One 'N Done: College Freshmen Phenoms Make Quantum Leap to the NBA
July 1st, 2012 - 20:22
The newcomers are the latest not to give themselves sufficient time at the college level to amass one-for-the- books or one-for-the-ages career records. SEC freshmen accounted for the first three choices in the 2012 NBA draft, increasing the number of yearlings among top three selections to 10 in the last six years.
Kentucky made history with the top two picks and six overall. No. 1 choice Anthony Davis trademarked phrases stemming from his unibrow but it will raise eyebrows if the national POY as a freshman doesn't go on to more important endeavors such as raising New Orleans' fortunes.
Three of UK's selections this year are among the following alphabetical list of freshmen who left universities since troubled Dontonio Wingfield became the first major-college "one 'n done" frosh upon departing from Cincinnati in 1994:
| Freshman | Pos. | College | NBA Team Drafted By | Year | Round | Overall Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shareef Abdur-Rahim | F-C | California | Vancouver Grizzlies | 1996 | 1st | 3rd |
| Carmelo Anthony | F | Syracuse | Denver Nuggets | 2003 | 1st | 3rd |
| Trevor Ariza | F | UCLA | New York Knicks | 2004 | 2nd | 43rd |
| Jerryd Bayless | G | Arizona | Indiana Pacers | 2008 | 1st | 11th |
| Bradley Beal | G-F | Florida | Washington Wizards | 2012 | 1st | 3rd |
| Michael Beasley | F | Kansas State | Miami Heat | 2008 | 1st | 2nd |
| Eric Bledsoe | G | Kentucky | Oklahoma City Thunder | 2010 | 1st | 18th |
| Chris Bosh | F | Georgia Tech | Toronto Raptors | 2003 | 1st | 4th |
| Avery Bradley | G | Texas | Boston Celtics | 2010 | 1st | 19th |
| Mike Conley Jr. | G | Ohio State | Memphis Grizzlies | 2007 | 1st | 4th |
| Daequan Cook | G | Ohio State | Philadelphia 76ers | 2007 | 1st | 21st |
| Omar Cook | G | St. John's | Orlando Magic | 2001 | 2nd | 32nd |
| Jamal Crawford | G | Michigan | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2000 | 1st | 8th |
| Javaris Crittenton | G | Georgia Tech | Los Angeles Lakers | 2007 | 1st | 19th |
| Anthony Davis | C | Kentucky | New Orleans Hornets | 2012 | 1st | 1st |
| Ricky Davis | F | Iowa | Charlotte Hornets | 1998 | 1st | 21st |
| Luol Deng | F | Duke | Phoenix Suns | 2004 | 1st | 7th |
| DeMar DeRozan | F | Southern California | Toronto Raptors | 2009 | 1st | 9th |
| Andre Drummond | C | Connecticut | Detroit Pistons | 2012 | 1st | 9th |
| Kevin Durant | F | Texas | Seattle SuperSonics | 2007 | 1st | 2nd |
| Tyreke Evans | G | Memphis | Sacramento Kings | 2009 | 1st | 4th |
| Derrick Favors | F | Georgia Tech | New Jersey Nets | 2010 | 1st | 3rd |
| Alton Ford | F | Houston | Phoenix Suns | 2001 | 2nd | 51st |
| Keith "Tiny" Gallon | C | Oklahoma | Milwaukee Bucks | 2010 | 2nd | 47th |
| Dion Glover | G | Georgia Tech | Atlanta Hawks | 1999 | 1st | 20th |
| Eric Gordon | G | Indiana | Los Angeles Clippers | 2008 | 1st | 7th |
| Donte Greene | F | Syracuse | Memphis Grizzlies | 2008 | 1st | 28th |
| Eddie Griffin | F | Seton Hall | New Jersey Nets | 2001 | 1st | 7th |
| Maurice Harkless | F | St. John's | Philadelphia 76ers | 2012 | 1st | 15th |
| Tobias Harris | F | Tennessee | Charlotte Bobcats | 2011 | 1st | 19th |
| Donnell Harvey | F | Florida | New York Knicks | 2000 | 1st | 22nd |
| Spencer Hawes | C | Washington | Sacramento Kings | 2007 | 1st | 10th |
| Xavier Henry | G | Kansas | Memphis Grizzlies | 2010 | 1st | 12th |
| J.J. Hickson | F | North Carolina State | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2008 | 1st | 19th |
| Jrue Holiday | G | UCLA | Philadelphia 76ers | 2009 | 1st | 17th |
| Larry Hughes | G | Saint Louis | Philadelphia 76ers | 1998 | 1st | 8th |
| Kris Humphries | F | Minnesota | Utah Jazz | 2004 | 1st | 14th |
| DerMarr Johnson | G | Cincinnati | Atlanta Hawks | 2000 | 1st | 6th |
| DeAndre Jordan | C | Texas A&M | Los Angeles Clippers | 2008 | 2nd | 35th |
| Cory Joseph | G | Texas | San Antonio Spurs | 2011 | 1st | 29th |
| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | F | Kentucky | Charlotte Bobcats | 2012 | 1st | 2nd |
| Brandon Knight | G | Kentucky | Detroit Pistons | 2011 | 1st | 8th |
| Kosta Koufos | C | Ohio State | Utah Jazz | 2008 | 1st | 23rd |
| Kevin Love | F | UCLA | Memphis Grizzlies | 2008 | 1st | 5th |
| Corey Maggette | F | Duke | Seattle SuperSonics | 1999 | 1st | 13th |
| Stephon Marbury | G | Georgia Tech | Milwaukee Bucks | 1996 | 1st | 4th |
| O.J. Mayo | G | Southern California | Minnesota Timberwolves | 2008 | 1st | 3rd |
| Quincy Miller | F | Baylor | Denver Nuggets | 2012 | 2nd | 38th |
| B.J. Mullens | C | Ohio State | Dallas Mavericks | 2009 | 1st | 24th |
| Greg Oden | C | Ohio State | Portland Trail Blazers | 2007 | 1st | 1st |
| Daniel Orton | C-F | Kentucky | Orlando Magic | 2010 | 1st | 29th |
| Anthony Randolph | F | Louisiana State | Golden State Warriors | 2008 | 1st | 14th |
| Zach Randolph | C | Michigan State | Portland Trail Blazers | 2001 | 1st | 19th |
| Austin Rivers | G | Duke | New Orleans Hornets | 2012 | 1st | 10th |
| Derrick Rose | G | Memphis | Chicago Bulls | 2008 | 1st | 1st |
| Jamal Sampson | F-C | California | Utah Jazz | 2002 | 2nd | 47th |
| Josh Selby | G | Kansas | Memphis Grizzlies | 2011 | 2nd | 49th |
| Lance Stephenson | F | Cincinnati | Indiana Pacers | 2010 | 2nd | 40th |
| Marquis Teague | G | Kentucky | Chicago Bulls | 2012 | 1st | 29th |
| Tim Thomas | F | Villanova | New Jersey Nets | 1997 | 1st | 7th |
| Tyrus Thomas | F | Louisiana State | Portland Trail Blazers | 2006 | 1st | 4th |
| Tristan Thompson | F | Texas | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2011 | 1st | 4th |
| Dajuan Wagner | G | Memphis | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2002 | 1st | 6th |
| Bill Walker | F | Kansas State | Washington Wizards | 2008 | 2nd | 47th |
| John Wall | G | Kentucky | Washington Wizards | 2010 | 1st | 1st |
| Gerald Wallace | F | Alabama | Sacramento Kings | 2001 | 1st | 25th |
| Rodney White | F | Charlotte | Detroit Pistons | 2001 | 1st | 9th |
| Hassan Whiteside | C | Marshall | Sacramento Kings | 2010 | 2nd | 33rd |
| Marvin Williams | F | North Carolina | Atlanta Hawks | 2005 | 1st | 2nd |
| Shawne Williams | F | Memphis | Indiana Pacers | 2006 | 1st | 17th |
| Dontonio Wingfield | F | Cincinnati | Seattle SuperSonics | 1994 | 2nd | 37th |
| Brandan Wright | F | North Carolina | Charlotte Hornets | 2007 | 1st | 8th |
| Tony Wroten Jr. | G | Washington | Memphis Grizzlies | 2012 | 1st | 25th |
| Thaddeus Young | F | Georgia Tech | Philadelphia 76ers | 2007 | 1st | 12th |
NOTE: Manute Bol (DII Bridgeport in 1985) and Shawn Kemp (JC Trinity Valley in 1989) were the first two non- NCAA DI players selected as freshmen.