NBA Draft: High-Upside Freshmen Set to Make Regular Season Debuts

With the college season kicking off today, these four freshmen are set to make their debuts and potentially offer answers to looming questions

Oct 15, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

With college basketball tipping off today, several high-upside freshmen draft prospects will make their regular-season debuts. Rankings of players ahead of the 2025 NBA draft will change throughout the season, but several prospects found on most draft boards should be able to showcase their potential against weaker opponents in their first games with consequences.

Let’s take a look at four of the most interesting freshmen, when they play and what to watch for as they begin the season.

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Jalil Bethea | Guard | 6’5” | 190 lbs | Miami (FL) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson | 6:00 PM CT

Archbishop Wood's Jalil Bethea (1) goes for a layup against Lower Merion's Justin Mebane (10) during the PIAA Class 6A boys second-round state playoff basketball game in Bensalem on Wednesday, Mar. 13, 2024. / Daniella Heminghaus / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jalil Bethea enters his freshman season as one of the more versatile scorers in this class. He has solid positional size and is effective from all three levels, which, combined with his self-creation off the dribble, creates a dynamic prospect with a very high upside. He showed playmaking flashes during his high school career, but this does not necessarily jump out as a strong suit of his game currently. As his freshman season begins in this first regular-season matchup, his usage for the Hurricanes still seems somewhat up in the air. This roster has a handful of proven guards, so it will be intriguing to see how he can fit in early in the season.

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Tre Johnson | Guard | 6’6” | 190 lbs | No. 19 Texas vs Ohio State | 9:00 PM CT 

Texas’ Tre Johnson during a practice session that was held at the Moody Center for the local media. Sports writers got their first glimpse of the 2024-25 team at this event. / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tre Johnson is one of the most intriguing score-first guards in this freshman class and has the opportunity to burst onto the scene while facing a power five team in Ohio State. Johnson can score from all three levels and looks like one of the best one-on-one players throughout his high school career. He made great improvements in terms of playmaking, and while his jump shooting appears to be the strongest aspect of his game, he has a chance to develop into a much more well-rounded prospect down the road. As his freshman season tips off on Monday, the concern looms about how well his slimmer frame will hold up against more mature competition. The skill set looks ready to go, but physicality can be overpowering in the crowded college game.

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Will Riley | Forward | 6’8” | 195 lbs | Illinois vs. Eastern Illinois | 7:00 PM CT

Nov 25, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; A general view is seen during the first half during a game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the North Carolina A&T Aggies at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images / Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Will Riley is one of the younger incoming freshmen, as he reclassified to begin his college career a year earlier. He does a great job of putting the ball on the floor to create looks for himself or help playmake for others. His feel for the game is much more mature than one might assume, and his well-rounded game, combined with his great size, is extremely promising for his long-term potential. As he makes his regular-season debut on Monday, it will be interesting to see how his playstyle fits at Illinois. He excelled along the perimeter before this season but could be used in a wide variety of roles this year. He will need to add weight and strength, but he could be selected in the upcoming draft based on the flashes he is able to show with a plan for developing his game early in his NBA career.

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Carter Bryant | Forward | 6’8” | 225 lbs | #10 Arizona vs. Canisius | 9:00 PM CT

Jun 24, 2023; Glendale, AZ, USA; Corona Centennial player Carter Bryant (4) during the Section 7 high school boys tournament at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Carter Bryant has a great frame for a prospect and tantalizing perimeter upside due to his combination of length and feel. He can handle the ball and is creative while attacking the rim, where he can use soft touch or strength to finish through contact. He is by no means a finished product, but his long-term potential is among the highest of any projected selection in this class. His shooting remains a question and could be the difference in where he is selected, so monitoring that throughout this year will be crucial. Despite still working to round out his game, the physical tools should earn him playing time as he should be able to take advantage of mismatches when they present themselves.

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