Growing Pains: Ascending All-Americans Start Slow But Finish Fast
April 14th, 2013 - 8:59
In a microwave atmosphere of instant expectations, Virginia Tech's Erick Green (2.6 ppg in 2009-10), Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk (3.8 in 2009-10), Duke's Mason Plumlee (3.7 in 2009-10), Louisville's Russ Smith (2.2 in 2010-11) and Kansas' Jeff Withey (1.3 in 2009-10) failed to generate national headlines in their freshman seasons before blossoming into All-Americans.
They are classic examples of why fans shouldn't put too much stock in freshman statistics. Withey, on the heels of Cole Aldrich and Thomas Robinson, became the third KU frontcourter in the last four years to become an All-American after shaky starts.
Green, Olynyk, Plumlee, Smith and Withey aren't the only All-Americans who endured growing pains. Green, Smith and Withey joined the following alphabetical list of players who averaged fewer than three points per game as a freshman before eventually earning All-American acclaim:
| Eventual All-American | Pos. | School | Freshman Scoring Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Aldrich | C | Kansas | 2.8 ppg in 2007-08 |
| Lorenzo Charles | F | North Carolina State | 2.2 ppg in 1981-82 |
| Keith Edmonson | G | Purdue | 1.3 ppg in 1978-79 |
| Aaron Gray | C | Pittsburgh | 1.7 ppg in 2003-04 |
| Erick Green | G | Virginia Tech | 2.6 ppg in 2009-10 |
| Tom Gugliotta | F | North Carolina State | 2.7 ppg in 1988-89 |
| Roy Hamilton | G | UCLA | 1.2 ppg in 1975-76 |
| Jeff Jonas | G | Utah | 2.8 ppg in 1973-74 |
| Ted Kitchel | F | Indiana | 1.7 ppg in 1979-80 |
| Bob Kurland | C | Oklahoma A&M | 2.5 ppg in 1942-43 |
| Tom LaGarde | C | North Carolina | 2.2 ppg in 1973-74 |
| Kenyon Martin | C | Cincinnati | 2.8 ppg in 1996-97 |
| John Pilch | G | Wyoming | 2.4 ppg in 1946-47 |
| Thomas Robinson | F | Kansas | 2.5 ppg in 2009-10 |
| Steve Scheffler | C | Purdue | 1.5 ppg in 1986-87 |
| Russ Smith | G | Louisville | 2.2 ppg in 2010-11 |
| Earl Tatum | G-F | Marquette | 1.5 ppg in 1972-73 |
| Kurt Thomas | F-C | Texas Christian | 0.8 ppg in 1990-91 |
| Al Thornton | F | Florida State | 2.8 ppg in 2003-04 |
| B.J. Tyler* | G | DePaul | 2.9 ppg in 1989-90 |
| Jeff Withey | C | Kansas | 1.3 ppg in 2009-10 |
*Tyler became an All-American at Texas after transferring to his home state
NOTE: Oregon's Wally Borrevik (1.8 ppg in 1940-41), Wisconsin's Gene Englund (2.3 ppg in 1938-39), California's Darrall Imhoff (0.9 ppg in 1957-58), Kansas' Dean Kelley (0.8 in 1950-51), Purdue's Bob Kessler (2.3 ppg in 1933-34), Notre Dame's Leo Klier (2.7 in 1942-43), Oklahoma A&M's Gale McArthur (2.96 ppg in 1948-49), Notre Dame's Bob Rensberger (1.5 ppg in 1940-41) and Stanford's George Yardley (2.9 ppg in 1947-48) averaged fewer than three points per game as sophomores when freshmen weren't eligible to play varsity basketball before becoming All-Americans.