Six freshmen you need to watch this year in the Pac-10

November 6, 8:46 PMCollege Basketball ExaminerDave Ryan

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Home to some of the most legendary teams in college basketball history, the Pac-10 has turned into popular jumping point for one-and-done freshmen in recent years. But after a ridiculous amount of NBA defections by the conference's best players last spring (nine were drafted), the Pac-10 is shaping up to be significantly weaker this season. Instead of a handful of top level recruits being brought in to counter these losses, only one freshman, Washington's Abdul Gaddy, was a unanimous top 50 prospect. Are guys simply slipping through the cracks, or is the Pac-10 starting to lose some ground in the recruiting world? Whatever the case, here are six first year players you need to check out this season in the Pac-10:

1. Abdul Gaddy-Washington-Guard
(Rivals-13) (Scout-10) (ESPN-14)
The Huskies already proved that they aren't afraid to let a freshman anchor their offense last year, and Gaddy might be the most talented player Washington has had since Brandon Roy left school. He won't completely dominate the ball with Isaiah Thomas, the reigning Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, still around to occupy the point guard position, but Gaddy is still a good enough scorer to play off the ball in his first season. 

2. Kyryl Natyazhko-Arizona-Center
(Rivals-81) (Scout-49) (ESPN-39)
  Three straight years at the IMG Academy in Florida have turned Natyazhko, originally from Ukraine, into a coveted center prospect. The 6'10", 240lb big man obviously has the size to play right away for first year head coach Sean Miller, but his offensive game is what has gotten people talking. Natyazhko still needs to get stronger and work on his rebounding technique, but he has a soft touch around the basket with some decent range on his jumper. The early departure of Jordan Hill leaves the Cats with a huge hole on the interior, and Natyazhko should be the man for the job.

3. Tyler Honeycutt-UCLA-Forward
(Rivals-28) (Scout-21) (ESPN-51)
A spinal stress fracture gave fans a scare this summer, but Tyler Honeycutt appears to be back in shape and ready to kick off his college career with a bang. Honeycutt brings loads of potential to the table, and it will be interesting to see how quickly he gets on the floor for the Bruins. Much like so many other freshmen across the nation, it seems that strength will be an issue for Honeycutt early in his career. A comparable ceiling here is former Gonzaga standout Austin Daye, the 15th overall pick last June. A few years to develop physically and hone his defensive skills under Ben Howland should do wonders for Honeycutt's basketball career.

4. Solomon Hill-Arizona-Forward
(Rivals-27) (Scout-59) (ESPN-54)
  Hailing from the same high school as Mississippi State's Renardo Sidney (Fairfax High in Los Angeles), Hill is a versatile point forward who doesn't have a lot of holes in his game. Players in this mold are guys who usually flourish at the collegiate level, so I can see him sticking around for a while. He has the body of a power forward, the skills of a point guard and yet he still projects to the next level as a small forward. It's that versatility that will be what gets him on the court early in his career.

5. Jamil Wilson-Oregon-Forward
(Rivals-94) (Scout-30) (ESPN-31)
Oregon wasn't just bad last year, they were atrocious. And while the guys at Rivals might not be fully aboard the Jamil Wilson bandwagon, it appears that the rest of the country most definitely is. Oregon's incoming freshman has the handle, shot and court vision to be a serious player right away, and thankfully he's going to a team that needs him as quickly as possible. Point guard Tajuan Porter should remain Oregon's primary offensive weapon, but Wilson's long-term potential should be evident from the moment he steps on the court.

6. Trent Lockett-Arizona State-Guard
(Rivals-80) (Scout-98) (ESPN-NR)
Lockett has some mighty big shoes to fill now that shooting guard James Harden is out of the picture. Of course, we already know that Lockett isn't going to come in and take over the game each night like Harden did, but the freshman already has the look of a big time scorer. On an ASU roster that could struggle often this season, Lockett should receive plenty of minutes. Don't be surprised if he begins his career coming off the bench for instant offense, and impresses enough to garner a starting role by season's end.

Just Missed: Mike Moser-UCLA, Lamont Jones-Arizona, Brendan Lane-UCLA, Roberto Nelson-Oregon State, Jared Cunningham-Oregon State, Xavier Thames-Washington State

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