UofL's transfer portal vision board: Guards
Using criteria to go shopping for guards with absolutely no idea if these guards will transfer
There’s no better time than the present to look ahead to the future for Louisville basketball. Given the slim chances of landing any impact high school recruits in the class of 2023, the transfer portal is going to need to be the foundation of any kind of renaissance for the Cards in 2023-24.
It’s very clear that Louisville will need guards, and plenty of them. In the most realistic case, Louisville would have the following roster next season:
Contributors
Mike James
Jae’lyn Withers
JJ Traynor
Kamari Lands
2 bigs out of Huntley-Hatfield/Wheeler/Okorafor
Filler
Devin Ree
Fabio Basili
Hercy Miller (non-scholarship)
Newcomers
Kaleb Glenn
Curtis Williams
Koron Davis
That’s 11 scholarship players, assuming El Ellis and Sydney Curry depart and Louisville loses 1 of their 3 big men. I wouldn’t be shocked to see either Ree or Basili transfer given their lack of a role this season, and that would open a scholarship without really leaving any hole. If one of the contributors leaves, Louisville would probably need to replace something, but let’s imagine the Cards have the above roster. What needs does that leave?
Well, quite clearly they’ll need ballhandlers. El Ellis is their only capable ballhandler now, and that’s not been enough. Not just ballhandlers, though…I’d say Louisville will need 2 ballhandlers who:
Have a strong assist:turnover ratio
Can credibly shoot the three
Offer some defense
Preferably have decent height
Let’s take it a step further…I put together a list of a few D-1 players who meet some or all of this criteria and could possibly enter the transfer portal this offseason. Let’s take a look at some specific players who could help Louisville turn things around next season.
For premium subscribers, I lock in on 4 possible transfer portal targets, make the case why they might transfer, and how they’d fit in at Louisville….
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