[JNixonParticipant]

16: Louisville Cardinals

Frontline- This group loses Amare Stoudemire, I mean Terrence Jennings, who declared for the draft last year (didn’t get picked). He was just starting to develop, but he moves on failing to live up to his HS hype. That’s fine, since everyone except him returns after getting experience last year. Either Jr. Rakeem Buckles or even Fr. Chase Behanan who will almost certainly play rotation minutes at the least, will play the PF spot. The 6’8 210 Buckles is a versatile talent who’s still putting his game together, but the talent is there. He runs the floor very well, rebounds well due to his length and energy, and is an agile frontline player who has potential. He needs strength and more weight, and with that will come more consistency I think. I think Buckles can get 8 or 9 ppg and 7 rpg next year. The 6’7 235 Behanan is already a Coach Pitino favorite and is physically advanced for a Fr. He has good base strength and will be able to rebound well immediately, and Coach Pitino has spoke on how quick a learner is, which is to be taken into account and makes it likely he’ll progress as opposed to hitting the wall slate like most Fr. He passes well and is a deceptively good athlete, and he can face-up and post. He needs to polish his fundamentals with both, and improve on D, where he’s going to have to adjust as most Fr. do. The starting C spot will be held down by Gorgui Dieng,with depth coming from Fr. Zach Price and Jr. PF/C Stephen Van Trese. Dieng is a super long 6’10 220 C who contributed immediately last year despite what many thought would be a sparse season where he’d be too limited by a lack of strength and offensive skill to play much. He has a soft touch around the rim and will get points off offensive rebounds and jump hooks. He also is a solid passer and a very good rim protecting presence (1.9 bpg in 15.6 mpg). Dieng needs to get better strength to hold position on the defensive glass, add moves on offense, and to cut down on his fouls, but appears to be ready to man the starting role for the team. He has upside, especially when he puts on weight. 6’11 250 Fr. Zach Price is a wide bodied southpaw with length. He isn’t going to win foot-races, can be predictable as he’s very left-handed, and should play with more urgency but he does have the body to play minutes next year. Upside is there, he looks the part. The 6’9 230 Van Trese played middle rotation minutes last year, as he’s strong and rebounds well. He also runs the floor. He’s been working to get a mid-range jumper to make him a tougher guard. The wing will see contributions from rJr. Jared Swopshire, who sat out last year, and swingmen Fr. Wayne Blackshear (see guards) and Angel Nunez. Swopshire is a long forward with athleticism and agility. He is a mismatch, and can play PF too. He still isn’t 100%, and polish his perimeter tools and get stronger. Nunez, at 6’8 195, is a long, thin wing who has a pretty jump shot and the ability to potentially be a point-forward. He’s a very smooth player offensively with the potential to be a standout. He’s pretty weak and struggles on D though, and he’s not the most polished ball-handler. He has big upside and good natural talent, but he needs toughness and strength. A lot of depth in the frontcourt, but guys will need to grow up just as they did last year.

Backcourt- This group loses Preston Knowles, who saved Louisville’s butts a couple of times last year with his jump shot in the 2^nd half of games. That loss isn’t all bad though. They return their Jr. PG Peyton Siva, mind you. The 5’11 Siva is a big talent with upside, and is poised for a very good year. The guy is a very quick and athletic guard with uncanny body control, who can score in bunches and run the offense. He gets to the paint well and is often is able to finish in spectacular fashion when there. Siva plays a flashy game that makes him fun to watch. Siva is a pesky defender with fast hands (2 spg), but he tends to gamble too much. He shot at a poor rate last year from 3 (27%), but he does have a nice shot and that rate looks to rise next year to closer to 40%. Siva should look to cut down on turnovers and make steadier decisions with the ball, but he’s a very creative playmaker. Siva will be an interesting NBA prospect over the next year or 2, and his flashiness and talent intrigues. He will probably be one of the best PG’s in the country next year. Depth will come from Elisha Justice, a smart guard who can shoot and makes good decisions with the ball. He has said he wants to be a coach when he is done playing, and it shows with his smarts and savvy. The SG spot will have A BUNCH of depth. The starter figures to be 6’4 195 Kyle Kuric, who’s also an intriguing player. Kuric is an interesting offensive talent who slowly but surely put his game together. He can slash the lane and finish (just ask Notre Dame’s Scott Martin), and he’s got a very sweet shooting stroke as well. He’s better in the open court than in half-court, as he needs to improve his D, and handle, but his 1^st step is sometimes so quick that he can slash anyway. Chris Smith came in and was an immediate starter after transferring from Manhattan. He’s an aggressive scorer with quickness and a nice shot. He can play both PG too. Smith needs to get more active on D though. Mike Marra is also in the fold as a Jr. The 6’4 205 Marra is experienced, and a guy who can score in bunches with his streaky jumper. Coach Pitino has said he’s the best shooter he’s ever had, but Marra hasn’t backed it up statistically as a whole (28% from 3), although he’s comes up large in big games throughout his career. He does have a great natural stroke, but he’s not consistent with it yet. He needs strength and to work on a pull-up shot. Fr. Wayne Blackshear will factor too, he’s very talented. Blackshear has an NBA caliber body already (his body is similar to Lance Stephenson’s, but less bloated) and good talent on offense. At 6’5 205, he’s ready to compete in the Big East. He has a natural shot, a fine mid-range game, good athleticism, and he’s unselfish. He needs to work on his defense and handle some more, but he’ll contribute. He can play SF too, and is a long-term NBA prospect. Fr. Kevin Ware is a long, slashing 6’3 170 guard from my hometown. He’s a great athlete with lots of quickness and speed, and he’s got lockdown defender potential as a combo guard. He is a poor jump shooter though, and also needs to improve his handle and strength. He probably won’t play much at all, and is a redshirt candidate. 6’0 165 Russ Smith is a quick scoring combo guard, who’s playmaking skills need work. A LOT of depth in this backcourt.

Overall- Rick Pitino did a great job last year, even if the season ended in disappointment. Louisville was predicted to finish 10^th in the Big East by the media last year, and they made it to the Big East title game and to the tourny. They have more depth this year and a lot of young talent. Guys grew up faster than everyone expected, and that may happen again, but they have more talent for sure. Siva will be the leader and he is promising. Admittedly, this ranking could be too low, because Pitino’s report on the team this summer has shown that they have alot of work and growing up to do. But the season is in the fall and growing up will happen I think sooner or later. I look for the Cardinals to get to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8.

 

[providencefriars1Participant]

Louisville is certaintly a strong team, personally I would have put them in the 8-11 range but I see your thinking.

[providencefriars1Participant]

Louisville is certaintly a strong team, personally I would have put them in the 8-11 range but I see your thinking.

[jeff416Participant]

I think this is a little to low, they would be somewhere in my top 10.

[jeff416Participant]

I think this is a little to low, they would be somewhere in my top 10.

[rileymcshea3Participant]

 Siva and Kuric will be tough to defend

[rileymcshea3Participant]

 Siva and Kuric will be tough to defend

[providencefriars1Participant]

My friends brother played on the same AAU team as Marra and said he was amazing in those games

[providencefriars1Participant]

My friends brother played on the same AAU team as Marra and said he was amazing in those games

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