College Basketball: Week 13 Freshman Power Rankings

We are already thirteen weeks into the college basketball season, with most teams about mid-way through their conference slate. We have periodically taken a look at the top freshmen in Division 1 basketball throughout the season, and this is our second look at the group in the new year. 

While there is no freshman dominating college basketball as we have seen in years past, there are a handful who are contributing at a high level. It should come as no surprise that the consistency of Cody Williams has him atop this list. The 6-foot-8 Colorado wing has fit in nicely with KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva to have the Buffaloes currently a third place in the Pac-12.

Consistency is something that has plagued this freshman class. Most freshmen hit a wall, and a lot of times that comes in January. So now we will be able to see who comes out the other side of that wall as we get into the second half of league play.

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 13.

F Cody Williams, Colorado

The Buzz: Look past his last game, and appreciate the consistency Cody Williams has had for Colorado this season. He has stepped into the role of a connecting wing and excelled. Williams is a crafty finisher at the basket, finding/creating different angles to finish with both hands. He moves the ball well and can attack advantages in straight lines off ball reversal. Playing beside KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva has allowed for good spacing on the floor, and Simpson moves the ball well off his consistent paint touches. Williams has upside as a defender. Good length and instincts in the passing lanes. He plays an efficient, high-floor game and his numbers have risen to 15.5 points on 53.3 percent shooting. Williams is shooting 52.0 percent from three, on 1.9 attempts per game, on the season. 

G Robert Dillingham, Kentucky

The Buzz: Robert Dillingham has had some up and down moments, however, to this point the good has outweighed the bad. Even with the turnovers, one thing you can consistently expect from the 6-foot-1 guard is electricity. Coming off the bench for Kentucky this season, his flaws have been somewhat mitigated. He can come into the game and just play freely. With that, Dillingham is playing 22.6 minutes per game while averaging 13.9 points and 3.8 assists on 38.2 percent shooting from three. His ability to touch the paint has enabled his teammates a lot of open shots.

G Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor

The Buzz: The outputs have been inconsistent, but when he has been good, Ja’Kobe Walter has been very good. Walter has had six games of twenty or more points through his first nine games. He has also had five games of less than ten. At his best, Walter is an off-ball shotmaker and a good team defender. Walter has gotten to the free-throw line 4.6 times per game, where he is shooting 85.2 percent. He is also moving the ball better than when he started the season, netting five assists in Baylor’s last game. Walter needs to find consistency, which will also help the overall outlook for the Bears, but the talent has been clear. 

F Baye Ndongo, Georgia Tech

The Buzz: Baye Ndongo de-committed from Rutgers to re-commit to Damon Stoudemire at Georgia Tech. He missed the first couple of games of the season, but stepped on the floor and has been a consistent producer since. Through his first nine ACC games, his numbers have jumped to 15.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 61.5 percent shooting. The Yellow Jacket’s big man has logged four double-doubles on the season and had seven games with multiple blocks. 

G Isaiah Collier, USC

The Buzz: There is no denying the impact that USC point guard Isaiah Collier has on the game. Despite some of his careless turnovers, the amount of pressure he puts on the rim makes him unique in the Pac-12. Listed at 6-foot-5, Collier is a sturdy lead guard. He is also fearless and confident, which leads to a lot of his turnovers. He brings consistent pressure, on both ends of the floor, at the point of attack. Collier was injured in the Trojans’ Jan. 10 game, and it was reported he would be out for four to six weeks. He is averaging 15.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals through his 16 games played.

G Jared McCain, Duke

The Buzz: Jared McCain started at Duke from day one. It took him a few games to get things going, but once mid-December hit, McCain has found his rhythm. In the 11 games since Dec. 12, the 6-foot-2 freshman guard has scored in double figures ten times and scored twenty or more five times. While McCain can be used as a secondary ball-handler, he is at his best finding his shots off the ball. McCain is a good on-ball defender and he is shooting 41.6 percent from three on the season. He has also gathered ten or more rebounds in a game three times.

G Reed Sheppard, Kentucky

The Buzz: Reed Sheppard has settled into a secondary, floor-spacing role on the offensive end. Playing beside DJ Wagner and Dillingham, Sheppard is pulling gravity beyond the three-point line. And with all the offensive fire-power that Kentucky has, when Sheppard moves the ball it is often to make shots. He is a low-risk player on offense. While he does not put much pressure on the rim and he can get in trouble when dribbling in traffic, Sheppard is shooting 55.3 percent from three on the season. Where Sheppard is unique is on the defensive end. He might be the best off-ball defender in college basketball. He has excellent anticipation in the passing lanes and when playing free safety in transition, collecting 2.5 steals per contest.  

G DJ Wagner, Kentucky

The Buzz: Even with other freshmen on the Kentucky team getting more buzz, DJ Wagner could be the most important player on this Kentucky team. Sheppard and Dillingham are excellent change of pace and/or complimentary guys, but the decision-making is with Wagner as the ball is in his hands. With that, his decision-making has been up and down to this point, not really turning the ball over, but with the reads. Wagner puts relentless pressure on the rim where he is finishing 51.9 percent from two during SEC play. 

C Yves Missi, Baylor

The Buzz: Yves Missi is a fluid athlete with excellent length and a non-stop motor. The native of Cameroon who classified up from the 2024 class to start his college basketball career the 2023 class, is still working through the processing aspect with the speed of the game. And that has caused some inconsistent production throughout the season. Overall, he is averaging 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 21.7 minutes per contest. He has four double-doubles on the season and three games with four or more blocks. He is shooting 64.3 percent from the field. 

G Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State

The Buzz: Josh Hubbard is leading SEC freshmen in scoring, at 14.9 points per game. The 5-foot-10 Hubbard came off the bench for the first 19 games of the season, and despite being fourth on the team in minutes played (24.1) he has scored in double figures in 17 of Mississippi State’s 20 games. In SEC play Hubbard’s numbers have gone up to 15.6 per game, he is also knocking down 2.9 threes and getting to the free-throw line 5.1 through his seven league games.