LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The wise guys said the University of Louisville men’s basketball program’s 2019 recruiting class was the 12th best group in the nation.
Better than Gonzaga ranked 13th.
Better than Ohio State, ranked 14th.
Better than Kansas, ranked 15th.
Better than Auburn, ranked 20th.
There are more current Top 25 teams on the 2019 list but I don’t have to mention any others to confirm my point.
If you’re making a list of the reasons that U of L is finishing the season with an interim coach and staring at the program’s first 7-game losing streak in eight decades, the failure to evaluate and develop that 2019 class has to be near the top.
You win with juniors and seniors in college basketball. What remains of that class has contributed 11.4 points and 8.5 rebounds to this team.
The folks at 247Sports evaluated the six-player class as the third best in the Atlantic Coast Conference, behind only Duke and North Carolina.
One 5-star — forward Samuell Williamson (ranked the 19th best prospect).
Three 4-stars — center Aidan Igiehon (No. 55); guard David Johnson (No. 82) and guard Josh Nickelberry (No. 101).
A pair of 3-stars — forwards Jae’Lyn withers (No. 125) and Quinn Slazinski (No. 320).
When the Cards played at Notre Dame Wednesday night, one player from that group contributed — Withers, who scored a season-best 20 points with 5 rebounds and three steals.
After more than 20 games the coaching staff finally realized the strength of Withers’ game is around the rim. A 22 percent three-point shooter should not be launching more than 2 attempts per game from distance. In the paint, Withers can be a force. On the perimeter, he does not have to be guarded.
Williamson never left the bench in South Bend. Coaches decision. It was the 12th game this season that Williamson contributed three points or less.
It just hasn’t happened for Louisville’s only McDonald’s all-American. There’s talent for Williamson to do more than he has done for the Cardinals this season. The staff has not found the way to develop it.
Johnson, the former Trinity star, departed for the NBA after a puzzling sophomore season. He was drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the 47th overall pick in the second round.
Johnson has appeared in two games with Toronto this season but he missed his only NBA field goal attempt, a three-pointer against the Washington Wizards Dec. 5.
The Raptors are one of the league’s better franchises at developing young players. That is their plan with Johnson. He has averaged nearly 26 minutes and 12.6 points for Toronto’s G-League team.
The other three guys departed after last season. None landed at another Power Five program.
Nickelberry has been the most prolific. He is the second-leading scorer on the LaSalle team that has lost 13 of 20 games and sits in 13th place in the 14-team Atlantic 10 Conference.
If he was looking for a green light, Nickelberry found one in Philadelphia. He has averaged more than 6 three-point attempts per game. Nickelberry is LaSalle’s second-leading scorer at 12.4 points per game.
After starting a pair of games in early December, Igiehon has moved back to the bench at Grand Canyon. He has played a combined 10 minutes in the last five games. His last field goal came Jan. 20 at Stephen F. Austin.
The final departure was Slazinski, who made the jump to play for former U of L coach Rick Pitino at Iona.
Although the Gaels finally lost their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Sunday at Niagara, they’re certain to be the top-seeded favorite at the league’s post-season tournament next month in Atlantic City, N.J.
Slazinski lost his starting position two games ago. But he has scored in double figures eight times while shooting 33 percent from distance and nearly 83 percent from the foul line.
Several NCAA Tournament bracket forecasts project Iona as a dangerous No. 12 or 13 seed. Until the Gaels were upset by Niagara, there was chatter Iona could make the field as an at-large team.
The MAAC has not put two teams in the field since 2012 so Iona will likely need to win their tournament.
And if they do, Quinn Slazinski will become the first member of Louisville’s 2019 recruiting class to make the NCAA Tournament.
Exactly as the recruiting gurus said it would play out.
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