Louisville's J.J. Traynor Returns to Action, Could Play Late Season Role

The sophomore for the Cardinals finally made his return to the court, and could play a role for Louisville down the stretch.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It seemed like we were only days away from seeing J.J. Traynor end up on the side of a milk carton.

Prior to Louisville's Wednesday night game at Notre Dame, the Cardinals forward had only played in 13 total minutes for the entire season, and tallied just a a single field goal - a three-pointer against Southeastern Louisiana back on Dec. 14. That game also served as his most recent appearance for the season.

It was an almost inexplicable development, given his trajectory the season before. As a true freshman, the 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward saw action off the bench in all 20 of the Cardinals' games, averaging 3.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in the process. He had a team high 11 blocks, and shot 49.1 percent from the field.

This season as a sophomore, he was almost nowhere to be found, fueling rampant rumors that he might be taking a redshirt, or could even soon be entering the transfer portal. But against the Fighting Irish, the Bardstown, Ky. native made his return to action up in South Bend

He was subbed in shortly before the first media timeout of the second half, and played a role in Louisville's comeback attempt. He immediately hauled in an offensive rebound, connected on a three-pointer a few minutes later, and even had a dunk to get the bench energy flowing.

"We need more of that," interim head coach Mike Pegues said. "We just need guys to come in off the bench, and play hard, and do things the right way. J.J., throughout the year, despite not playing, he's done things the right way. He hasn't come in and moped, our pouted."

Which then begs the question, why was Traynor not playing for two straight months? When given opportunity to play in garbage time, most notably in Louisville's recent blowout loss to Syracuse, why was he still relegated to the bench.

After noting last week that him, Traynor and his family would be having a meeting in the near future, Pegues offered some clarity on the subject.

During the first six games of the season, where Pegues was serving as the acting head coach during Chris Mack's suspension, Traynor was coming off of hamstring injury that severely hampered his on-court ability.

"I didn't feel comfortable starting J.J., or certainly even playing J.J. in the first six games," Pegues said.

Then Mack returned. During that time, both Pegues and Mack believed that Traynor was "not necessarily out-playing" the other guys at the position where he would normally play. Guys like Matt Cross, Malik Williams, Sydney Curry and Roosevelt Wheeler.

In the first two games following Mack's departure, against Duke and North Carolina, Pegues still believed that Traynor "hadn't quite done anything in practice to lead me to believe that he should play." Then comes the game vs. Syracuse.

"Prior to Syracuse, J.J. was in the midst of thinking about trying to get a redshirt, and that's his right," Pegues said. "In an effort to make sure that he could potentially get that redshirt year back, he asked me, "Coach, I don't know if I should play." He didn't want to play, so that's why I didn't put him in during the Syracuse game. Of course, I won't put that kids in, in that situation. Especially if he's a good kid."

On the morning of the game at Notre Dame, Traynor had a change of heart, telling Pegues that his "chances of getting a waiver are slim to none, and I want to play." Coupled with him having great practices leading up to the game, Williams just coming back from suspension, as was Wheeler from a concussion, that paved a way for Traynor to see some clock in the game.

"I'm proud of him, because the kid has been through a lot," Pegues said. "He's battled, he's fought through not playing, which is hard. I want to see him continue to battle and fight in practice, and out-compete guys the way that he did against Notre Dame tonight."

Given the way he played against the Irish, it could also mean he could see a more meaningful role in Louisville down the stretch.

"I'm gonna play him provided that he plays like that, and he's tough, and he's gritty, and he plays hard, and he mixes it up - which he did the last couple days in practice, and he obviously did today," Pegues said.

Currently on a six-game losing streak for the first time since 1991, Louisville (11-13, 5-9 ACC) has just six games left in the regular season - three at home and three on the road - plus their appearance in the ACC Tournament.

With how up and down the production from several players has been over the course of the entire season, it's very likely that Traynor does carve himself a niche role over the homestretch of the season.

"I was beyond happy for him," Withers said. "It's been hard for him all year."

(Photo of J.J. Traynor: Scott Utterback - Courier Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

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