Jacolb Fredson-Cole was one of two true freshmen on Oklahoma’s roster last season, and he’s one of four returning players on this year’s team. With Fredson-Cole struggling with injuries, a redshirt year made a ton of sense. But from last season to this season, Fredson-Cole has been making strides behind the scenes.

It’s not like Fredson-Cole was a low-rated prospect who needed a lot of development. Sure, all freshmen have areas to improve, but Fredson-Cole was highly touted by many before going down with an injury. At one point, he was ranked in the top 65 of the Rivals150.

Nowadays, in college basketball, some players take a redshirt year the wrong way and don’t fully embrace it—especially a four-star recruit. But that was not the case with Fredson-Cole. “He embraced it,” said head coach Porter Moser. “We had a complete skill development plan for him, strength plan. He’s a lot stronger. If you remember, he had torn his ACL in high school."

Looking back on it, Fredson-Cole gave his perspective on the redshirt year and how it actually turned out to be a blessing for him. “I learned how to deal with the everyday lifestyle in college basketball. I learned how to come in and get my work in every single day, and then what it takes to get better every single day. I look at it as a blessing. I was able to take a step back and actually just work on myself individually.”

Shooting was one of the biggest emphases in Fredson-Cole’s development plan. In fact, he says it’s the part of his game that has improved the most. “My shooting ability—I’ve been working on that the most, just making sure I’m able to knock down shots.” Additionally, Fredson-Cole noted that he’s gotten stronger, which helps him use his versatility: “I’ve gotten stronger, so I’m able to bang and guard 1-5.”

So what does he bring to the table on the court this season? “He’s right tipping at 6-8,” said Moser. “He’s a wing, a lefty. He brings toughness, plays with tremendous effort, energy, and toughness. He gives us a big body at wing. He will be playing his first games. He’s a redshirt freshman, but he is a freshman. I like his toughness. When you ask about [him], it’s his toughness and energy.”

Fredson-Cole brings a lot to this team and is primed to have a significant role. He has great size at 6-7, can get downhill, passes very well for his size, and has positional versatility. He will primarily play the three and four, but as he noted, he can guard 1-5. He can play in the post, but also on the perimeter, and he’s got great length.

There’s a lot to be excited about with him, and you could definitely argue that he’s not being talked about enough. He will be a valuable asset for Moser and his squad this season, who open their season on November 4th against Lindenwood at 8:00 p.m.

Not an OUInsider.com premium member? Sign up today to get loads of inside information on Oklahoma football, softball, basketball, and recruiting, all for just a few dollars a month. Click HERE to get started!