A freshmen showcase
There was a time when basketball players came to college with potential and little else. They were expected to spend four years polishing and adding to whatever skills that would be needed to play at the professional level.
It’s still that way for the overwhelming majority of players in the Big 12 Conference. But there are exceptions.
Two will be on display when Oklahoma (12-3) faces Kansas State (10-5) in the both teams’ conference opener at 5 p.m. today at Lloyd Noble Center.
Kansas State’s Michael Beasley and OU’s Blake Griffin fall into the rare group whose games developed long before they reached voting age.
“Every year these young guys come in and they can run and jump and they’re strong,” OU senior center Longar Longar said.
And dominate.
Beasley, a 6-foot-10 power forward, leads the conference in both scoring (24.3) and rebounding (13.3). He’s only the reason why the 6-10 Griffin, who averages an OU best 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds, isn’t the most talked about freshman in the conference.
“If I was a fan and not even directly involved in it, this is a game I’d pay to see,” OU coach Jeff Capel said. “I wouldn’t pay to see many people play basketball now, but I would pay to see this. Two talented guys. Both are big. Both are explosive.”
And in all likelihood, it will be a limited engagement. Seeing Griffin and Beasley on the same floor next season may require a ticket to an NBA game.
The Big 12 can thank the NBA for making it possible.
From 1995-2005, 29 players went from the prep ranks to being first-round draft picks. Two years ago, the league changed its rules for draft eligibility.
All players must now be out of high school for at least a year to be eligible.
The rule gave the Big 12 last season’s player of the year in Texas’s Kevin Durant for just one season. Just like Durant, Beasley would no doubt be playing in the NBA right now.
Capel is also outspoken in his belief players of Beasley’s class shouldn’t be forced into playing college basketball for one season.
“I think it’s awful for the kid. It’s awful for college basketball. I think it’s awful for the fans. I think it’s awful, in general, for the students of these universities,” Capel said.
The rule may have given an infusion of extremely talented freshman to the college game. How many will hang around for their sophomore seasons?
Griffin won’t be projected as a lottery pick after his freshman season, but he has first-round talent. He will also have to decide whether or not to be a one-season-and-done player.
Those ramifications can be debated endlessly. What it doesn’t change is the impact Griffin and Beasley will have on today’s game.
There will be eight other players on the court, but it will be hard to look away from what the freshmen forwards are doing.
“I’m looking forward to it, especially playing a team like Kansas State with a lot of good young guys,” Griffin said. “I’m ready to come out and show what we can do in the Big 12.”
Enjoy it while it lasts.
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