College Basketball: Week 10 Freshman Power Rankings

We are already ten weeks into the college basketball season, with most teams already playing multiple conference games. We have taken a look at the top freshmen in Division 1 basketball throughout the season, and this is our first look at the group in the new year. 

It should come as no surprise that the steady hand of Reed Sheppard sits atop the list. Kentucky is now 11-2 and ranked among the top ten teams in the country. A lot of that is due to the steady play of the 6-foor-3 freshman from North Laurel, Kentucky. The rest of the list has a lot of talent as well, but injuries and inconsistency have taken their toll on this freshman class. 

This list looks at the players who are having the biggest effect on the sport through their in-season play. Let’s discuss college basketball’s freshman power rankings through week 10.

1. G Reed Sheppard, Kentucky

The Buzz: With freshmen, it is all about steady play. While Reed Sheppard might not have the flashiest game, the first-year Kentucky guard has brought steady production to the court. Listed at 6-foot-3, Sheppard has played his connecting role very well. He has spaced the floor as well as anyone in the country, regardless of class. His 54.7 percent shooting from three on 4.1 attempts per game has opened up even more lanes for two of the best paint-touch guards in the college game. He makes good passes and he has excellent hands and instincts on defense. Despite coming off the bench, he is still fourth on the team in minutes per game. Steady wins the race, and as of the first week of January, Sheppard has been the steadiest freshman in college basketball.   

2. G Malik Mack, Harvard

The Buzz: Malik Mack started the season scorching hot, and then he was forced to miss multiple weeks after a December bout with mono. He is now back, playing his first game in 30 days against Princeton last Saturday. The 6-foot-1 guard from the DMV is averaging 19.0 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 44.6 percent from three. Through 11 games played, he has scored over twenty points five times including 32 against UMass and 26 in a matchup with Indiana.

3. G Isaiah Collier, USC

The Buzz: While it has been an up-and-down season for the USC team, Isaiah Collier has consistently brought fire to the court. Listed as a 6-foot-5, 210-pound point guard, he brings point-of-attack pressure like no other guard in the country. Through four PAC 12 games, Collier is averaging 14.2 points and 4.5 assists while shooting 53.7 percent from the field. He can get a little wild at times as he already has three games with more than five turnovers this season. His 15.6 points are fifth among Division 1 freshmen and his 4.3 assists are fourth.

4. G Carlton Carrington, Pittsburgh

The Buzz: Carlton Carrington, one of the youngest players in the ACC, started his college career with a bang, putting up a triple-double on night one. He continued his strong play through November, before taking a five-or-so, game dip in December. Even through his adjustment period, Carrington distributed the ball and rebounded. Carrington has since gotten back on track, averaging 16.3 points 5.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists over his last four. The 6-foot-5 Carrington is Pittsburgh’s lead guard and he has a 2.5 to 1 assists-to-turnover ratio on the season while knocking down 2.0 threes and getting to the line almost three times per game. 

5. F Baye Ndongo, Georgia Tech

The Buzz: Baye Ndongo did not play until Georgia Tech’s third game of the season, but he immediately made his presence known with an eight-point, eight-rebound, three-block performance against Cincinnati. The 6-foot-9 post has not slowed down since. Ndongo’s 9.2 rebounds lead all Division 1 freshmen at this point in the season, and his 1.5 blocks are tied for eighth. He has scored in double figures in each of his last six games and already has three double-doubles and three twenty-point games on the season. 

6. G Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor

The Buzz: On Baylor’s opening night, Ja’Kobe Walter scorched the nets for 28 points in a win over Auburn. That performance set the stage for the season. Fourteen games in, and the 6-foot-5 guard is averaging 15.3 points and shooting 40.0 percent from three on 5.7 attempts per game. While Baylor’s leading scorer’s point totals have been up and down, his ups have been impressive. Walter has scored 15, or more, points in seven games this season while going for over twenty points, five times. He has knocked down four, or more, threes in six games. He has also scored in single-digits four times and not made a three in four games. Baylor is on a three-game win streak, and Walter has scored over twenty in two of the last three.

7. G DJ Wagner, Kentucky

The Buzz: While it may not be as aesthetically pleasing as some would like, DJ Wagner carries an it-factor with him that is hard to deny. Kentucky is 11-1 in games Wagner has started – he did not play in the loss to UNC Wilmington – this season. He puts pressure on the rim, touching the paint often and he guards the point-of-attack with a purpose. Kentucky’s point guard has a 2.6 to 1.0 assist-to-turnover ratio and is shooting 48.3 percent from two while scoring 12.1 points per game. Wagner has a history of good things happening when he is on the floor, and that dates back to high school. 

8. C Yves Missi, Baylor

The Buzz: It seems that with each game, Yves Missi is getting more and more comfortable on the floor. Missi enrolled a year early at Baylor after re-classifying into the 2023 class. The 7-foot-0 center from Cameroon, by way of Napa (CA) Prolific Prep, has scored in double figures in each of his last six games, grabbing ten, or more, rebounds in three of those contests. Missi is a long and twitchy big man who runs the floor well and has an instinct for the ball. In 20.9 minutes per game, the big man is averaging 10.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks while shooting 67.5 percent from the field.  

9. G Rob Dillingham, Kentucky

The Buzz: Rob Dillingham is one of the quickest guards in college basketball. Along with teammate DJ Wagner, they put as much pressure on the paint as anyone across the landscape. With that, Dillingham has shown to be a dangerous shot-maker, even in limited minutes. Dillingham re-tooled his jump shot and added – a reported – 20-plus pounds prior to the season. The 6-foot-2 guard has now scored 15, or more, points in seven games, and is knocking down 41.2 percent of his threes. Dillingham is also being a lot more careful with the ball, with an almost 2.4 to 1.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. He has provided great energy off the bench with his foot always on the gas.  

10. G Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State

The Buzz: For a team that is 172nd nationally (per college basketball reference) in points scored per game, Josh Hubbard has been given the ability to get loose. The 5-foot-10 guard came into Mississippi State as the state of Mississippi’s all-time leading high school scorer. Hubbard’s 14.4 points lead the way for guys who have played more than two games. He is shooting 38.4 percent from three and getting to the free-throw line 3.1 times per game. Hubbard’s 29 points against Northwestern is a season-high. He has gone over twenty points three times while coming off the bench.