THE GOOD
There is no denying this about Mahmoud: He is a good teammate, with a great attitude and spirit about him that his fellow Cards love. He is also long and athletic, with great timing for shot blocking. According to KenPom.com's data, Mahmoud's 11.9 block percentage would have ranked in the top five nationally if he played more minutes (13.1 per game) last season. Of his 29 blocks, 25 came "around the rim," per Hoop-Math.com, meaning the vast majority of his blocks came on layup or dunk attempts.
Mahmoud is also a talented passer from the high post and low block, though his assist total (12 in 22 games) doesn't really reflect that. He can stretch defenses with his mid-range jump shot – he made 36.4 percent of his 2-point jumpers last season – and he showed he has some scoring moves in the post.
THE BAD
First of all, Mahmoud has to build his body weight back up. If he finished last season around 215 pounds and lost the 13 pounds Pitino said he lost in May, Mahmoud would be back down around 200 pounds. He is already lanky, so every ounce matters, especially when he's taking on ACC big men. For some players, it's harder to add weight, and Mahmoud has struggled with it since he arrived at U of L.
On the court, Mahmoud had his issues at the foul line – granny shot cometh? – and that has to be fixed if he's going to play more minutes this winter. His rebounding rates were solid, but lagged behind those of Mathiang, Onuaku, Spalding and Stockman. That may have to do with his slender frame.
THE FINAL WORD
There's a lot to like about Mahmoud. He has long arms and good instincts, both of which help him block shots and score in the post. But consistency is an issue, and it's hard to be consistent if you're not strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Power Five conference big men. The Georgia Tech game gave him and U of L a lot of hope, and for good reason. But there were also moments of real clarity as far as how much more work he has to do.
Louisville can primarily use Johnson, Mathiang and Spalding at the two frontcourt spots this season, but the Cards would love to have either Mahmoud or Stockman emerge as a credible force off the bench. Both players have upside, but their college careers are past the halfway point. It's nearing the point when things should start clicking. Will they?
There is no denying this about Mahmoud: He is a good teammate, with a great attitude and spirit about him that his fellow Cards love. He is also long and athletic, with great timing for shot blocking. According to KenPom.com's data, Mahmoud's 11.9 block percentage would have ranked in the top five nationally if he played more minutes (13.1 per game) last season. Of his 29 blocks, 25 came "around the rim," per Hoop-Math.com, meaning the vast majority of his blocks came on layup or dunk attempts.
Mahmoud is also a talented passer from the high post and low block, though his assist total (12 in 22 games) doesn't really reflect that. He can stretch defenses with his mid-range jump shot – he made 36.4 percent of his 2-point jumpers last season – and he showed he has some scoring moves in the post.
THE BAD
First of all, Mahmoud has to build his body weight back up. If he finished last season around 215 pounds and lost the 13 pounds Pitino said he lost in May, Mahmoud would be back down around 200 pounds. He is already lanky, so every ounce matters, especially when he's taking on ACC big men. For some players, it's harder to add weight, and Mahmoud has struggled with it since he arrived at U of L.
On the court, Mahmoud had his issues at the foul line – granny shot cometh? – and that has to be fixed if he's going to play more minutes this winter. His rebounding rates were solid, but lagged behind those of Mathiang, Onuaku, Spalding and Stockman. That may have to do with his slender frame.
THE FINAL WORD
There's a lot to like about Mahmoud. He has long arms and good instincts, both of which help him block shots and score in the post. But consistency is an issue, and it's hard to be consistent if you're not strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Power Five conference big men. The Georgia Tech game gave him and U of L a lot of hope, and for good reason. But there were also moments of real clarity as far as how much more work he has to do.
Louisville can primarily use Johnson, Mathiang and Spalding at the two frontcourt spots this season, but the Cards would love to have either Mahmoud or Stockman emerge as a credible force off the bench. Both players have upside, but their college careers are past the halfway point. It's nearing the point when things should start clicking. Will they?
