The Pac 12 has become a conference where it is Arizona, and then everyone else. However, the recruiting front has changed the outlook of the 12 team league and with the momentum that is at hand from the likes of Arizona State, California, and Oregon State, along with the other stalwarts in the conference like Oregon, Stanford, and UCLA, might the conference be seeing a resurgence on the hardwood? It sure does seem that way.

In the coming days, we will look at the top incoming freshmen for each program within the Pac 12 confines where we will highlight not the most touted 2015 class member, but the guy that will mean the most to the squad's success and also have the opportunity to leave the largest fingerprint on the program at hand.

ARIZONA

Sean Miller has taken his Pac 12 program to consecutive appearances in the Elite Eight and while both times they fell a bit short against Bo Ryan’s crew at Wisconsin, the program in Tucson has become of the most consistent, elite teams in America. However, this season may be a bit different as they lose four of its five stars from this past year, which included its floor general in TJ McConnell, a lottery pick in Stanley Johnson, and one of the more versatile big men in Brandon Ashley. Kaleb Tarczewski returns along with two incoming transfers to the frontcourt with Mark Tollefsen and Ryan Anderson so it seems as if the frontcourt won’t be much of a major issue for the 2015-2016 season.  Where questions lay is in the backcourt and while Ray Smith and Allonzo Trier are both top shelf talents headed to the Pac 12 frontrunner, it would seem the greatest need comes at the lead guard spot and thus, the most important freshman that will leave the largest fingerprint on how successful this season is in Justin Simon. Sure, Parker Jackson-Cartwright returns but losing a guy like TJ McConnell, a guy that set the floor for his team out top, defended the ball like his life depended upon it, and never lost a game at the McHale Center, says enough within itself. Trier may post better numbers but Simon will be relied upon in defending a variety of spots on the floor, score the ball when needed, but most importantly, make the proper choice with the rock in his hands in making others better and not turning it over much. If Simon can do just that, Arizona has a fine chance of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament come March.

ARIZONA STATE

The new head boss in Tempe brings tons of lineage and bloodlines to the desert as Bobby Hurley made the transition to the Pac 12 program after guiding Buffalo to the NCAA Tournament last year. This upcoming season may be a transition campaign in setting the culture and in getting the guys that Hurley wants in representing the ASU name, but this is a team that does not lack in experience. They will rely heavily on the likes of Savon Goodman, Willie Atwood, and Eric Jacobsen, especially as they await the eligibility of transfer guard Shannon Evans and its already promising 2016 recruiting class with the likes of Sam Cunliffe and Jethro Tshisumpa. Thus, there might not be a ton of time given to the incoming freshmen to the campus this winter but if it is one guy that has a chance to parlay a solid few months on the hardwood to success for his Sun Devils squad, might it be Andre Adams? The 6-foot-8 big man is an in-state recruit that took at prep year at IMG Academy last year and while he is coming off of a few injuries, one of them being a torn ACL, getting Adams back onto the floor full throttle is a must. When at full strength, the freshman big man brings good size and hands down low as he cleans his area on the glass and is pretty physical when within traffic. There is a lot of long term value with Adams as he someone that should grow into a quality producer for Hurley’s crew and while the 2015-2016 campaign might not be one filled with a ton of opportunities, it may be the springboard into a solid career in Tempe down the road.