Louisville Basketball 2022-23 Roster Outlook 1.0
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It might be less than a week since the Louisville men's basketball program officially tabbed their next head coach, but it's never too early to take a glimpse into the future and look at how the 2022-23 roster could shake out.
Between players moving on to the next step in their respective careers, recruits donning the red and black for the first time, and players entering and exiting the transfer portal, very little is set in stone when it comes to how Team 109 will look like when they lace 'em up for the first time.
Departures and Arrivals
Less than a week after Louisville's season came to an end after falling in the ACC Tournament, the roster already started to change. Gabe Wiznitzer, a reserve developmental big man, entered the transfer portal.
Don't be surprised to see more transfer portal activity over the coming days and weeks. In fact, it should be expected. As newly-hired head coach Kenny Payne starts to have one-on-one conversations with members of the team, some will have the realization that their future in basketball is not with Louisville.
We know for certain that three players, excluding Wiznitzer, will not be back for next season. Malik Williams, Mason Faulkner and Jarrod West all exhausted their collegiate eligibility, and are moving on to the next stage of their careers.
After that, several decisions are going to have to be made. Noah Locke went through senior day activities, but has a year of eligibility left and said that he is still debating if he will return or not. El Ellis, Dre Davis and Jae'Lyn Withers, the three players who attended Payne's introductory presser, were all non-committal with their answers on returning or staying.
The only player who has said anything regarding their future at Louisville is Sydney Curry, who revealed last month on 93.9 The Ville that he would be returning. Though we'll see how his meeting with Payne will go, and if there is interest on his side - which there should be.
Some decisions also have to be made on the recruiting front. Louisville has three prospects joining them as part of the Class of 2022, but only one of them has said anything regarding their future. Verbal commit Kamari Lands hinted that he wants to remain a Cardinal, and signees Tae Davis and Frederick King have not indicated, yet, that they want to be released from their NLI's.
Davis' future is likely contingent on his brother Dre's future, and it would not be shocking to see King leave since he was a Ross McMains recruit. Time will tell what directions both they and Payne decide to take.
Projected Depth Chart
Given all that we know now about the current state of Louisville's roster, below is an early look into what the depth chart next year could look like:
| Point Guard | Shooting Guard | Small Forward | Power Forward | Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
El Ellis | Noah Locke | Dre Davis | Jae'Lyn Withers | Sydney Curry |
Mike James | Kamari Lands | J.J. Traynor | Roosevelt Wheeler | |
Samuell Williamson | Frederick King | |||
Matt Cross | ||||
Tae Davis |
The biggest remaining offseason decision from a player perspective undoubtedly will be the one that El Ellis makes. While his 2021-22 campaign certainly had its up's and downs, the JUCO transfer displayed enormous potential on numerous occasions. He finished as Louisville's third-leading scorer, and also their top three-point shooter from a percentage standpoint. But considering there are no other primarily ball handlers currently on the roster, Louisville will need to hit this position big time amongst the remaining '22 prospects and the transfer portal.
Louisville will also need to take a strong look at shooting guard prospects. Even if Noah Locke - who by his own admission regressed last season - decides to come back, him and Ellis are the only true guards on the roster. Mike James can play the two, but he is coming off of an Achilles injury. Dre Davis is another guy who can play at the two in a pinch, but he is more of a wing than a guard.
Speaking of wings, there is an absolute log jam at this position for Louisville, with five small forwards slated to be on their roster - at least at this point. The Davis brothers seem to be a two-for-one package, and if I had to guess, I'd say Dre will return, which means Tae will make it to campus as well. Given how much Samuell Williamson has regressed since his freshman year, and how little Matt Cross played to end the season, it would not be shocking to see both enter the portal.
The power forward position will be an interesting one to monitor for Louisville. Withers largely struggled this past season, but was able to turn in on over the final month and look like the pseudo-NBA prospect many expected him to be. J.J. Traynor was a no-show for almost the entire year thanks to setbacks last offseason, but working with Payne, who is known as a big-man whisperer, should be good for him if he decides to stay.
Oddly enough, the most potential on the entire roster right now is at center. Sydney Curry looked borderline unstoppable on offense over the final month of the season, but will have work on his defense. Roosevelt Wheeler also had flashes of potential, but got lost in the big man shuffle behind Curry, Withers and Williams. Frederick King is an extremely raw prospect who does have potential to be special, but it will be interesting to see if he decides to stay with his lead recruiter, Ross McMains, on the way out the door.
(Photo of Sydney Curry: Brad Penner - USA TODAY Sports)
You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:
Facebook - @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter - @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram - @louisville_report
You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter
