Kenny Payne and the Louisville basketball staff are off and running in their recruitment of top talent in the 2023 class. This will be Payne’s first true recruiting class and he, better than most, understands that a major splash is needed. KP, Nolan Smith, and Danny Manning have all recruited and developed top tier talent and they intend to do more of the same at Louisville. The 2023 class is their chance to prove that they can do it. The Louisville basketball staff has identified four primary targets and two of them, DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw, were on display this weekend in Louisville, KY at EYBL Session 3.
DJ Wagner
It goes without saying that DJ Wagner is Louisville’s top target in the 2023 class. Wagner, a 5-star recruit and the consensus number 1 ranked player in the 2023 class, is a 6’ 3” combo guard who does it all. Scouts will tell you that Wagner is as well-rounded as the come and is elite on both ends of the floor. He proved that last weekend. I watched Wagner and his team, the New Jersey Scholars, play five times over the weekend and he did not disappoint. Wagner is both quick and strong. He was hounded all weekend by double and triple teams and was, almost constantly, pushed, slapped, and grabbed. Wagner was not only able to play through the contact but seemed to enjoy it. That leads me what impressed me most about Wagner – his grit. There are a lot of really talented players who shine in an open, low contact game, but not many can also shine in a physical battle. Critics have also questioned his ability to shoot consistently from three, but he connected on plenty of open looks. That said, Wagner is as good as advertised and cemented himself, at least in my mind, as the best player in the 2023 class.
Louisville’s chances to land Wagner are high. It was a Louisville basketball reunion at most the Scholar’s games. On Saturday night, when Wagner faced Bronny James and Strive for Greatness, there were a number of former players in attendance, including Darrell Griffith, Robbie Valentine, Herbert Crook, Wiley Brown, Kevin Walls, Jerry Eaves, Tick Rogers, Beau Zach Smith, Will Olliges, Russ Smith, Sydney Curry, El Ellis, and Mike James. Heck, I even found myself standing next to Chane Behanen behind the Scholars’ bench. Milt Wagner also attended all of his grandson’s game after he was hired the week before as Louisville’s Director of Player Development and Alumni Relations. Louisville’s prodigal son, Pervis Ellison, the director of the New Jersey Scholars program, was also on hand. I’m too young to know much about the drama with Pervis, but, based on his interviews, the hiring of Kenny Payne seems to have eased his hurt. I’ve never seem him so jovial and excited as he was talking to his former teammates and friends. Pervis is an important ally in Wagner’s (and Aaron Bradshaw’s) recruitment and KP seems to have Pervis in his corner. Despite what the outlets up the road want to believe, Louisville is now the favorite to land DJ Wanger.
Also trending: Louisville basketball needs guards but who’s available?
Aaron Bradshaw
Aaron Bradshaw, DJ Wagner’s teammate with the Scholars and at Camden high school, is a consensus five-star center in the 2023 class. Bradshaw is long and rangy at 7’ 210-pounds. He is arguably the best shot blocker in the class and moves as well as any 7-footer that I’ve seen. I went into the weekend skeptical of Bradshaw’s high billing, but I came away thinking he may be underrated. Bradshaw ran the floor, finished at the rim, and blocked shots. He also displayed a nice face-up game from which he knocked down mid-range jump shots and drove to the rim. Bradshaw’s biggest flaw is, as for most 7-foot prospects, his lack of strength. Against Brad Beal Elite, Bradshaw was matched up against two stronger interior players and got pushed around. He was consistently knocked off his spot and struggled to adjust. He made a nice string of plays late in the game, but, ultimately, he struggled. That said, Bradshaw is a unique talent who, I believe, would really flourish under Kenny Payne and Danny Manning. There are not two better big-man coaches in college basketball and, under their tutelage, Bradshaw could be the top NBA draft pick in 2024.
It has long been rumored that Wagner and Bradshaw want to play together in college; however, I don’t believe they are a package deal. Louisville has not yet offered Bradshaw, but he recently included Louisville in his “top 7.” Bradshaw has immediate plans to visit Kentucky, UCLA, and Maryland. I expect Louisville to be added to that list in the coming months. Kentucky is the current favorite and Louisville basketball has ground to make up but, with Kenny Payne and Danny Manning, Louisville is a serious contender.
AJ Johnson
AJ Johnson is a 4-star point guard from Woodland Hills, CA. Johnson is having an outstanding summer on the Addidas 3SSB circuit playing for Jalen Green Elite. Johnson has ideal size for a guard at 6’ 5” and is one of the best athletes in the class. He is the younger brother of Jalen Green, the number 2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft and contender for NBA ROY. Johnson recently received an offer from Louisville – one of only three players to hold an offer from Kenny Payne and his staff. Expect Johnson to continue to rise in the rankings and for Louisville basketball to be a major player in his recruitment.
Xavier Booker
I thought I might get to see Xavier Booker this weekend but his family informed me that he was at the Team USA U18 Camp – unfortunately, he did not make the final roster. Regardless, Xavier Booker is the hottest name in prep basketball. In the updated 247 Sports rankings, Booker jumped from no. 79 to no. 4 overall. Insane. He is, outside of Johnson, the only player in the 2023 class to hold a Louisville offer (from Kenny Payne). Booker is a 6’ 10”, 205-pound center from Indianapolis, IN. Booker’s recruitment has blown up this summer based on his performances for George Hill All Indy on the NY2LA Circuit. Michigan State has been in on Booker for a while and is considered the favorite. However, when an athlete’s recruitment blows up like Booker’s has, no school is a true favorite – Louisville fans have seen that movie. Expect Louisville to be a serious contender. Kenny Payne and Danny Manning will make sure of that.
