There have been many cases were a highly-touted recruit arrives and understands that he will have a learning season.
Then you have the players that are acquired to back up a current superstar. After the player graduates, or leaves, the acquired player will finally get the chance to come out his shadow.
This is what occurred last season with a lot of highly-touted recruits in the 2009 class, and backups during the 09-10' season.
With the upcoming season right around the corner, the notable players are starting to come to light.
There are many players that are poised to breakout for their respective squads. But here is my selection of the most notable players that are poised to break out of the shadows.
Wally Judge came out of high school as a McDonald's All-American. Judge drew the attention of many NBA scouts and was conceived to possible fulfill his NBA dreams after one year at Kansas State. However, that wasn't the case. Due to Luis Colon, Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels, and the Wildcats stacked frontcourt, Judge was only used for defensive purposes. This season, with more minutes opening up Judge will embrace the chance to "wow" and become one of the premier threat in the Big 12.
Playing beside a talented player like Scottie Reynolds wasn't easy for Corey Fisher. Reynolds got all the recognition for the success at Villanova. Now, with Reynolds gone, Fisher will grasp the chance to embrace success. His scoring ability will be critical for the 'Cats.
Last season, Rick Pitino acquired McDonald's All-American point guard Peyton Siva to back up Edgar Sosa. With Sosa, and Siva, Pitino had a duo of guards that could play at a high-level. With Sosa gone, Siva gets his crack at leading the offense for the Cardinals. I assume he will be one of the most improved players in the Big East.
Jordan Hamilton's college career has been plagued with injuries thus far. Despite playing beside a player like Damion James, Hamilton was looked to contribute a lot to the Longhorns. However, the lack of staying healthy hurt the rotation of Texas. This season, with a healthy Hamilton the Longhorns key threat may be on the wing.
Despite playing beside De'Sean Butler, and Devin E'banks, Kevin Jones was able to accumulate 13.5 points, and 7.2 rebounds. With both of those players in the NBA, the buzz will now surround Jones. He will be able to get the recognition and produce at a consistent rate with more touches.
Last season, Lucious ended the season on a strong note. Despite losing to Butler, Lucious lead the Spartans to the Final Four and hit key shots as well. This year, with Kalin Lucas returning from injury Lucious could become the next threat for the Spartans. If he stays consistent for the Spartans he could start at point, and Tom Izzo may slide Lucas to the two.
The Morris Twins collectively were overshadowed by the contributions of Cole Aldrich day-in and day-out. However, with his NBA career in-sight the twin brothers will have the chance to take over the Jayhawks frontcourt. With a new guard, these two could become the favorite target.
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