NCAA Basketball: 5 impact high-major freshmen players so far in 2023-24 season

Josh Hubbard - 5'10 Guard - Mississippi State Bulldogs

Josh Hubbard has been the ultimate weapon for the Mississippi State Bulldogs bench unit in his debut season. The 5-foot-10 guard is pouring in 16.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 41.7 percent shooting from deep and 45.1 percent shooting from the floor as the Bulldogs enter the holiday season with an 8-2 record.

They've taken some early bumps in the loss column already but Hubbard has shown already that he's prepared when the lights shine the brightest. He poured in a career-high 29 points on 9-of-14 FG and 4-of-8 3-PT in his fifth appearance and hasn't looked back since. He ranks first currently in 3-pointers made (30) in the SEC as non-conference schedules wrap up to end the month. He locks up defensively, too. He ranks 12th in the conference in defensive rating (96.0) when he's on the floor.

Head coach Chris Jans has taken a lot of praise already for what he's done to turn this Mississippi State program around. Hubbard is another product of Jans' ability on the hardwood as a coach and leader of young men. The Mississippi native looks to be a solid fit already with his ability to be a spark off the bench on both ends of the floor.