Feb. 8
Every year, we see new kids on the block in college basketball. Sometimes the
expectations are high as we expect freshmen to be instant-impact performers.
I remember hearing about Michigan State's Kelvin Torbert. I heard all the
adjectives describing him and I couldn't wait to see him. I heard the same
things about UCLA's Cedric Bozeman, how he would be the answer on the
perimeter with his ball-handling skills and multidimensional talent.
Some kids need more time, and that seems to be the case for Torbert and
Bozeman. Remember, they are still in the infancy of their collegiate careers.
But others come out from day one and make an immediate impact. Who are my
favorite diaper dandies this season, guys who have been instant hits and
lived up to their billing coming out of high school? Here are my Super Seven
Diaper Dandies...
Let's start at Memphis, where the best of all the diaper dandies plays. Dajuan Wagner, the son of former Louisville standout Milt Wagner, is
a man among boys. Wagner has it all, as he showed when he scored the last
eight points in a hard-fought victory over Tulane. There may be times where
his shot selection can be questioned, but he is special because he makes
everyone around him better.
At Minnesota, 6-foot-10 Rick Rickert has the Golden Gophers in the Big
Ten race. The multidimensional Rickert has been outstanding, including a
26-point performance against Indiana. He can go inside and outside, and I
understand why Arizona coach Lute Olson was heartbroken when Rickert changed
his mind after verbally committing to the Wildcats. Rickert decided to stay
close to home.
At Texas, Longhorn fans and coach Rick Barnes have to be happy with the play
of the maestro, the orchestra leader, guard T.J. Ford. He has been
among the nation's assist leaders all season. He makes things happen with his
penetration skills.
If you want to know about a talented diaper dandy at guard, just call Rutgers
coach Gary Waters. He saw quite a performance from Notre Dame's Chris
Thomas. Thomas scored 32 points, hitting 7-of-9 trifectas, and dished out
11 assists against the Scarlet Knights. He has great skills and basketball
IQ, but he can also hit big shots.
VMI's Jason Conley may not receive the national publicity, but he has
been a scoring machine. He put up 38 points against Villanova and also
impressed versus Kentucky. Conley could become the first freshman to lead the
nation in scoring. He has great ability, and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith told
me there is no doubt Conley could play anywhere in America.
Arizona's Channing Frye is among the nation's field-goal percentage
leaders. The Wildcats have called upon a number of freshmen to contribute in
many ways; guys like Salim Stoudamire and Will Bynum have been important,
since Arizona had to rebuild after losing Gilbert Arenas, Michael Wright and
Richard Jefferson early. Frye's play in the post has been a big factor. He's
aggressive on the glass and there's nothing but stardom ahead for this inside
force.
N.C. State should earn its first NCAA bid since 1991, and one key reason is
diaper dandy Julius Hodge. He has to mature a little after losing his
cool and throwing a punch at Maryland's Steve Blake, causing the ACC to issue
Hodge a one-game suspension. He was lucky, since N.C. State beat Virginia
while Hodge was on the sidelines as a cheerleader. Herb Sendek doesn't need
his youngster as a cheerleader, he needs his slashing ability and defensive
talent. Hodge is a multidimensional player.
