2020-21 Louisville Cardinals

[LeFors4Ever]

So now we are here and we got nothing to talk about for awhile, so sadly we’re on to next season.

McMahon, Sutton, Enoch, & Fresh are all gone and Nwora is probably going to the draft. That’s a lot of our contributors and we won’t be as deep next season.

With this draft process in peril at the moment, we have no clue who will be returning or not. I’m leaning towards Jay Scrubb going now, as he will be drafted and may not want to risk his stock falling.

Sam, DJ, and Malik will probably look at testing the waters. I see all 3 returning because I don’t foresee them being able to increase their stock with no March Maddness and possibly no workouts. But we’ve seen some crazier situations with guys leaving who shouldn’t, do nothing would surprise me.

Im interested in seeing Darius Perry’s next move. With DJ overtaking him, will he want to fight for a starting spot? Play time is there, but he may have lost his spot at the end of the season. I say he’s back if Scrubb doesn’t come here.

Deandre Davis will probably get some run. I don’t think Traynor is physically ready at this point, but freshman can make big strides in the offseason.

so right now, I see the lineup

Malik
Igiehon
Williamson
Johnson
Perry

Nickleberry, Slaz, Davis, Traynor, Withers

So we really need 2-3 grad transfers for depth. We need a big body down low. We aren’t deep and I think we will lack for shooting. Our guard play will be smoother and more dynamic.

It could be a very good team by March, but will be one that needs to develop over the full year.

 

[FlavRunit]

Not deep? You just listed 10 players, we played 9 this year, how many do we need?

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Not deep? You just listed 10 players, we played 9 this year, how many do we need?

Of the 5 bench players listed, none of them played any meaningful minutes of D1 ball this year. Igiehon may start and didn’t play any big minutes this year.

There’s a difference between bodies and depth. This year we had 8-9 guys that could play big minutes at an ACC level. Next year, I’m not sure.

Say Malik picks up 2 quick fouls next year in a game (and we know what game that will be lol), who will be the guys behind him? Say Malik and Igiehon both have 4 fouls late in a game, who is behind them?

 

[Sawyer]

So now we are here and we got nothing to talk about for awhile, so sadly we’re on to next season.

McMahon, Sutton, Enoch, & Fresh are all gone and Nwora is probably going to the draft. That’s a lot of our contributors and we won’t be as deep next season.

With this draft process in peril at the moment, we have no clue who will be returning or not. I’m leaning towards Jay Scrubb going now, as he will be drafted and may not want to risk his stock falling.

Sam, DJ, and Malik will probably look at testing the waters. I see all 3 returning because I don’t foresee them being able to increase their stock with no March Maddness and possibly no workouts. But we’ve seen some crazier situations with guys leaving who shouldn’t, do nothing would surprise me.

Im interested in seeing Darius Perry’s next move. With DJ overtaking him, will he want to fight for a starting spot? Play time is there, but he may have lost his spot at the end of the season. I say he’s back if Scrubb doesn’t come here.

Deandre Davis will probably get some run. I don’t think Traynor is physically ready at this point, but freshman can make big strides in the offseason.

so right now, I see the lineup

Malik
Igiehon
Williamson
Johnson
Perry

Nickleberry, Slaz, Davis, Traynor, Withers

So we really need 2-3 grad transfers for depth. We need a big body down low. We aren’t deep and I think we will lack for shooting. Our guard play will be smoother and more dynamic.

It could be a very good team by March, but will be one that needs to develop over the full year.

They will not have to be “grad” transfers next season.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

Who stays, who goes, who joins up... a lot of uncertainty.

Igiehon is probably the biggest mystery for me right now. If you thought he'd get basically 0 playing time this year you're probably not being honest. It's hard for me to fathom him going from 0 PT to a full-time starter role.

I'm sure everybody will have ideas.

I think right now it's one big WhoTF knows?

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Who stays, who goes, who joins up... a lot of uncertainty.

Igiehon is probably the biggest mystery for me right now. If you thought he'd get basically 0 playing time this year you're probably not being honest. It's hard for me to fathom him going from 0 PT to a full-time starter role.

I'm sure everybody will have ideas.

I think right now it's one big WhoTF knows?

I was surprised Nickleberry put up nothing this season.

DJ will be an all-American candidate and ACC POY contention. If you have a star, you can win games. DJ will have a SPECIAL year next season. With him being from The Ville, he’s going to be an all-time favorite Card for everyone.

 

[luv2hit63]

Not so fast, NCAA just granted another year to seniors that play SPRING sports. No decision on basketball yet. It would help The Cards if they did. However I doubt that would happen with most teams getting over 30 games in. All time records and such would need an asterisk as well.

 

[nccardfan]

Just rememb

Not so fast, NCAA just granted another year to seniors that play SPRING sports. No decision on basketball yet. It would help The Cards if they did. However I doubt that would happen with most teams getting over 30 games in. All time records and such would need an asterisk as well.

Just remember that Sutton and McMahon are 5th year seniors. Mack can’t keep them on scholarship. None of these guys would benefit staying another year. Enoch is old for a college player. I understand baseball players getting some eligibility back but not basketball.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Just rememb

Just remember that Sutton and McMahon are 5th year seniors. Mack can’t keep them on scholarship. None of these guys would benefit staying another year. Enoch is old for a college player. I understand baseball players getting some eligibility back but not basketball.

That’s true.

The majority of teams really don’t get to the NCAA tournament. Most all the small conferences were finishing up. There’s not many games that were left to be played for most all seniors in basketball anyways.

Baseball, Softball, Tennis, etc all deserve one more year.

 

[FlavRunit]

Of the 5 bench players listed, none of them played any meaningful minutes of D1 ball this year. Igiehon may start and didn’t play any big minutes this year.

There’s a difference between bodies and depth. This year we had 8-9 guys that could play big minutes at an ACC level. Next year, I’m not sure.

Say Malik picks up 2 quick fouls next year in a game (and we know what game that will be lol), who will be the guys behind him? Say Malik and Igiehon both have 4 fouls late in a game, who is behind them?

Withers would come in. Kids almost 6'10 now, redshirt, he's waited his turn. He's one of the most athletic kids on the roster.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Withers would come in. Kids almost 6'10 now, redshirt, he's waited his turn. He's one of the most athletic kids on the roster.

And that doesn’t make me feel good if we’re stuck in a close game in foul trouble and Withers is our only option. I mean he’s on the roster and he’s tall, but does that mean he’s going to be good?

Heck who knows, he might be better the Igiehon and start over him.

Id like to see us get that guard from Harvard, I believe he’ll be the top GT if I’m not mistaken.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

I was surprised Nickleberry put up nothing this season.

DJ will be an all-American candidate and ACC POY contention. If you have a star, you can win games. DJ will have a SPECIAL year next season. With him being from The Ville, he’s going to be an all-time favorite Card for everyone.

DJ can certainly get better and help make some other guys get better too.

The biggest question I personally have is what is Scrubb going to do.... turn pro or join the Cards? If he joins the Cards that is a DJ/SW/Scrubb triple threat that can hurt teams in many ways and I'm not sure how may other teams would have that type of fire power.

 

[Cardinal Cash]

If they give us another year I’d Dwayne Sutton I would be elated! Not gonna happen though.

As far as the line-up goes I believe we will play about 10 guys. Same as this year.

Starters will be
DJ
Perry
Williamson
Scrubb if he makes it to campus
Williams

If Scrubb doesn’t make it to campus, I think we go small and play Nickleberry.

That is a solid starting 5 based on talent.

Bench players will be
Igeihon
Withers
Slazinski
Dre Davis
Traynor

In that order. Those are the 10 you see play. 11 if Scrubb decides to remain in the college ranks. They may throw a redshirt on traynor if Scrubb does make it.

 

[vivid_red]

I heard that Igeihon had an shoulder issue that kept him out of games. any one know if that is true? I truly though he would have played more this season

 

[KozmasAgain]

If Scrubb makes it to campus I think we have a really competitive team. I think Williams comes back not only because he needs to develop more. I think Mack and Williams has a good relationship with one another.

The ACC will be better next year especially UNC I think they will make a run for a title next year. There is a lot of unknowns for us next year it will be interesting.

 

[Louis III]

Absolute no way Igeihon starts next year!

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

Perry provides the first answer to a # of off season questions.

 

[Birdseat]

D. Johnson GT
J. Scrubb J. Nickelberry
S. Williamson D. Davis
J. Withers JJ Traynor
M. Williams A. Igiehon

Good team

 

[nccardfan]

D. Johnson GT
J. Scrubb J. Nickelberry
S. Williamson D. Davis
J. Withers JJ Traynor
M. Williams A. Igiehon

Good team

Left out Slazinski, who played as much as Nickleberry

 

[TyCards9er]

D. Johnson GT
J. Scrubb J. Nickelberry
S. Williamson D. Davis
J. Withers JJ Traynor
M. Williams A. Igiehon

Good team

A very good team. The starting 5 of DJ Scrubb Williamson Withers and Malik is a better 5 then what we began the season with in Perry Ryan Sutton Nwora and Enoch. Not even a question about it. Next years 5 is big athletic and versatile. Won’t have “knockdown shooters” like Ryan and Nwora but as we saw this season when they aren’t hitting 3’s a lot of time it was a lot of empty possessions. That won’t be the case with next years starting 5 you can bet on that. Think about how big next years team is. DJ 6,5. Sam 6,7. Withers not sure but hearing 6,9 or 6,10. Malik 6,11. Scrubb 6,6. People are freaking out about next season for no reason. That 5 right there will compete with anyone in the country.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Maybe not a reason to freak out, because there’s talent on the team. But this team will take a big step back. If Jay Scrubb goes to the draft, it will be a giant step back and possibly time to panic.

Malik
Igehion/Withers
Scrubb? (I’m still thinking he’s in the Draft)
Williamson
Johnson

Nickelberry, Slaz, Davis, Traynor, probably a GT

Darius leaving adds another hole. We are only going to be playing 3 guys who got any minutes last year for us. You can say “X player” is going to be good, but until they step on the court they’re just names.

There’s no way that you can lose 6 of your top 8 players and just get better. We’re losing our top 4 scorers, 3 of the top 4 rebounders, top 4 3-point shooters, and the list goes on. We aren’t replacing Ryan and Jordan’s ability to shoot from anywhere. We can’t replace Dwayne’s toughness and versatility. We don’t have a big that’s just a grown man like Steve.

We aren’t adding a top recruiting class. We’re adding possibly 1 high level guy, who may or may not come and has never played D1 ball

DJ & Malik are the only sure good players we have right now who’ve played Division 1 basketball. Sam showed flashes and is a great talent

We don’t have a backup PG and not a single proven post player after Malik. Nobody on the bench is proven. None of the returning guys were good enough to get ANY minutes last year.

Scrubb may be good, but can we assume he’ll be good? Chris Jones was the last top JuCo guy we got. He was good but didn’t come in dominating. I can say he’ll probably be good, if he’s here. But with this CoronaVirus outbreak and a possible financial crash, he may get a guaranteed contract and jump. I’d say it’s 60/40 he’s in the Draft.

What’s good is that this is a good core group and 2021-2022 should be a great year with all that will returns plus a better recruiting class.

 

[KozmasAgain]

You bring up a good point about the financial crisis and players jumping into the pros for the financial relief. I never thought about that, however, if Scrubb ends up at Louisville he will have the motor and the competitive attitude of Sutton. The big difference between the two is that Scrubb is more talented than Dewayne with the same motor.

 

[Birdseat]

Every sign I have read or heard says J. Scrubb tests the water but ends up at Louisville. His JUCO coach thinks so.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

You bring up a good point about the financial crisis and players jumping into the pros for the financial relief. I never thought about that, however, if Scrubb ends up at Louisville he will have the motor and the competitive attitude of Sutton. The big difference between the two is that Scrubb is more talented than Dewayne with the same motor.

Scrubb will be one of the more talented guys that’s ever put on a Cards uniform. And that’s why I lean toward him going to the Draft, because he’s that dang good.

If he gets a guaranteed contract, he’s gone. But if he falls to the late 2nd round, he’s in the Ville. He’s not going to risk losing money if it’s there on the table.

 

[sdslba228]

I think we ask the NCAA speed up the process and take our penalty now. This team going to be bad next year. Attendance was not the greatest this year, next year worse. Lets go Mack, earn your money...no pass on your 3rd year.

 

[ULdoug]

Problem is in 2 years when MW is gone, and likely DJ and SW are testing the NBA waters....we will likely be worse. Next years recruiting class must be great.

 

[TyCards9er]

Problem is in 2 years when MW is gone, and likely DJ and SW are testing the NBA waters....we will likely be worse. Next years recruiting class must be great.

You can say that about a ton of teams. Of course you have to be able to develop and replace quality players that’s how it works. People assume because the freshman didn’t play this year that must mean they have no potential and won’t ever contribute. It’s hilarious. By that time Josh Withers and Slazinski are juniors who will be very good contributors. Withers might even blossom into a Star by that point. Our incoming freshman class has two highly underrated guys in Dre Davis and JJ Traynor. We have to give them an opportunity to show what they can do before we just write everything off and say we’ll we’re gonna suck because we’re losing Malik and DJ. That’s a ridiculous mindset.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Problem is in 2 years when MW is gone, and likely DJ and SW are testing the NBA waters....we will likely be worse. Next years recruiting class must be great.

The 2021 class will be a very pivotal one for coach Mack.

We’re more than likely bringing in 2 GT’s. Malik is gone, DJ I bet will he gone, and probably Sam Williamson will all test the waters next year. If Scrubb is here, he’a probably leaving.

That means we will be unloading again. Traynor, Igehion, Slaz, Nickleberry, Davis, Withers, and Hopkins. But, that will have a good amount of upperclassmen and a good base for a roster for a well rounded team.

I think adding 1-2 immediate impact guys will be critical. If we get the right group, and a surprise guy returns, that could be a good year. But, if everyone leaves and we get some sanctions, it will be another year we need to wait.

 

[TyCards9er]

The 2021 class will be a very pivotal one for coach Mack.

We’re more than likely bringing in 2 GT’s. Malik is gone, DJ I bet will he gone, and probably Sam Williamson will all test the waters next year. If Scrubb is here, he’a probably leaving.

That means we will be unloading again. Traynor, Igehion, Slaz, Nickleberry, Davis, Withers, and Hopkins. But, that will have a good amount of upperclassmen and a good base for a roster for a well rounded team.

I think adding 1-2 immediate impact guys will be critical. If we get the right group, and a surprise guy returns, that could be a good year. But, if everyone leaves and we get some sanctions, it will be another year we need to wait.

It’s tough to predict because you never know who’s going develop into that “Star” because someone will. Nobody saw Nwora after his freshman season develop into what he did. Some of these guys are going to develop into high level players and contributors.

 

[ULdoug]

TyCard......I wont be so rude and call your opinion " a ridiculous mindset". For me it is just simple math. You cant lose your best 9 or 10 players over a 2 year period and not at least mostly replace them and expect to be as good or better.

If Scrubb comes that's a big help for 1 year. Our 2 HS guys this year were mostly recruited by mid majors. They certainly could become contributors down the road. If we lose 3or4 of our top players next year, then as was said 2021 class is crucial.

Even if some guys develop into very good players, we would be left with the 4 freshman who didn't play this year, our 2 freshman for the upcoming year......AND the class of 2021

So yes, i think on paper that would be a step back by any standard. Not being negative, just straight math.

We have one very good looking verbal for next year. Hopefully there will be more.

And of course that just my opinion.

 

[TyCards9er]

TyCard......I wont be so rude and call your opinion " a ridiculous mindset". For me it is just simple math. You cant lose your best 9 or 10 players over a 2 year period and not at least mostly replace them and expect to be as good or better.

If Scrubb comes that's a big help for 1 year. Our 2 HS guys this year were mostly recruited by mid majors. They certainly could become contributors down the road. If we lose 3or4 of our top players next year, then as was said 2021 class is crucial.

Even if some guys develop into very good players, we would be left with the 4 freshman who didn't play this year, our 2 freshman for the upcoming year......AND the class of 2021

So yes, i think on paper that would be a step back by any standard. Not being negative, just straight math.

We have one very good looking verbal for next year. Hopefully there will be more.

And of course that just my opinion.

Yeah by the time 2021 comes around the “4 freshman who didn’t play this year” will be juniors. At that point do you really not expect Igehion Josh Withers or Slazinksi to be good contributors? Sophomores Traynor and Davis. If none of them end up being any good then the staff simply failed. If you’re expecting that much turnover you’re under the assumption that DJ Sam and Scrubb are all gone after next season and you’d be smart to think that. You have to only be concerned with 2 years from now. Next season the team (with Scrubb in the fold) will be as good if not better then the one we just had. Two years from now is going to depend on how this staff can develop players and if any of the 2021 guys are instant impact guys.

 

[CardsvsCats2019]

Thank God Mack has been killing on the recruiting trail, right.