Rosters for the 2012 Jordan Brand game have been announced and, now that one year has passed since the Class of 2011 participated, let’s take a look at how those players have fared at the college level. Below is Part II, taking a look at the roster for the West:
Did you miss Part I, which took a look at the roster for the East team? Check it out here.
Bradley Beal | Forward | Florida
Beal has struggled in spots this season, including a 2-of-15 shooting night against UAB, but he is perhaps the SEC’s best freshman this side of the Kentucky Wildcats’ duo of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis. He has averaged 14 points and six rebounds and is a main reason that the Gators sit at No. 11 in the country.
Jabari Brown | Guard | Oregon/Missouri
Brown is the second from the 2011 Jordan Brand game (along with Khem Birch) to have transferred from his original school. His skill is undeniable, but questions about his intangibles have been raised. He will be headed to Missouri and coach Frank Haith next season.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Guard | Georgia
Though Georgia sits near the bottom of the SEC, Caldwell-Pope has made the Bulldogs worth a watch. He is averaging 15 points and five rebounds per game. Haven’t seen much of him? Check out this big-time slam that he threw down in transition against Georgia Tech.
Anthony Davis | Forward | Kentucky
Davis will easily be the SEC’s Freshman of the Year, will contend for SEC and national Player of the Year, and is the odds-on favorite to be the first pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Analysts have been enamored with the fact that Davis played his entire career as a guard, before sprouting to 6-10 and becoming the most dominant shotblocker in the country. He will obliterate Shaquille O’Neal’s freshman blocks record in the SEC and changes the dynamic of any opposing offense when he is on the floor. Offensively, he adds a vertical dimension to the Wildcats’ offense and is shooting 65% from the floor.
Myck Kabongo | Guard | Texas
Kabongo was rated as second-best point guard in the Class of 2011, behind Kentucky’s Marquis Teague. The Canadian product has been at the helm for the young Longhorns and has navigated them to a 13-9 overall record and 3-6 record in the strong Big 12. He is averaging just about 10 points and five assists per game.
Johnny O’Bryant | Forward | LSU
O’Bryant has averaged a solid eight points and six rebounds for the Tigers in his freshman season. He missed most of the month of January with a fractured hand, but has since returned. His biggest outing came against Northwestern on Nov. 17th, when he tallied 21 points and eight rebounds.
Sir’Dominic Pointer | Forward | St. John’s
Pointer was the highest-ranked player in the Red Storm’s massive 2011 class but, with fellow freshmen D’Angelo Harrison and Moe Harkless garnering most of the national attention, Pointer’s importance to this developing team has been understated. He is the defensive cornerstone of assistant coach Mike Dunlap’s system and has added important offense in spots (not to mention the occasional powerful throwdown).
Otto Porter | Forward | Georgetown
Porter is establishing himself as an emotional leader of the Hoyas, along with his eight points and seven rebounds per game. He has great length and fundamental skill. Coach John Thompson calls him “the most prepared freshman I’ve coached.”
Adonis Thomas | Guard/Forward | Memphis
Memphis disappointed some with their performance in the nonconference, and got unfortunate news when word came down that the Top 10 freshman Thomas needed surgery to repair a tendon in his foot. A few days ago, Thomas reported he was looking to work his way back to the court in time for the C-USA tournament. He was averaging nearly 10 points and four rebounds before his injury.
Kyle Wiltjer | Forward | Kentucky
Wiltjer came out of high school as a Top 25 player, but has seen limited time because of the depth and athleticism of the country’s No. 1 team. As a defensive liability, it makes it difficult for coach John Calipari to give him minutes in certain spots, but he has shown what he can do on the offensive end when he get playing time. He had 24 points against Loyola (Md.) and 19 against Penn State.
Tony Wroten | Guard | Washington
In a piece last week, it was summed up pretty well. Wroten has been, “both brilliant and baffling” in his first season at Washington. At times, he is turnover-prone and takes ill-advised shots. But, the fact is that he is second in the Pac 12 in scoring at 17.1 points per game, and is threatening to be the first Husky freshman to lead the conference in scoring since Louie Nelson in 1972-73.
Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_