Who was the best Freshman ever? Mohmoud Abdul-Rauf from Louisianna State University was the best Freshman ever in my mind because he got these stats in a major conference in his Freshman year. PPG - 30.2 SPG - 1.7 BPG - 0.2 APG - 4.1 RPG - 3.4 FT% - 81.5 3P% - 38.9 FG% - 48.6 MPG - 36.9 Those are decent to above average percentages, but the guy was able to get four assists and thirty points every game. Now it is big for a player to get thiry points in just one game and four assists per game can put you in the top ten in your conference. Magic is the bigger pro name and legend, but Abdul-Rauf certainly had the better Freshman season. Here are Magic Johnson's stats as a Freshman - PPG - 17 APG - 7.4 RPG - 7.9 FT% - .785 FG% - .458 Games - 30 Here are Carmelo Anthony's Freshman stats - Games - PPG - 22.2 RPG - 10 APG - 2.2 SPG - 1.6 FG % - .453 3FG % - .337 FT % - .706 Here is how they compare - PPG - Winner - Mohmoud Abdul-Rauf with 30.2ppg (8 more than Carmelo, and 13.2 more than Magic) SPG - Winner - Mohmoud Abdul-Rauf with 1.7spg (.1 more than Carmelo, and I couldn't find Magic's SPG) APG - Winner - Magic Johnson with 7.4apg (3.3 more than Mohmoud, and 5.2 more than Carmelo) RPG - Winner - Carmelo Anthony with 10rpg (2.1 more than Magic, and 6.6 more than Mohmoud) FT% - Winner - Mohmoud Abdul-Rauf with 81.5 FT% (3% better than Magic, and 10.9% better than Carmelo) 3P% - Winner - Mohmoud Abdul-Rauf with 38.9 3PG% (5.2% better than Carmelo, and I couldn't find Magic's 3PG%) FG% - Winner - Mohmoud Abdul-Rauf with 48.6 FG% (2.8% better than Magic, and 3.3% better than Carmelo) Take these stats how you want to. Magic had the more complete game with his high rebounds and assists, but his points weren't up to the level that Mohmoud and Carmelo's were. Mohmoud led most of these stats, but he was beat greatly at the rebound spot. This is understandable though since Mohmoud is the shortest and smallest of the three. Mohmoud did lead them both considerably in points and slightly in all percentages though. So not only was he a better scorer, but he was a better shooter. Carmelo's only advantage was rebounds, although he put up pretty good numbers in the rest of the categories. Based on the stats, I would rank Mohmoud Abdul-Rauf as the best Freshman ever, followed by a tie of Magic Johnson and Carmelo Anthony in the second place spot. A good arguement against Jackson would be that his Freshman year Kentucky was under penalty of the NCAA and Arkansas had not yet joined the conference. LSU played a tough out of conference schedule though, facing teams like Kansas, but I don't care who they played. He was a first team All-American, unlike Carmelo, and he holds the record for points in a game against more than half of the teams in his conference. He left after his Freshman year and was drafted third by the Nuggets. Strangley enough, this could be the same fate as Carmelo.
Look up Kareem, I'm not sure on his stats but they are more than likely pretty good. Though I think Wooden had this rule that he didn't play freshman so he may not have stats. And stats don't prove anything. Ruben Douglas led the NCAA in scoring, but no one is mentioning him among the best players even today.
i believe kareem played before freshman were allowed to play on the varsity team. it used to be freshman had their own league and then soph, jrs an srs made up the varsity.
Yea I kinda figured that because I remember an interview with John Wooden and he said he would like to have the rule back that doesn't allow freshman to play. I just typed it to be sure. Anyway, my point still stands that the best stats don't equal the best player, regardless of conference.
yea. imagine being kareem and getting picked on by all the upper classmen for playing on the freshman squad
Kareem was good, but as you guys were saying, he played in a Freshman league. The same thing can be said about "Pistol" Pete Maravich. Those two would have definitely gotten my consideration if they played in the standard NCAA as Freshmen, but since they didn't I don't think that it is fair to compare them. I do however think that the best Freshman who played on a Freshman team would have to be Pete Maravich. Maravich averaged over 44ppg. He was just simply amazing.
Bob Cousy and Tom Heinson were some of the best early college players ever. They actually made Holy Cross (which is in worcester for those of you who havent even heard of it) a championship caliber team
In the book I read, which I mentioned in my book thread, called <u>The Last Amateurs</u> one of the teams that are followed aroud are Holy Cross. It's kind of weird how unique they are because even though they had Bob Cousy they didn't retire his, or anyone else's jersey. Also, they don't hang banners for every little thing like some schools. The only banners that hang are NCAA championship banners.
And there arent many of those believe me. ive been there. they havent retired folks numebrs and stuff but people KNOW who cous and heinson are and so do folks at clark, assumption, and WPI but fuck WPI bunch of fucking rapists
I also think Rex Chapman would have to be up there too, not the best freshman, but somewhere on top. :thumbsup:
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "UKfan4Life":</div><div class="quote_post">I also think Rex Chapman would have to be up there too, not the best freshman, but somewhere on top. :thumbsup:</div>I don't think so. He couldn't even get All-Freshman team honors that year. Here are his stats. Games - 29 MPG - 33.1 FG% - .444 3PT% - .386 FT% - .735 RPG - 2.2 APG - 3.5 SPG - 1.2 BPG - Less than 1 Fouls - 1.9 TO's - 2.4 PPG - 16
