No conference has taken quite the leap on the basketball court like the Southeastern Conference has over the past few years. With new, high-profile head coaches manning the ship for the league, along with the recent influx of talent, the conference hasn’t seen this much promise in decades. Kentucky is Kentucky, but Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, LSU, and the rest of the schools are starting to make things interesting on the hardwood.

In the coming days, we will look at the top incoming freshmen for each program with the SEC confines. We will not highlight 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.

FLORIDA

Things are going to look different on the hardwood for Florida this season. For starters, the Mike White era will begin in Gainesville this year, as he replaces longtime head coach Billy Donovan, who made the jump to the NBA. The Gators also bring in three talented freshmen: KeVaughn Allen, Keith Stone, and Kevarrius Hayes.

While all three will see early time, I think Stone is the guy that could be a big impact guy for the Gators once conference play begins. At 6-foot-8, Stone is still scratching the surface of his game. He is skilled for his size and gives White and his staff the opportunity to be creative with the prototypical stretch 4 man. Stone’s versatility and ability to do multiple things on the court allow him to be an impact guy for the Gators. While it may not happen immediately, once Stone gets into the swing of things and acclimates himself to the college game, he could be an X-factor for White in his first year in the Swamp.

KENTUCKY

As usual, Kentucky will roll in several blue-chip prospects this year. In fact, John Calipari adds three five-star prospects and two four-stars, along with one of the top guards from the JUCO ranks. It’s always a little more difficult to pinpoint one player that will emerge from the rest of the stars, but in this case, one player has already made an international statement.

The Wildcats bring in Skal Labissiere, Isaiah Briscoe, Jamal Murray, Charles Matthews, andIsaac Humphries as freshmen this season. None of them have more hype than Murray, who starred during the summer with the Canadian national team during the Pan-American games. With several scorers exiting to the NBA, the door is open for the 6-foot-5 combo guard to come in and be a focal point for Calipari.

Murray showcased his full arsenal in front of the world with Team Canada. He hit shots, excelled at attacking the rim, and distributed the basketball to his teammates during the games. He averaged 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists, while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range – and that’s against professional players as an 18 year-old. Calipari gives his guards freedom to roam, and with the ball in his hands, Murray could be the next great Calipari guard to make the jump as a successful NBA player. Expect him to get touches and opportunities early in his career.

MISSOURI

Missouri had a disappointing 2014-15 campaign, as they finished the season 9-23 and 3-15 in the SEC under first-year head coach Kim Anderson. Luckily for the Tigers, they can only go up from there, and they bring in a proven winner in freshman point guard Terrence Phillips.

Phillips, the younger brother of Brandon Jennings, starred at Oak Hill Academy (VA) during his high school days. He was the catalyst for the premier prep school team, as he set the tone and controlled the offense. The 5-foot-10 setup man is expected to do the same for Missouri. He could see playing time from day 1, and the biggest impact he can bring to the team is his winning background and nature. Missouri lost some close games last season in crunch time. Despite his youth, Anderson and his staff will have big expectations for Phillips. He is the point guard of the future and will log big minutes early. If anyone makes a positive impact on this team, it will be Phillips.

Missouri also brings in KJ Walton, Cullen Vanleer, and Kevin Puryear.