky's most gifted performer, Clarke could end up being the team's most valuable player on any given night. The 6-7 Clarke, out of Brewster Academy, has a complete game that can transcend both ends of the floor. Like Boston, Clarke should start right away and be a dependable force that keeps Kentucky as the class of the SEC.

The Tigers are expecting big things from this explosive guard who averaged 30.6 points and 7.8 assists as a senior at Georgia's McEachern High School. The issue at the moment, however, is whether Cooper will be eligible amid an NCAA investigation into the matter. It would be a crushing blow to the Tigers if he is not cleared, meaning it's unlikely Cooper would hang around the school until the situation to resolved.

The consensus No. 1 freshman in the country, Cunningham was tabbed a preseason all-American by The Associated Press. A complete package, the 6-foot-8 Cunningham, who starred at famed Montverde High, was named the 2020 Naismith Player of the Year and is expected to be a one-and-done collegian and likely No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Though his 2019-20 numbers don't stand out (13.9 ppg, 6.4 apg and 4.2 rpg), Cunningham averaged just 22 minutes for a school that blew out opponents by nearly 40 points per game.

After prepping at perennial basketball power DeMatha Catholic, the 7-1 Dickinson takes his act to Ann Arbor. As a senior in high school, Dickinson averaged 18.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. It's uncertain if Dickinson will have an immediate, overall impact with the Wolverines, but the expectation is that his ability to clean the glass will allow him to provide some early value.

Mike Krzyzewski has been on the John Calipari, one-and-done train for a while now. Will Johnson be the next freshman to fit that role? The small forward is expected to be the star of another strong freshmen class for the Blue Devils. Whether prepping in the Milwaukee area or at the IMG Academy, Johnson is a player that is expected to step in right away and potentially be another Duke great.

Out of The Webb School, Johnson was the No. 1-rated prep prospect in the state of Tennessee last season. So, Volunteers' fans were obviously thrilled when he opted to stay close to home and help the state's flagship school contend for an SEC title. Johnson is a pure shooter who should find himself a spot in the Tennessee lineup sooner rather than later. 

The Hoosiers might be a bit of an enigma this season as a collective. When it comes to individual talent, though, Lander has the potential to be a good one if he can work his way into consistent minutes. Though it appears his Indiana tenure will start as a backup point guard. He totaled 1,314 points during his high school career in Evansville, Ind., and now hopes to show his worth on the next level.

North Carolina needs a point guard, and Love appears to be the guy to step into the role right off the bat. At 6-4 and just under 200 pounds, the Christian Brothers product averaged 26.3 points with 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a senior. Love's size and overall game make him an enticing option for Tar Heels coach Roy Williams than just playing the role of a traditional point guard. 

Cousin of NBA 7-footer Thon Maker, Makur is quite an interesting story. He had plenty of big-time collegiate interest from the likes of UCLA, Kentucky and Memphis. Yet, the 6-11, 235-pounder opted for Howard -- a program that won four games in 2019-20 and made its only postseason appearance in more than two decades at the 2019 CBI Tourney. While this seems like a one-and-done situation, Maker's decision to play at a small, historically black college is quite the decision.

As we enter the season, Illinois stars Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn make it a sexy Final Four selection. Miller also has the potential be eye worthy. Arguably the best prep player in Chicago last season for Morgan Park High School, Miller averaged 27.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists as a senior. Though it's uncertain if he will start out of the gate, expect Miller to be serious contributor at some point this season.

After Cunningham, the 7-foot Mobley is considered the next-best freshman in the country. He's also a projected top-five NBA Draft selection who instantly improves USC's stock -- even if for one season. Mobley, who will play alongside his brother Isaiah with the Trojans, averaged 20.5 points, 12.2 boards, 5.2 blocks and 4.6 assists as a senior for Rancho Christian High School in Riverside County, California.

We already touched on Jalen Johnson, but Roach is also slated to be an immediate contributor for the Blue Devils. The Virginia product also could be another in a long line of stellar point guards to come out of the Duke program. A 2020 McDonald's American, Roach is said to play above his years and has the mentality to successfully run an offense within the rigors of the ACC.

Sharpe might not be the blue-chip talent like others on this list, and he's likely to begin his career coming off the bench for the Tar Heels. That said, at 6-11, 265 pounds, Sharpe has the potential to be a serious contributor in the paint, likely having to earn more minutes as the season goes on. If there's one prospect on this list who can overachieve in 2020-21, it's Sharpe.

The nation's preseason No. 1 team, Gonzaga has established talent in all-American Corey Kispert and Drew Timme, but the true star of the show this season should be Suggs. According to the school, Suggs, who hails from the Twin Cities, is the highest-rated recruit in Gonzaga history. For his prep career, the versatile guard totaled 2,945 points, 883 rebounds, 735 assists, 509 steals and 103 blocks in 154 contests.

While the addition of Shaquille O'Neal's son is making news in Baton Rouge, Thomas could end up being the best player on the court for the Tigers this season. As a senior last season at powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, the 6-4 Thomas averaged 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Thomas is instant offense, something LSU can use if it's to challenge Kentucky and Tennessee for the SEC title.

Marcus Garrett is a defensive standout, but Kansas needs a consistent scorer. Coach Bill Self hopes Thompson is the guy who can provide those points. As a senior at Tulsa's Booker T. Washington last season, Thompson averaged 24.6 points and 5.9 rebounds. Now, putting pressure on Thompson to be a prolific scorer might be asking too much, but many believe he was the talent and head to do so at this level. 

Another product from DeMatha Catholic, Timberlake is quite the specimen. At 6-6 and a little over 210 pounds, Timberlake should pose a serious matchup problem for most defenders within the ACC. As a high school senior, Timberlake averaged 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. While we're uncertain what the season will hold for the Hurricanes, Timberlake has the potential to be something special.

Arizona State, UCLA and Oregon are getting the most attention as Pac-12 preseason favorites, but the addition of Williams makes Stanford a potential darkhorse. Expected to be a high lottery pick, Williams is a 6-8 stud who has the ability to pretty much do it all for the Cardinal. The Sierra Canyon star averaged a modest 15.0 points and 7.9 rebounds as a senior, but was surrounded by better talent in high school than he might be at Stanford this season.