An Updated Look at Louisville Basketball's 2021 Recruiting Board
While Chris Mack has spent a majority of his recent recruiting efforts trying to attract graduate transfers to fill the immediate holes left by departing talent, that hasn't stopped the Louisville head coach from also looking towards the future.
As of May 2nd, Louisville has extended scholarship offers to 15 uncommitted Class of 2021 recruits. They have also landed a commitment from Bryce Hopkins, a six-foot-seven and 220-pound power forward who is a Top 50 prospect in the class.
So who else are the Cards targeting? Let's take a look:
| Point Guard | Shooting Guard | Small Forward | Power Forward | Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jalen Warley | Trevor Keels | Aminu Mohammed | Trey Kaufman | Efton Reid |
Hunter Sallis | Malaki Branham | Charles Bediako | ||
Elbert Ellis | Matthew Cleveland | Roosevelt Wheeler | ||
JD Davison | Dallan Coleman | Micawber Etienne | ||
Jordan Hawkins |
Point Guard
Mack loves guards who are great both on and off the ball, and it shows on the recruiting trail for this cycle. JD Davison is a top 15 point guard, and Jalen Warley & Hunter Sallis are both some of the better combo guards in the class, as both are ranked in the Top 30. Louisville is also in the mix for JUCO product Elbert "El" Ellis, who is a true point guard who also happened to shoot 40.3% from beyond the arc last season.
Shooting Guard
In order to fit into his pack line defense, Mack tends to prefer longer, athletic two-guards that can also play on the wing. All five shooting guards on the board for the Cards are listed between six-foot-four and six-foot-six, so they certainly fit the bill there. One in particular to watch is Matthew Cleveland, as it seems to be a three school race between Louisville, Florida State & Georgia Tech. Another to keep an eye out for is Aminu Mohammed, as the five-star SG/SF is currently projected as a Louisville commit by Rivals.
Small Forward
While Mohammed has been listed as a small forward by 247Sports, his six-foot-four stature makes him more suited for the two guard hole. Although Mack has said in the past he does not like to "pigeonhole" players into certain positions.
Power Forward
Combined with the depth at the power forward position for the 2020-21 season and the commitment of Bryce Hopkins, the power forward position doesn't need as much attention as other spots. The lone uncommitted PF prospect with a Louisville offer in Trey Kaufman is a tremendous player however, becoming the first Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana since Greg Oden.
Center
With senior forward/center Malik Williams set to graduate after next season and sophomore Aidan Igiehon's progress as a collegiate player a hot topic of debate, the center position is arguably the most crucial aspect on the recruiting trail moving forward. Mack has offered four big men including five-star, top 20 center Efton Reid, who visited Louisville this past February.
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