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Friday, November 2, 2012
Get to know the 2012-13 impact freshmen

By Dave Telep


The college basketball world is about to be inundated with preseason rankings, awards and inflated expectations. It’s the business of the sport, and consuming all the information is part of the allure of the early season for fans.

You will undoubtedly read plenty about guys you’ve followed into stardom the past few seasons. But before they were veteran stars, they were freshmen. In some cases, they didn't play like freshmen, but they were once the young bucks of the game. Here at RecruitingNation, we’re giving you a front-row seat for a sneak peek into what's behind the curtain.

Get to know the next generation of college standouts by checking out where their greatest strengths lie and tune in to "Freshman Orientation" Friday at 5:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU and WatchESPN.com for more.

Best 3-point Shooters
Rasheed Sulaimon, Duke
Nik Stauskas, Michigan
Omar Calhoun, Connecticut
Kellen Dunham, Butler
Katin Reinhardt, UNLV

The Rejectors
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
Chris Obekpa, St. John’s
Isaiah Austin, Baylor
Prince Ibeh, Texas
Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky

Top Passers
Kyle Anderson, UCLA
Maurice Watson, Boston U
James Robinson, Pittsburgh
Tyler Lewis, NC State
Marcus Paige, North Carolina

Most Versatile
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Alex Poythress, Kentucky
Gary Harris, Michigan State
Glenn Robinson III, Michigan

Best Rebounders
Ricardo Gathers, Baylor
Michael Carrera, South Carolina
Steven Adams, Pittsburgh
Jameel Warney, Stony Brook

The Scorers
Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
Jordan Price, Auburn
Rodney Purvis, NC State
Jordan Adams, UCLA
Omar Calhoun, Connecticut

Biggest Shoes To Fill
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky (Anthony Davis)
Marcus Paige, UNC (Kendall Marshall)
Isaiah Austin, Baylor (Quincy Acy/Perry Jones)
Georges Niang, Iowa State (Royce White)
Perry Ellis, Kansas (Thomas Robinson)

Best Dunkers
Shaquille Johnson, Auburn
Justin Anderson, Virginia
Montrezl Harrell, Louisville
Hanner Mosquera-Parea, Indiana
Gabe York, Arizona

Best Midrange Game
T.J. Warren, NC State
Braxton Ogbueze, Florida
Andrew White, Kansas
Cameron Biedscheid, Notre Dame
Mike Gesell, Iowa

Best Low Post Scorers
Mike Tobey, Virginia
Josh Scott, Colorado
Georges Niang, Iowa State
DaJuan Coleman, Syracuse
Grant Jerrett, Arizona

Best Slashers
Amile Jefferson, Duke
Danuel House, Houston
Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
Archie Goodwin, Kentucky

Fastest: Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, Indiana
Best Leader: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
Loudest: Mitch McGary, Michigan
Quietest: Devonta Pollard, Alabama
Best Makeover: Joel James, North Carolina
Best With Press: Jake Layman, Maryland
Guy I Want Taking Final Shot: Sam Dekker, Wisconsin