What Charles Minlend brings to the table for Louisville
The roster hole that opened up with Jay Scrubb's decision to remain in the NBA Draft process didn't last long, as head coach Chris Mack was able to close it as quickly as it had emerged.
On late Sunday night, San Francisco grad transfer Charles Minlend announced that he was committing to the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball program.
Minlend isn't simply a consolation prize for losing out on Scrubb. The six-foot-four & 208 pound guard/wing was a three year-starter for the Dons, redshirting in his sophomore year. In his final season at San Francisco, he averaged 14.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, earning Second Team All-WCC honors in the process.
Beyond his stat line, what else does Minlend bring to the table for the Cards?
When you watch his film, the first thing that jumps out is his ability to get to the rim. He is not afraid to attack the basket, and takes full advantage of his athleticism to do so. He is able to finish through contact, whether it's on a tough contested layup or simply slamming it home with authority. This alone is a great addition for a team whose main criticism a season ago was toughness.
His high motor and aggressive mindset also helps him in other aspects. He attempted 157 free throws a season ago, good for 4.62 per game and sixth in the West Coast Conference. His athleticism helps out on the defensive end as well, as he is known for the occasional highlight block.
He also seems to be a player that shines the brightest when the stakes are higher. In five games this season against both Gonzaga and Saint Mary's, the West Coast Conference's two premier teams and modern NCAA Tournament mainstays, he averaged 15.4 points and 5.6 rebounds, both above his season averages.
There are some criticisms of his game however. While the three-pointer consisted of 36.8% of his shot attempts in his senior season at San Francisco, he only connected on 30.3% of them. Plus despite getting to the free throw line at a high rate, actually making them is not his strong suit as he shot just 64.3% at the free throw line this past season.
Though some of his shooting woes could be attributed to high usage and his status as a volume shooter. He was involved in 26.9% of San Francisco's total possessions according to KenPom.com (190th in D1), and led the Dons in shot attempts with 413 (119th in D1).
But now that he will play in a backcourt where he does not have to be go-to scoring option thanks to David Johnson & Carlik Jones, some of these shooting issues have the potential to be corrected under Chris Mack's system. Regardless, the good far outweighs the bad and he is a solid addition to the 2020-21 roster.
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