Louisville basketball continues to search for the right pieces in the transfer portal. Could USC product Tre White be the answer for Kenny Payne and staff?
It’s a daunting process keeping up with the Louisville basketball staff as they remain impressively private about prospects they are pursuing in the transfer portal.
However, there are a few names that we are sure that the Cards are going after.
We discussed Mackenzie Mgbako– a 5-star incoming freshman who got out of his NLI to Duke- here. He will visit the Cards soon.
We broke down why RJ Luis– a transfer from UMass- would fit with the Cards here. He visited recently as well.
The latest Louisville basketball visitor is USC transfer, Tre White.
According to John Rothstein, White has heard from LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia St, Georgetown, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Washington, Washington St, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, UCF, Louisville, Kentucky, Boston College, St. John’s, Ohio St, Nebraska, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and ASU among others.
Needless to say, there is a reason White is such a hot commodity.
But what is that reason? And does White fit what Payne and the Louisville basketball staff need?
Let’s dive into White’s game, and what he can bring to the table for the Cards.
A slashing hybrid guard
White, first and foremost, is a polished guard with small forward size.
White is a 6’7″, 210+ pound rising sophomore who was a top 50 player coming out of high school.
Here’s what Jerry Meyer of 247Sports said about White during his recruiting process:
“An explosive leaper off two feet. Has functional basketball athleticism and versatility skill-wise.
A keep the defense honest long-range shooter. Prefers to score off the dribble. Has a reliable pull-up jumper and can finish in traffic.
Handles the ball well and can be a playmaker with his passing. Can rebound in traffic and will chase down a rebound. Defensively, can typically adequately defend any position.”
White proved to be an efficient scorer and playmaker in the PAC-12, starting 29 games last season, averaging 9 points on 52.5% shooting in 26.7 minutes per game.
He dished out 1 assist per game while turning it over 1.2 times per game.
That turnover number was the lowest on his team among any players averaging over 20 minutes per game and the lowest among all ball handlers.
In his freshman year, White showed the ability to free himself up off the dribble in a number of ways. He is a crafty ball-handler with long strides who attacks 1-on-1 opportunities with conviction.
White turned the ball over 2 times or less in 91% of his games, and in games where he turned the ball over 3+ times, he averaged 16 points per game while shooting 61% shooting from the field. So, when forced to “press the issue”, White is still remarkably efficient.
He also plays well without the ball in his hands, demonstrating excellent spacial awareness and finding spots to crash the boards or get open around the rim.
His size creates issues for smaller opponents, where he can find mismatches and create off the dribble or post up opposing 1s and 2s.
White shot 61% at the basket last season and 46% from the elbow. As the year progressed, he shot less from beyond the arc, continuing to attack the basket or score in the midrange.
He is a capable three-point shooter, but is much more willing and score from inside the arc.
A willing defender and rebounder
It should be noted that the Louisville basketball staff is bringing in players who show excellent effort on the glass and make hustle plays to create second-chance opportunities.
White was an integral part of a defense that ranked 49th nationally in defensive efficiency, per Ken Pomeroy.
White also grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game, hauling in 6 or more boards on 14 occasions.
He is able to utilize his size and strength to be dominant on the boards, but his stats are also akin to his style of play.
247Sports analyst Brandon Jenkins says that White “has a powerful build and plays with a tireless motor.”
Jenkins goes on to say that White “works to leave an imprint on the game in any positive way he can”, and that “his feel for the game also can go unnoticed at times.”
How White would fit on the existing Louisville roster
As to how White would fit on this existing Louisville basketball roster, my sentiment is much the same as that for RJ Luis.
Traditionally, I’d prefer to see a player with a more defined role as a ballhandler and shooter.
However, White fits a need for a player who is an aggressor on the boards and defensively that the Cardinals do not yet have.
My fear is that White is a bit too similar to incoming freshmen Kaleb Glenn and Curtis Williams Jr.
However, White is a proven commodity at the highest level. He was an immediate starter for a team that finished 2nd in the PAC-12 and was in the NCAA Tournament.
At Louisville, White could once again be an instant-impact guy, and in the age of “positionless basketball,” he can improvise as a primary or secondary ball-handler.
If White is the guy for the Cards, my hope is that he could continue to perform as efficiently as did in 2022-23 while improving from beyond the arc as more of a floor stretcher and increasing his assist numbers.
Given the choice between Luis and White, I am leaning a little bit towards White, but I like what either could bring to the table for Louisville basketball this season.
