Five Freshmen to Watch in the NCAA Tournament

Before the season, four freshmen were billed as making up the best rookie class since Greg Oden and Kevin Durant arrived on campus, and the superlatives only multiplied. Then Kansas discovered it had another freshman star, Joel Embiid, who could leapfrog the rest to be the No. 1 pick in the N.B.A. draft in June. But why worry about all that now? Let's enjoy watching these stars play in the N.C.A.A. tournament.

Parker, who turned 19 on Saturday, looked like a man among boys from the start. He had 27 points and 9 rebounds in his second game, a nationally televised matchup with Kansas. Parker hit a dry spell in early January and sometimes appeared too deferential, perhaps uncomfortable with his outsize ability. But he finished the regular season with six consecutive double-doubles and was a unanimous all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection. Parker has drawn comparisons to Carmelo Anthony in large part because they have similar bodies. Projected as a top-five N.B.A. draft choice, he also appears likely to follow Anthony's one-and-done path.

Key Stat Has scored at least 10 points in 17 consecutive games.

Talking Point 'He's a special kid. And a lot of pressure is on him because we're relying on a freshman to be our best player. And he's been a pretty darn good one.' - Coach Mike Krzyzewski

Wiggins, a silky-smooth forward, was perhaps the most publicized high school prospect since LeBron James. newsandtalking.blogspot.com named him a preseason all-American. Sports Illustrated put him on its cover, and shoe companies were reportedly fighting over him before he even stepped on the floor at Kansas. It was going to be hard to live up to those expectations. But Wiggins, 19, managed to lead his team in scoring and steals and finished second in blocks, third in rebounding and fourth in 3-point shooting percentage. Analysts are still looking for him to fill out physically, but he should be among the top five picks in the N.B.A. draft.

Key Stat Set a Kansas freshman record with 41 points in the team's final regular-season game, against West Virginia.

Talking Point 'Like I said, you've got to earn my respect. You've got to go out and take it, and he earned it tonight.' - Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart, after Wiggins scored 30 points against the Cowboys in the Big 12 quarterfinals.

With the buzz surrounding Wiggins, it took some time for the 7-foot Embiid to receive much national attention, even as Coach Bill Self tried hard to pump him up. In September, Self said he saw similarities between Embiid, a native of Cameroon, and Hakeem Olajuwon. N.B.A. scouts soon noticed the same things, and Embiid shot up the draft board; he is now expected to be among the top five picks. Although relatively new to basketball, Embiid has showed flashes of huge potential around the rim. A back injury is expected to keep him out of the opening weekend of the N.C.A.A. tournament, but if Kansas advances, Embiid will be a must-watch player in the later rounds.

Points 11.2 Rebounds 8.1 Blocks 2.6 Shooting percentage 62.6

Key Stat Opponents shot only 40.9 percent when Embiid was on the court, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

Talking Point 'To see the agility, the strength, the movements and the confidence, I see a very similar athlete to me.' - the Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon

Entering the season, Gordon was the least flashy of the fantastic four freshmen, and in some ways has been less productive than Wiggins, Randle and Parker. But Gordon seemed to jell with Arizona's system, and he has displayed maturity that belies his inexperience. Coach Sean Miller has continually praised Gordon's unselfishness - he finished third on the team in assists - and his athleticism has kept N.B.A. scouts excited about his potential. Some might advise Gordon, considered a top-15 draft choice, to stick around to improve his midrange game.

Key Stat Has shot only 43.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Talking Point 'I could never have predicted how well he's handled just being part of the team, being part of the university, being unselfish. He's the same every day. You don't know if he played well or not well. He wants to play well, but it's always been about the win.' - Coach Sean Miller

JULIUS RANDLE Kentucky

The 6-foot-9 Randle, one of five blue-chip recruits the Wildcats landed for this season, stood out from the rest, notching seven straight double-doubles to begin his career. He wound up becoming the first Kentucky player since Anthony Davis - the first overall pick in the 2012 N.B.A. draft - to finish the season averaging double figures in scoring and in rebounding. He was also named the Southeastern Conference's freshman of the year, an honor a Kentucky player has earned for five consecutive seasons. The previous four Wildcats are playing in the N.B.A., and Randle is expected to follow as a top-five pick.

Key Stat Finished second in N.C.A.A. Division I with 20 double-doubles, one behind the Towson senior Jerrelle Benimon.

Talking Point 'He takes good angles; he's fast with the ball; the way he moves for his size is very impressive.' - the Florida Gators senior Will Yeguete

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