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