DeRozan overwhelmed Collison, who was two years older, leaving an impressive mark, but that was no shock given his reputation as the former "top middle schooler in California" and "the strongest rookie in California"—his progress exceeding expectations wasn't really a surprise.
There have been even more exaggerated cases—LeBron James in his freshman year could only support his upperclassmen, averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds, but by sophomore year, his capabilities skyrocketed to an average of 25 points, 7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 3.8 steals, leading the Associated Press to bring him up for 'cross-grade comparison.' His sophomore self, placed among senior players, ranked fifth in the nation, and he made the All-American high school basketball first team as a sophomore.
