In the last three years, the National Player of the Year award has been won by upperclassmen Tyler Hansbrough, Blake Griffin and Evan Turner. The last freshman to be so honored was Kevin Durant in 2007.

But this year’s crop of returning stars is awfully weak. Players like James “Jimmer” Fredette of Brigham Young University and Jacob Pullen of Kansas State University are very good but lack elite ability. There are a number of freshmen who should be in the running for the 2011 player of the year award, so let us introduce five of them who will be making headlines this year.

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State University – Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Sullinger is a 6-foot-9-inch, 280-pound behemoth who will immediately fill much of the void left by Evan Turner’s leap to the NBA. The Buckeyes keep much of their strength on the perimeter, including sharpshooter Jon Diebler (42 percent from behind the arc last year) and the duo of William Buford and David Lighty, two tough guards who combined for 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists per game last year. This means that Sullinger will have ample space to operate down low. With Sullinger shoring up the Buckeyes’ post-game, and expanded roles for Diebler, Buford and Lighty on the wings, look for Ohio State to be every bit as good this year as they were last year.

Harrison Barnes, University of North Carolina – The Tar Heels are coming off an awful season that saw them finish 5-11 in the Athletic Coast Conference missing the NCAA Tournament by a wide margin. Most notable was North Carolina’s complete lack of talent on the wings, as no perimeter player averaged 10 points per game. If Chapel Hill was praying for a savior, they may have found one in Barnes, a 6-foot-8-inch, 210-pounder with a skilled and polished offensive game. Projected by many scouts as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft next year, Barnes will be relied upon heavily, especially with the departure of UNC’s top two scorers, Deon Thompson and Ed Davis. Barnes will not be able to lift the Tar Heels to the level of defending national champion Duke but will make them competitive again.

Josh Selby, University of Kansas – Assuming he is ruled eligible to play by the NCAA, Selby will play a huge role for Kansas next year. Senior point guard Sherron Collins, the heart and soul of the Jayhawks, and super freshman shooting guard Xavier Henry are gone. Junior guard Tyshawn Taylor has flashed some star potential but seemed to regress last year.

Coach Bill Self will be counting on Selby, a fearless attacking point guard from Baltimore, to fill the void in the backcourt. Selby was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 1 recruit in the country. If he lives up to his billing, he will take the Jayhawks farther than last year’s disappointing exit in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Perry Jones III, Baylor University – Jones is a 6-foot-11-inch, 235-pound forward with jaw-dropping athleticism and a sweet shooting stroke. He may not have the polish that Kevin Durant had coming out of high school, but Jones’ talent is at that level. Jones will get plenty of opportunities this year, as Baylor lost star man Ekpe Udoh to the NBA draft and senior point guard Demond “Tweety” Carter to graduation. In addition, senior guard LaceDarius Dunn, who averaged 20 points per game for Baylor last year, has been suspended indefinitely after allegedly breaking his girlfriend’s jaw. Much will be asked of Jones right away, and much can be expected of him.

Enes Kanter, University of Kentucky – Turkey has been in the basketball spotlight recently as it hosted the 2010 FIBA World Championship and finished with the silver medal after losing to the United States in the championship game. That Turkish team did not include Kanter, but he could turn out to be the best player Turkey has ever produced.

In the Nike Hoop Summit, Kanter completely dominated a U.S. team that included Barnes and Sullinger, as the Turkish big man finished with an astounding 34 points and 13 rebounds in only 24 minutes. At 6-foot-11 inches and 272 pounds, Kanter is the exact same height as former Wildcat DeMarcus Cousins.

While Cousins was a more forceful presence, Kanter has far more offensive skill. Kanter’s biggest problem is that the NCAA is investigating his eligibility to play amid allegations that he received $100,000 in cash and benefits while playing for his Turkish club team. If he is allowed to suit up for Kentucky, Kanter will immediately become one of the top players in the country.

Other freshmen to watch include point guards Brandon Knight of Kentucky and Kyrie Irving of Duke, but the five discussed above should have the biggest impact this year. Do not be surprised if one of them ends up taking home the player of the year award in April.

Parimal Garg is a senior in the College. TAKING THE COURT appears in every third issue of HOYA SPORTS.”