A different duck: freshman Malik Hairston doesn't mind going against the flow and flowing against the show in the face of enormous expectations

The Ducks were in contention for an NCAA Tournament berth last season before point guard Aaron Brooks broke a bone in his wrist in January and missed 10 games. The Ducks finished 18-13--and that was with Jackson.

So Hairston will need help. Freshman Bryce Taylor, starting on the other wing, has to continue to excel. Big men Crosswhite and Mitch Platt have to be quicker defending the baseline.

But the biggest chunk of it is on Hairston. Against Illinois at Chicago's United Center earlier this month, Hairston could not prevent another easy Illini victory. Though he did manage 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists, one NBA scout couldn't resist an open shot: "He didn't Carmelo-ize the game."

Scouts acknowledge Hairston's talent but want him to be more aggressive. They note too many missed free throw attempts. Oregon coaches believe these elements will improve shortly, as Hairston becomes accustomed to the college game.

Kent says the publicity surrounding Hairston's recruitment built him up so big--"I don't want to say too big because he can handle all the hype"--that fans might expect a flashier, more spectacular player. "That's not him," Kent says. "He's a complete package."

As is the case with any elite prospect, it's hard to be certain whether playing in the NBA is a short-term or long-term goal for Hairston. "We all joke with him that this is his only year," says freshman Maarty Leunen, Hairston's roommate. "He says no ... he's going to redshirt, be here for a fifth. You never get a feel for what he really wants to do.

"But if I was trying to go one-and-done, I'd definitely be getting my shots up, trying to get that stat line. You don't see that out of him."

Hairston is not going to make this easy for you. You're going to have to watch and see how it turns out. It will be a compelling show.

High standards

Several ballyhooed freshmen are having nice seasons, but they're not
Carmelo-izing any program yet. A look at Carmelo Anthony's first
month of his college career in 2002 compared with theirs:

Player, position, school               G    PPG     RPG     APG    FG%

Carmelo Anthony, SF, Syracuse          6    24.8    10.0    3.2    50.0
Malik Hairston, SG, Oregon             7    13.1     5.0    3.4    52.9
Daniel Gibson, PG, Texas               9    11.7     2.6    4.3    37.2
Rudy Gay, SG/SF, Connecticut           5    10.2     6.2    1.2    34.7
Randolph Morris, C, Kentucky           8     8.8     4.4    0.8    49.0
Marvin Williams, PF, North Carolina    8     9.0     6.4    0.8    42.9

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