Every year we go through the cycle of legends hanging it up and future legends beginning their journey. The goal of this series is to shed light on players in different phases in the early part of their career. With the NBA wrapping up it's first week of the season and college starting in a few days I think this is the perfect time to post this. Without further ado, let's take a trip to Maryland with Baba Oladotun.
This soon to be 17 year old prodigy hailing from Silver Spring Maryland will be putting everyone on notice. After reclassing from the 2027 class to 2026 Baba has made it clear that he wants to compete sooner than later. This 6’10 small forward is currently taking official visits to different colleges while more teams show interest. He's another variant of the Kevin Durant archetype. His shot making will be what he's most known for but his defensive potential is what separates him from the pack. If I had to guess I would assume that he won't be committing anywhere until around the McDonald's All-American game.
This 6'6 combo guard has had an amazing 2025. Darryn Peterson was named Naismith player of the Year, McDonald's All American Co-MVP, and finished as the number one player of the 2025 class. His game has drawn comparisons to Brandon Roy and Kobe Bryant. He can score in a multitude of ways while being aggressive on defense. I believe he shot making will translate instantly at the NBA level now that he's more willing to shoot 3's. His playmaking is already ahead of most guards at the college level. Peterson had a strong showing in the Kansas exhibition vs Louisville and I believe there's still a lot of room for growth before March. Right now it's safe to say his draft projection is top three with a strong potential chance of going first.
This 6'3 point guard from the University of Oklahoma is one of the youngest players in this draft class. Less than 2 weeks removed from his 19th birthday, Fears has been demanded to play a key role in the Pelicans backcourt. While starting point guard Dejounte Murray is it expected to be sidelined till January with his Achilles injury from last season, Jeremiah Fears will be expected to score and facilitate right away. With the flash is a greatness that he showed in college I was confident that he is ready for the NBA. Through his first two games of the regular season he is averaging 15 points on an insane 66%. Realistically, that shot percentage will come down but it shows that he's in attack mode out the gate. Joe Dumars is looking to turn the New Orleans Pelicans franchise around and adding this young man to the roster who was the first step. He's one is the rookies that I'm most excited to watch this season.
Entering his 4th season, this Canadian-born star appears poised to make a significant leap. Following an impressive postseason campaign last season, during which the Indiana Pacers may have been a Tyrese Haliburton injury away from being NBA champion, the landscape has shifted considerably. Mathurin has now ascended within the team’s hierarchy, and thus far, he has risen to the occasion, averaging 31 points per game to open the season.
He's shown the scoring prowess and consistency necessary to position himself as a strong candidate for the Most Improved Player award. An All-Star selection is also well within reach if his current trajectory continues. Those who watched him during his time at Arizona are already familiar with his potential as a primary scorer. The NBA is a league defined by opportunity, and Mathurin now finds one of the greatest of his career directly before him.
No comments:
Post a Comment