Year of the Freshmen

One-and-dones rule college basketball. Freshmen come in, make an impact, then head off to the NBA. But every so often, a crop comes in that is different. And this one, the experts and analysts and NBA scouts all agree, is special. All season, ESPN.com will chart their steps during their (likely brief) time on college campuses.

Who are these guys?

• Welcome to the Year of the Freshmen

• Freshmen Orientation: An introduction to the 10 best freshmen

• Is this really the best class ever?

UCLA's Lonzo Ball taking college basketball by storm

• Think Lonzo Ball is great? Meet his two UCLA-bound brothers

• Fivethirtyeight: UCLA's Lonzo Ball Is A Unique, Must-Watch Star

• Lonzo Ball has NBA personnel raving, UCLA soaring

Year of the Freshmen: Now playing

• Duke's Bolden, other top-50 prospects waiting to emerge as freshmen

• Which freshmen are outperforming their recruiting rankings?

• Don't know Arizona's Lauri Markkanen? You should

• NC State's Smith is the best freshman you've never heard of

• Should Harry Giles even play at Duke?

• Is Markelle Fultz this year's Ben Simmons?

• Vitale: Diaper Dandies already making a difference ?

Preseason introductions

• Harry Giles knows everyone is looking at his knees

• Can Duke's Harry Giles regain his pre-injury form?

• Superfrosh Josh Jackson blends in -- and stands out

• Does Josh Jackson have the offense to be 'the guy' at Kansas?

• Duke's Tatum is proud to be 'biggest mama's boy ever'

• How will Jayson Tatum fit into Duke's offense?

• Desperate UCLA, composed Lonzo Ball join forces in crucial season

• Can UCLA freshman Lonzo Ball meet massive expectations?

• Kentucky big man Bam Adebayo has a bigger personality

• How will Kentucky's Adebayo turn physicality into production?

• Is Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox the next John Wall?

• How will Kentucky use De'Aaron Fox's speed to its advantage?

• Miles Bridges is MSU's latest Flinstone who almost wasn't

• Miles Bridges will help Michigan State, but how?

• Markelle Fultz wants to 'be best that ever played'

• Washington's Markelle Fultz can score, but can he do it all?

• The one that got away: How Arkansas native Malik Monk landed at Kentucky

• For UK freshman Malik Monk, will athleticism translate to production?

• Duke's Frank Jackson serving different kind of Mormon mission

• Is freshman Frank Jackson the solution to Duke's point guard problem?

Video

• Is this really the Year of the Freshmen?

• Can Kentucky's big men duplicate 2012's success?