The National Freshman of the Year race in the NCAA basketball arena has started heating up as teams start to position themselves for the NCAA Tournament. Here’s a look at five early candidates for this year’s award.
6-foot-10 Jabari Smith II, Forward, Auburn Tigers
Jabari Smith II has climbed up the radar on NBA Draft boards as one of the top freshman prospects out of Sandy Creek High in Georgia and finds himself as an early favorite for this year’s National Freshman of the Yeard award.
He’s a big reason why the Tigers are ranked the No. 1 team in the country with a 20-1 record and unbeaten 8-0 record in SEC basketball action with his ability to affect the game in a variety of ways with his length.
Smith is averaging 15.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, and 1.1 bpg in the Auburn basketball lineup in his debut season, as they’re ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll Top 25 for the first time in school history. He’s an exciting blend of Rashard Lewis/Kevin Durant that’s shooting 40.4 percent from 3-point range and 43.8 percent from the field as an inside-out threat that can score as a post presence and a perimeter threat.
The 6-foot-10 dual-threat forward has done a little bit of everything for the Tigers He’s posted four double-doubles, including 23 points and 12 rebounds in their victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge to get their 17th straight win 86-68 this past Saturday afternoon. He’s put together quite the resume already heading into February for National Freshman of the Year honors.