Which frosh stood out in week one of college hoops?
As the college basketball season kicks off, we've had our first glimpses of some highly-touted freshman recruits entering their inaugural year in the sport and this opening week showcased some remarkable performances.
Notably, Asa Newell tied Dominique Wilkins' record at Georgia for the most points in a freshman debut, while Illinois standout Will Riley erupted for an impressive 31 points. These young athletes are making their mark.
However, the excitement didn't stop with just a few standout performances. Here's a look at some of the other notable debuts from around the country during week one.
Texas’ Tre Johnson
I honestly think Johnson is going to be on pace to be one of the best players in college hoops this season. No better way to start that off with a 29-piece. Texas has a budding star and he’s an in-state product.
Statline: 29 points [10/20 FG, 5-10 3PT], five rebounds, four assists, two steals
Maryland’s Derik Queen
Queen was a vital part of the elite Monteverde Academy squad from last year that had five recruits ranked amongst the top-25. Maryland knew what they got in Queen and he showed glimpses of it in his debut.
Statline: 22 points [9/16 FG], 20 rebounds, and two blocks.
Georgia’s Asa Newell
I believe Newell is one of the most pro-ready prospects that came out of this 2024 recruiting class and he’s going to prove this season why he will be in consideration to be a lottery pick in this upcoming draft.
Statline: 26 points [13/22 FG], 11 rebounds, three blocks, zero turnovers. (*Most points for a freshman in a debut, tied with Dominique Wilkins)
Illinois’ Will Riley
I watched Riley play last year as a member of the 2025 class. Luckily, he made the jump into the 2024 class and it looks like that move is going to pay off. He was a dynamo in his Illini debut and is on a path to success in his first year.
Statline: 31 points [10/13 FG, 5-6 3PT], seven rebounds, three assists, one turnover
Kansas’ Flory Bidunga
Top-5 recruit in his class and one of the most dominant bigs in the country, Bidunga was given 17 minutes in his first game and showed his assertiveness as the man in the middle for the Jayhawks.
Statline: 13 points [6/6 FG], eight rebounds, two blocks, two steals, 17 minutes.
Ohio State’s John Mobley Jr.
The Buckeyes are back on the underdog side of things this year and will prove worth to a lot of people. That started with an opening win against ranked opponent Texas, and John Mobley Jr. was unstoppable in his 14 minutes of game action.
Statline: 14 points [4/6 FG, 4-4 3PT]
BYU’S Egor Demin
This was considered a huge international pickup for newly-minted BYU coach Kevin Young this offseason. Demin is considered a first-round pick in this upcoming draft and has played against professionals already and it could pay huge dividens for the Cougs.
Statline: 18 points [7/13 FG, 4-7 3PT], 11 assists
Duke’s Kon Knueppel
With all the hype surrounding Cooper Flagg, I think early on people underestimated that he wasn’t the only potential lottery pick on the roster. Kon Knueppel is going to be a massive part of Duke’s success this year and he had a great debut.
Statline: 22 points [8/14 FG, 3-8 3PT], four rebounds, two assists.
Other notable performances:
- Syracuse’s Donnie Freeman
- Duke’s Cooper Flagg
- Purdue’s Daniel Jacobsen
- Alabama’s Aiden Sherrell
- Michigan’s L.J Cason
- BYU’s Kanon Catchings