At this point, you’ve heard about Tyran Stokes, Jordan Smith Jr., Caleb Holt and many other high-major freshman who will be high impact players this season. However, they are not the only diaper dandies worth knowing about. There are some mid-major freshmen who are going to make a huge impact this year.
Dhani Miller — Kent State
I am not quite sure how a guy who was playing at Montverde Academy fell so under the radar, but hey, we’ll take Dhani Miller at the mid-major level. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged over 15 points a game
in the EYBL Scholastic League last season and led Montverde in scoring. He is a powerful guard who is relentless getting to the basket and can finish over bigger defenders. He has shown a quick release when shooting off the dribble. I expect Miller to be one of the best players in the MAC this season.
Josiah Johnson — UC Irvine
Russell Turner is a defense-first coach, but his offense could be better than expected with Josiah Johnson in the mix this season. Johnson, a gifted scorer out of Southern California, will make a huge impact on the ball this season. Johnson has an extremely high basketball IQ and is great at picking his spots to attack. He doesn’t often get sped up and looks comfortable operating in the pick and roll. His passing has been on display in games I have watched, which is exciting given that he will have Olivier Rioux as a lob threat.
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Dionte Neal — UNC Greensboro
I will admit, I have a bit of a soft spot for small guards. Dionte Neal is no exception. At just 5-foot-9, Neal accomplished a ton has a multi-sport athlete in high school but will now focus on basketball at UNC Greensboro. He is explosive with the ball in his hands and gets where he wants on the floor. His height is often not a weakness as defenders have a difficult time keeping up with his pace. During his senior season, Neal averaged over 35 points, four rebounds (at 5-foot-9!), eight assists and six steals. He became the first player in the history of North Carolina high school basketball to record 1,000 steals and will now try to become to hometown hero in Greensboro.
Tyshawn Duncan — Louisiana
I had to go with at least one big, and Tyshawn Duncan is a guy I think can come in and dominate at the mid-major level right away. Duncan is an old-school power forward or undersized center at 6-foot-8, but the way he plays makes you forget that at least height-wise, he is small for his position. I use the phrase “college-ready body” way too much, but for Duncan, it definitely applies. His game is good combo of power and finesse. He is willing to throw his weight around to grab rebounds, but he also can showcase some nice footwork when he gets the ball down low. Before he took the job at Louisiana, Quannas White was at Houston, a program known for its physicality and toughness. It seems like he is definitely implementing that at Louisiana with the addition of Duncan.
Other names to know
Parrish Edmond Jr. — Siena
Trey Beamer — FIU
Aidan Derkack — Dayton
Sammy Jackson — VCU
Darius Bivins — Saint Mary’s
Hassan Koureissi — Fordham
Jayden Moore — North Dakota
Jasiah Cannady — UMass Lowell
