College basketball’s 10 most-impactful freshmen: Alabama’s Brandon Miller, Kansas’ Gradey Dick packing a punch

Numbers to know: 18.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 42.5% of 3

Miller runs away with Freshman of the Year honors at the Securities and Exchange Commission and nationally. Miller dominates, but does not obsess over the ball. Miller’s utilization rate is only 22.9%, but his performance numbers are off the charts. The freshman is one of the top scorers in college basketball, according to Synergy, ranking fourth in the SEC in transition points per game. The 6-foot-9, 200-pound five-star recruit has already earned Nate Oates’ trust in handling the ball. Miller also knew how to play without the ball. He is an amazing sniper who knows how to shoot.

Oh, and protection? Opponents shoot just 28.3% from the floor when Miller is the closest guard, according to Synergy.and he’s the second-best quarterback in Alabama this season. Miller has areas of his game that need to be improved (finishing near the rim, making pick-and-roll decisions), but he was one of the best players in college basketball. Miller is going to make a lot of money in the NBA.

Numbers to know: 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 42.7% of 3

One of the opposing Big 12 coaches told 247Sports’ Kevin Flaherty that stopping Dick is the #1 priority when trying to slow down Kansas. Dick is tied for third among all senior freshmen in three points (61), and the 6-foot-8, 205-pound wing needs about half an inch of space to catch and shoot. Dick has such seriousness in the offensive attack of the KU. You just need to know where he is at all times, and that makes it almost impossible to send two defensemen to Kansas’ top scorer Jalen Wilson. Dick is a zone destroyer and transitional defense killer. He also throws 50% for 2 seconds and moves very well without a basketball. Errors in defense during the season also became less. Kansas’ three-game losing streak in mid-January is directly related to Dick’s just 5-of-21 shots from three-point range. When he does 3rd, Kansas is good at the national championship level.

Numbers to know: 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 33.7% of 3

Baylor coach Scott Drew was not afraid to put the ball in George’s hands. The freshman guard has the highest usage rate on the team and the second highest usage rate of any freshman in the country (30.2). George has boundless confidence. The moment he crosses half the court, he threatens to pull the trigger. George’s bag is deep, but reckless overconfidence causes his performance metrics to drop. But Drew is quite content with a few questionable possessions because of everything else George brings from an offensive standpoint. George had one of the best bounce shots in the country (44.0% of effective field goals) and he can really bail out any possession.

Flamethrowers like LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler get so much attention, and George is quick to get to the front of the ring and get to the free throw line. Syracuse’s Judah Mintz is the only freshman with more free throws than George (129). George’s defensive impact was a big question mark before he got to Baylor, but he prepared well and showed a real competitive spirit. The 12 Freshmen of the Year race against Dick is going to be hot.

Numbers to know: 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.9 blocks, 40.7% 3 sec.

Walker was sent to this earth to play for Calvin Sampson. The 6ft 8in, 240lb man is surrounded by a ton of talent, but he just finds a way to jump off the tape. Walker rebounds insatiably, especially on attack glass. According to Bart Torvik, Walker’s 9.1 offensive rebound percentage ranks seventh among all senior freshmen. Houston’s elite backcourt certainly helps Walker look his best, but he also helps them with his devastating screens, relentless effort and decision-making skills. Walker mostly makes one 3-pointer per game and shoots 66.2% at the rim. He can already guard almost everyone on the floor. Walker is surrounded by stars, but he made a significant contribution to the victory of one of the best college basketball teams.

Numbers to know: 16.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 43% off 3

There are 99 problems in Ohio, but Sensabo is not one of them. Big-bodied Wing ranks third among all Power Five freshmen in scoring with 16.7 points per game. His Synergy page is admirable and shows how truly an elite shooter he is.

• Jump shots: 91st percentile
• Catch and shoot: 95th percentile
• Dribbling jumpers: 83rd percentile
• Post-ups: 92nd percentile

At the peak of his career, Sensabo impressed with his clean bucket performances, as did every freshman in the country, with the exception of Brandon Miller. His gutting of Iowa with 27 points was perfect. Indiana’s good defense couldn’t handle him. Rutgers has an elite defense full of veteran wings that should have given him more trouble, but Sensabo scored 20 points on just 11 shots. His defensive rebounds were also good to see. Sensabo is second on the team with an 18.9 defensive rebound percentage.

But Ohio State fell to 11-14 overall and just 3-11 in the Big Ten game. Sensabo had a few ineffective shots and didn’t put in a lot of playmaking chops. There are also some questions about its protective effects. The Buckeyes need to win a few more late games so Sensabo’s case for Big Ten Freshman of the Year recognition isn’t tarnished.

Numbers to know: 15.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.2 steals

Filipovsky shouldn’t have put that much pressure on him. But injuries to Daric Whitehead, Derek Lively II and Jeremy Roach forced John Shayer to hand over most of the finishing moves to Filipovski. Let’s be honest, Duke also had big spacing problems early in the season, so Filipovski had a hard time. But you didn’t see any excuses from Flip.

The performance has been a little inconsistent, but you can’t argue with the count stats. Filipovsky flirts with a double-double every night, and he’ll throw a three-pointer in your eye. As Duke gets better, Filipovsky won’t have to take on as much of a load. Playing with a leading veteran quarterback like Roach might tone down his volume a bit, but it ups the quality of Filipovski’s looks. There’s no question that Filipovski needs to improve in space defense, but Duke would have been lucky to hit 60 without him early in the season. KenPom ranks Filipovski as the best player in the ACC this season. Not bad for a freshman who didn’t get rave reviews in preseason chatter.

Numbers to know: 12.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 38.5% at 3 seconds

Jalen Pickett (Pennsylvania) and Jameer Young (Maryland) are the only Big Ten players to score more points in a game than Hood-Scyfino in goal screening. The leading freshman quarterback had to take on a bigger role after Xavier Johnson’s serious foot injury, and he’s absolutely thriving. Playing with an American like Trace Jackson-Davies has its advantages, but the dangerous Hood-Schiffino also makes Jackson-Davis better. Hood-Schifino answered questions about his jumper (30 triples, 38% in Big Ten play) and he…