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Jim Boeheim might be a lot of different things but when it comes to previewing the season ahead with the players in front of him, he usually tells it to you straight. And he's got an eye for this sort of thing.
It was Boeheim who first said Wes Johnson was one-and-done at Cuse, long before any of the national folk noticed.
His bold "declaration" before last season that Syracuse would be better off with Brandon Triche than Jonny Flynn sounded like lunacy...until it ended up being true.
So when Jim Boeheim talks about the potential he sees in incoming Syracuse freshman Fab Melo and Dion Waiters, you can believe that he's not going to b-s you. Or Seth Davis, who asked the questions for us.
So when Boeheim says that his incoming 7-foot freshman center, the wonderfully named Fab Melo, will be "a strong contender for national rookie of the year," you should pay attention. Not that this is a surprise. Boeheim said Melo has lost 30 pounds over the last year, and unlike many big men coming out of high school, he is ready to have an impact right away. "He's a good passer and shooter, but he's also seven feet tall and he can block shots and rebound," Boeheim said. "The good thing for him is that we have four veteran guys who will be out there with him. He's not going out there with guys who don't know how to play."