This article is part of our Freshman Haze series.
The news cycle in college basketball is very quick. The Champions Classic seems like last year, but it was less than a week ago. The signature event of college hoops in November featured some of this year's best freshmen, so we might as well feature them in the second Haze of the season. It appears as if Duke has taken Kentucky's spot as the top place for freshmen to land, and that was evidenced in Chicago. We'll leave Marvin Bagley III for a future Haze since he only played 10 minutes before getting poked in the eye by his teammate. Needless to say, he impressed and will headline a future column of his own.
Wendell Carter (F) 
Carter was the focus of early attempts of the Blue Devils to get offense in the paint. For the most part, he was unsuccessful against the Spartan defense, but managed to finish the game with a double-double. He is clearly a skilled player, but he might not be a guy who can convert an easy two points every time he is thrown the ball in the paint. The 6-foot-10 Carter can dominate smaller competition and had 20 points, 11 rebounds, and six boards in the win over Southern on Friday. He can work next to Bagley, but may be overshadowed at times.
Trevon Duval (G)
If there was one things last year's edition of the Blue Devils was missing, it was a pass-first point guard. Duval has fit that role perfectly in the
The news cycle in college basketball is very quick. The Champions Classic seems like last year, but it was less than a week ago. The signature event of college hoops in November featured some of this year's best freshmen, so we might as well feature them in the second Haze of the season. It appears as if Duke has taken Kentucky's spot as the top place for freshmen to land, and that was evidenced in Chicago. We'll leave Marvin Bagley III for a future Haze since he only played 10 minutes before getting poked in the eye by his teammate. Needless to say, he impressed and will headline a future column of his own.
Wendell Carter (F)
Carter was the focus of early attempts of the Blue Devils to get offense in the paint. For the most part, he was unsuccessful against the Spartan defense, but managed to finish the game with a double-double. He is clearly a skilled player, but he might not be a guy who can convert an easy two points every time he is thrown the ball in the paint. The 6-foot-10 Carter can dominate smaller competition and had 20 points, 11 rebounds, and six boards in the win over Southern on Friday. He can work next to Bagley, but may be overshadowed at times.
Trevon Duval (G)
If there was one things last year's edition of the Blue Devils was missing, it was a pass-first point guard. Duval has fit that role perfectly in the early going. His steady ball handling has helped move Grayson Allen off the ball and allowed Duke to flourish. He had his best game against the Spartans with 17 points, 10 assists, and six steals. The 6-3 guard has quickly earned Coach Krzyzewski's trust and has played heavy minutes. Opponents may start laying off Duval because he has only hit 1-of-10 from 3-point range, but he is able to blur past defenders on his way to the basket.
Jaren Jackson Jr. (F) 
With sophomores Miles Bridges and Nick Ward in the Spartan frontcourt, one might not expect there to be much opportunity for anyone else. For Jackson, opportunities must be created because the 6-11 freshman looks like he can play with anyone. He had 19 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in the loss to the Blue Devils. Fouls have been an issue and he only played 14 scoreless minutes before fouling out against Stony Brook on Sunday. If Bridges' ankle injury keeps him out of action, Jackson may become the top offensive option. He will need to curb his defensive aggressiveness just a tad to stay on the court to score.
Kevin Knox (F) 
As noted above, Kentucky seems to have fallen a step behind Duke in the great recruiting race. Coach John Calipari still can gather talent and the smooth Knox looks like he could be a future superstar. While Kentucky has not impressed in the early going, the 6-9 forward has scored at least 11 points in every game. He had a season-high 20 points with seven rebounds in the loss to Kansas. After struggling from the field in the first two games (6-of-23, 26.1 percent), Knox has since bounced back (14-of-26, 53.8 percent). It wouldn't be surprising to see his field goal percentage edge toward 50 percent by the end of the season.
Taylor Funk (F) 
The loss of guard Lamarr Kimble (foot) for the season may have opened up more shots for the 6-9 Funk. The Michigander started the season knocking down 3-pointers off of passes from Kimble and has not stopped hitting from the perimeter. Through three games, he has converted 13 3-pointers on 59.1 percent from long range. Funk burned Princeton for 23 points on 7-of-8 from the field, including five 3-pointers. His conversion percentages (61.1 percent from the field) are not sustainable, but opponents will have to game plan for the freshman forward. Other Hawks will benefit from Funk's shooting prowess.
Eli Scott (G) 
From Philadelphia to Los Angeles where it is always sunny. The 6-5 Scott has moved directly into the starting lineup and has provided the Lions with an offensive threat. In the opener, Loyola Marymount gave UT-Arlington a competitive run and Scott scored 11 points with six rebounds. That turned out to be his least productive game. He played 40 minutes in an overtime win against McNeese State on Sunday, and had his first double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds). Scott lived with media magnet LaVar Ball while in high school, so he is used to being surrounded by basketball talent (and loudmouths too, perhaps).
Ja Morant (G) 
The Racers came into the season with veteran Jonathan Stark as the team's likely point guard. The 6-3 Morant has caused a lineup cascade in which Stark has moved to shooting guard for the most part. The point guard has authored 21 assists through three games, although 11 dimes came in the opener against NAIA Brescia. He has averaged 10.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists and hit all 11 of his free throw attempts. If the Racers are to return to the top of the Ohio Valley heap, they will need Morant to continue to be a presence.
