NBA Draft: Breakout Performances From Three Freshmen Prospects on Dec. 4

While many freshmen around the country have shown strong play up to this point in the season, other first-year players have taken longer to showcase what made them such valuable prospects. On a loaded day of action on Wednesday, Dec. 4, a few of these underperforming players were able to break out with very impressive games. While most of these prospects have played a decent amount of minutes this season, these recent games stood out as their most productive showings and could offer hope for how their seasons may unfold moving forward. Let’s dive into three freshmen who shined and break down how their play in these recent games could draw interest from NBA teams.
Magoon Gwath | Center | San Diego State | 7’0” | 205 lbs | Freshman
Magoon Gwath has been one of the best shot-blockers in the nation this year, but his performance in San Diego State’s 84-62 victory over Fresno State was by far his best showing. He finished the game with 25 points, ten rebounds and two blocks. This game set career highs for Gwath in points and rebounds, surpassing his previous best of 16 points against Occidental and four rebounds against Creighton. While he has not been overly productive outside of his four blocks per game through his first six outings, his flashes of outside shooting and defensive instincts have looked promising. Stat lines like this should not be expected on a nightly basis, but Gwath's ability to dominate bodes extremely well for his long-term upside as he continues developing and gaining confidence.
Isaiah Evans | Wing | Duke | 6’6” | 175 lbs | Freshman
Isaiah Evans was a highly touted freshman prior to the start of the season but slid into a reserve role for the loaded Duke Blue Devils. In his most recent opportunity, during a 84-78 upset victory over No. 2 Auburn, Evans played a big role. He got hot in the first half and finished the game with 18 points and one rebound on impressive shooting (6-of-8 from three-point range). His shooting mechanics looked as good as advertised, and this performance could help create a more consistent role for him. He did a great job of relocating into space off-ball to find open looks. This was Evans’s first time seeing significant minutes against high-level teams, as he did not play in matchups with Kentucky, Arizona or Kansas. Moving forward, don’t be surprised to see Evans serve as an offensive spark plug for a Duke team that can struggle offensively at times.
Ian Jackson | Guard | North Carolina | 6’4” | 190 lbs | Freshman
Ian Jackson is the most proven prospect out of the three discussed here, but his performance in a 94-79 loss to Alabama stood out as his best showing as an individual prospect. He finished with 23 points, five rebounds and two assists while showcasing elite athleticism and promising long-range shooting. He has been a monster in transition throughout the year so far, but this outing highlighted how he could also be effective in half-court sets. Although this was the Tar Heels’ third straight loss (following defeats to Auburn and Michigan State), Jackson seems to have found a way to make an impact off the bench. His ability to attack the rim and knock down catch-and-shoot threes has looked promising, and if these tools continue to shine, he could quickly rise back up draft boards.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.