Hoop Dreams

Men's Basketball Head Coach Ben Howland has done it again. His 2008 crop of freshman players — named the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation by both ESPN.com and Scout.com — includes elite guards, an explosive power forward and a standout center. The good times figure to keep on rolling with these freshman phenoms, who bring personality to spare, along with talent, to Westwood.

By Wendy Soderburg, Photos by Patrik Giardino

Published Jan 1, 2009 8:00 AM

The 60-Second Breakdown

When asked to give one-minute assessments of the freshmen, Assistant Coach Donny Daniels offers the following:

1. J'mison (pronounced "Jamison") "Bobo" Morgan: "Tremendous size. I think he's got a 7'5" wingspan. Good touch inside, working on his conditioning."

2. Jrue (pronounced "Drew") Holiday: "Very good offensively. Good rebounder for his size. Excellent passer. We're very excited by his ability to pass and score. Great temperament for defense."

3. Malcolm Lee: "Very athletic. Slender build, but that doesn't take away from his tenacity and his toughness. Very good outside shooter and a very good passer."

4. Jerime (pronounced "Jeremy") Anderson: "A pass-first, shoot-second type of attitude, with a great feel for playing defense. He has a knack for getting his hands on the ball."

5. Drew Gordon: "Very energized player. Runs the floor like a deer. Very good rebounder."