[ropeParticipant]

AP list is released:

Jahlil Okafor

Marcus Paige

Fred Vanvleet

Montrell Hazell

Frank Kaminsky

Interesting list. Is there anyone you would swap in or out? I am always a little but uneasy putting freshmen on these lists but, looking around, I am not sure there is anyone who has the look and apparent skills of Okafor.

[MattP31Participant]

 Hard to argue with any of it. You could make a case for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, but I don’t know who should be dropped to add him

[MattP31Participant]

 Hard to argue with any of it. You could make a case for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, but I don’t know who should be dropped to add him

[redsoxfreak724Participant]

 Completely agree. Hollis-Jefferson’s the only one with a legitimate case.

Excuse me while I wax poetic but does anyone else miss the days where guys like Hollis-Jefferson, Caris Lavert, Wayne Selden, or even Willie Cauley-Stein were given the benefit on the doubt on these pre-season teams? Not that it really even matters.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m completely aware of Okafor’s talent. If Freshmen earn All-American status over the course of the season by all means give it to them. But putting this kind of added expectation of guys who never played a minute of college basketball I guess just still doesn’t really feel right to me

[redsoxfreak724Participant]

 Completely agree. Hollis-Jefferson’s the only one with a legitimate case.

Excuse me while I wax poetic but does anyone else miss the days where guys like Hollis-Jefferson, Caris Lavert, Wayne Selden, or even Willie Cauley-Stein were given the benefit on the doubt on these pre-season teams? Not that it really even matters.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m completely aware of Okafor’s talent. If Freshmen earn All-American status over the course of the season by all means give it to them. But putting this kind of added expectation of guys who never played a minute of college basketball I guess just still doesn’t really feel right to me

[baggin13Participant]

I don’t think giving Freshman this type of honor this early is how it should be done. A Freshman may end the season as a top tier player, but giving him the nod this early over proven players based on hype and potential (not to say he isn’t as good as people think) seems wrong.

[baggin13Participant]

I don’t think giving Freshman this type of honor this early is how it should be done. A Freshman may end the season as a top tier player, but giving him the nod this early over proven players based on hype and potential (not to say he isn’t as good as people think) seems wrong.

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

Harrison Barnes…….2010-2011. First freshman ever to receive pre-season first team all America accolades. Was Harrison a good player for UNC for 2 years? Yes. Did he ever live up to the enormous hype surrounding him and become ACC player of the year and a perennial all-American? Not even close. I reflect other people’s beliefs on freshman being named to pre-season all-American teams. Okafor is talented. He dominated Marshall Plumlee during an intrasquad scrimmage which doesn’t amount to anything. Okafor is big and skilled. Okafor has also been bigger and stronger than everybody he has played against his entire life. College basketball is a completely different animal from high school. Paige, Van Fleet, Harell and Kaminsky have already proved themselves to be big-time college basketball players. Okafor hasn’t proved anything yet. I think the barometer for Okafor will be going to Madison to play Wisconsin on December 3 for the ACC-Big Ten challenge. Kaminksy will be his toughest match-up all season. If Okafor wins this matchup, then the hype is real. He also goes against UCONN which always has big athletic shot blockers, and UNC which a much improved and toned Kennedy Meeks. Not a fan at all of freshman being named pre-season all-americans.

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

Harrison Barnes…….2010-2011. First freshman ever to receive pre-season first team all America accolades. Was Harrison a good player for UNC for 2 years? Yes. Did he ever live up to the enormous hype surrounding him and become ACC player of the year and a perennial all-American? Not even close. I reflect other people’s beliefs on freshman being named to pre-season all-American teams. Okafor is talented. He dominated Marshall Plumlee during an intrasquad scrimmage which doesn’t amount to anything. Okafor is big and skilled. Okafor has also been bigger and stronger than everybody he has played against his entire life. College basketball is a completely different animal from high school. Paige, Van Fleet, Harell and Kaminsky have already proved themselves to be big-time college basketball players. Okafor hasn’t proved anything yet. I think the barometer for Okafor will be going to Madison to play Wisconsin on December 3 for the ACC-Big Ten challenge. Kaminksy will be his toughest match-up all season. If Okafor wins this matchup, then the hype is real. He also goes against UCONN which always has big athletic shot blockers, and UNC which a much improved and toned Kennedy Meeks. Not a fan at all of freshman being named pre-season all-americans.

[ropeParticipant]

That is going to be a tough match up for Okafor, because of Kaminsky’s game extends out to the three point line.  It should be one of the better big man matchups of the regular season and well worth watching.

[ropeParticipant]

That is going to be a tough match up for Okafor, because of Kaminsky’s game extends out to the three point line.  It should be one of the better big man matchups of the regular season and well worth watching.

[DipoTimeParticipant]

 I actually dont care for the list. I dont like how they pick the preseason teams and awards to begin with though. They always look at the awards as the most valuable, or the best players on the best teams. And thats not what it is. These awards go to the most outstanding players in college basketball. Period.

You could make a case for several other players to be on here that are being overlooked, like the players mentioned above along with guys you may not expect like Delon Wright, Tyler Haws, Ron Hunter, Georges Niang, Juwan Staten, and Winston Shepard. These are guys that are truly the most outstanding college players in my eyes. Maybe not the most valuable, maybe not the most potential, but the best college players. 

You could even make a case that guys like VanVleet and Kaminsky arent even the best players on their own team. Ron Baker and Sam Dekker could both emerge as the top players on their teams and two of the best players in the nation this year, after being incredibly talented and versatile players last year. 

So even though the list isnt that bad, I definitely dont think these guys are anywhere near locks, and I wouldnt be surprised to see guys on the the all american teams that havent even been mentioned yet. It pretty much happens every year. 

[DipoTimeParticipant]

 I actually dont care for the list. I dont like how they pick the preseason teams and awards to begin with though. They always look at the awards as the most valuable, or the best players on the best teams. And thats not what it is. These awards go to the most outstanding players in college basketball. Period.

You could make a case for several other players to be on here that are being overlooked, like the players mentioned above along with guys you may not expect like Delon Wright, Tyler Haws, Ron Hunter, Georges Niang, Juwan Staten, and Winston Shepard. These are guys that are truly the most outstanding college players in my eyes. Maybe not the most valuable, maybe not the most potential, but the best college players. 

You could even make a case that guys like VanVleet and Kaminsky arent even the best players on their own team. Ron Baker and Sam Dekker could both emerge as the top players on their teams and two of the best players in the nation this year, after being incredibly talented and versatile players last year. 

So even though the list isnt that bad, I definitely dont think these guys are anywhere near locks, and I wouldnt be surprised to see guys on the the all american teams that havent even been mentioned yet. It pretty much happens every year. 

[nill650Participant]

 Move kaminsky ,okafor,paige and vanfleet out for 1st team and onto 2nd team…along with  Wayne Selden.

1st team pre season ( I’m keeping 1 player) should be Montrezl Harrell add Ron Baker,Caris Lavert,Kelly Oubre and Kaleb Tarczewski.

 

[nill650Participant]

 Move kaminsky ,okafor,paige and vanfleet out for 1st team and onto 2nd team…along with  Wayne Selden.

1st team pre season ( I’m keeping 1 player) should be Montrezl Harrell add Ron Baker,Caris Lavert,Kelly Oubre and Kaleb Tarczewski.

 

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