John Shinn
The Norman Transcript
November 29, 2007 01:22 am
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• OU, USC
feature big
impact freshmen
There’s no team in college basketball that better understands the impact freshmen are having on the game than Oklahoma.
Forward Blake Griffin is averaging 15 points and 9.2 rebounds and was playing high school basketball less than a year ago. OU’s familiarity with the impact of first-year players goes well beyond its own locker room, though.
The Sooners (5-1) face No. 22 USC (5-1) at 10 tonight in both teams’ part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series.
Besides being the Sooners’ second game against a ranked team, it will also be their second against a freshman sensation.
Two weeks ago, it was Memphis’ Derrick Rose. Tonight it’s the Trojans’ O.J. Mayo.
“This freshman class is a really special and unique class,” Capel said. “You can put it up there as maybe the best class ever. You look at the impact these guys are having across the country at different high-level programs. It’s pretty incredible.
“But when you watched these guys in high school, you knew this was going to be a special and unique class.”
Capel saw Mayo for the first time at an NBA Players Association camp in Richmond, Va. five years ago. He said he could tell then Mayo was going to be a special player.
Mayo’s arrival in Los Angeles has helped put USC basketball on the map. The program has long played in the shadow of crosstown rival UCLA. But Mayo brings a some power the Trojans have rarely had.
Griffin, who has played in summer tournaments against Mayo since both were in junior high, said it’s no surprise he’s had such a big impact.
“He’s so smooth,” Griffin said. “He never looks like he’s going full speed, but he’s always blowing right by people.”
Each college basketball season has breakout stars. For years, it was upperclassmen that took center stage.
But all that has changed since the NBA outlawed drafting players until they had been out of high school at least a year.
Kevin Durant dominated the Big 12 Conference as a freshman last season en route to being named national player of the year. He set a trend in the process.
“A lot of freshmen have been talking about coming in and doing big things and moving on,” Griffin said.
Prior to the NBA changing its draft rules, players like Mayo or Rose likely would have gone directly to the professional level.
“If you’re good, you’re good,” said OU guard Tony Crocker, who started as freshman last season. “It’s doesn’t matter how old you are.”
When the Sooners use man-to-man defense, it will be Crocker trying to drape himself on Mayo.
“He isn’t going to go off or anything like that,” Crocker said. “It’s going to be a lockdown.”
There was a time not to long ago when a prediction of stopping a freshman wasn’t a big deal. Playing against Durant twice last season, seeing two more high-impact freshmen in the first month of this season, the Sooners know how big a deal it is.
“It’s interesting to watch all these guys I’ve played with doing big things,” Griffin said. “It seems like every night you turn I on the TV I see another freshman do great things. It’s fun to watch.”
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
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