Five games into the Louisville basketball season, we look back and grade each Cardinal based on their performance thus far.
We’re just five games into year two of the Kenny Payne Experience, but it’s already been a rollercoaster of a season for Louisville basketball. From an exhibition loss to KWC to going neck-and-neck with Texas and Indiana, this team has shown signs of improvement but also features many of the same issues we saw in year one.
The Cards seemed almost lifeless in the first three games of the season, barely beating UMBC and then losing by 10 to a Chattanooga team that beat Tennessee Tech by just five points, but an in-season tournament in Madison Square Garden seems to have brought life back into this team and this fanbase.
So, let’s take a look at how each player has performed this season.
Skyy Clark: B
Skyy Clark came into the season as a true wildcard. The former high 4-star recruit played just 13 games for Illinois before stepping away from the team in early January.
After leaving the Illini, Clark was handed the keys to the program as Louisville’s starting point guard.
The Skyy Clark experience, much like the Louisville fan experience, has been up and down. The team clearly needs a primary ball handler who can get to the rim and be a threat to score or facilitate for others, and Clark, along with Ty-Laur, have taken on that challenge. A challenge more daunting than some might realize.
Clark’s ball handling and comfort in the pick & roll have led to a lot of great moments early in the season, but he seems to struggle, at times, once he gets in the paint. Far too often, Clark is jumping to the basket without a clear plan, and that’s led to quite a few jump pass turnovers and difficult shots. But, even in just five games, Clark has flashed and shown he can be a dominant college basketball player.
With the lights as bright as possible, in Madison Square Garden, Clark put up his best two performances of the season. Clark put on a complete performance against Texas. Putting up 20 points, 4 assists, and just two turnovers, with a lot of that success coming from behind the three point line. Clark shot 4/6 from three against Texas after starting the season 0/8 from behind the arc. With a team struggling to shoot threes, Clark’s ability to knock down triples can provide so much.
Clark continued to score against IU, albeit a little less effectively, putting up 19 points on 15 shots and turning the ball over 4 times.
Clark should continue to improve as the season moves forward and he gets more comfortable with this system and the teammates around him. This team will go as far as Skyy Clark can take them. Clark has impressed in big moments, but the team will need more consistent shooting and playmaking from him, if they want to be competitive in the ACC this year.
Clark has been a steadying hand on offense, and at times the only starter that seems to be able to get to the rim consistently, but a negative Assist to turnover ratio (13:14) and issues with on-ball defense keep Clark’s grade at just a B.
Mike James: B+
Mike James came to this program in 2021 with tons of offseason excitement and positive review in practice, but an Achilles injury forced the impact freshman to use a medical redshirt.
Last year, James showed moments of why the coaches were raving over him. His relentless straight line drives and ability to finish through contact made him one of the few bright spots on last year’s team.
Coming into this season, expectations were high for one of the few returning members of 2022, and Mike James came out with a BANG! James consistently got to the rim against UMBC, scoring 25 and getting to the line FOURTEEN TIMES. He was really the only reason we didn’t start the season 0-1. He continued that aggression in a loss to Chattanooga, putting up 17 points and five boards.
But, unlike the rest of the team, James’s game took a steep decline in New York. James scored just 10 points in the two games and shot just 25% from the field. It’s just two games, but this could be cause for concern. James was able to get to the basket at will against lower level competition, but he struggled to get to the basket and score against a stronger and more athletic Texas and IU.
At times, James has looked like the best player on the team, but lackluster performances in New York have me slightly concerned. James thrives on straight line drives to the basket, when a defender is out of position, and in the post against smaller guards, but those opportunities and mismatches will become more seldom as the competition increases.
He also seems to struggle off the ball on defense. This one is a little harder to measure, but there have been multiple times this season where James is guarding off ball and has no idea where the ballhandler is or doesn’t provide enough help when a man gets beat, leading to an easy layup for the other team.
With more consistency on offense and more focus on defense, Mike James can easily earn an A rating.
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Tre White: C-
Tre White spent his freshman season at USC as a small-ball 4 that was lower on the pecking order, when it came to shot opportunities, but even as the fourth or fifth option on the floor White still put up impressive numbers averaging 9 PPG, 5 RPG, and shot 48% from the field.
After an impressive freshman year, White decided to move away from USC for a chance to become the primary focal point of an offense. So far, he’s been less than stellar in this new role.
From the surface, White’s numbers don’t look to bad. He’s averaging just under 14 points per game and nearly 8 boards a game, as well, but if you’ve watched this season you know how frustrating he has been.
Too often we’ve seen White struggle to get past his man then take a tough shot in the paint or a fadeaway mid-range jumper over his man. Add to that his extremely negative assist to turnover ratio (5:13), and he’s really just been an inefficient volume scorer with a turnover problem.
White’s biggest issue has been his unwillingness to let the game come to him. At USC, he was the fourth option playing off of others, and he thrived in that role, but at Louisville he’s become a consistent focal point of the offense. The offense is just more stagnant with Tre on the floor. Too much holding the ball and forcing drives to the basket, instead of swinging the ball and getting it to a man with a better opportunity to attack.
If White just lets the game come to him, he can become a huge positive. He’s a strong finisher around the basket, a really nice rebounder, great at drawing fouls (averaging 6.4 FTA/PG) and a plus three point shooter (36%). Accepting his role as a secondary ballhandler and more of a slasher and offensive rebounder could really improve his grade.
I think White was brought in and promised a big role in this offense as the primary scorer, but I don’t think this team will be successful with him in that role. If White lets the game come to him and stops forcing shots and drives to the basket, his skill, strength, and athleticism can easily make him one of the biggest parts of this team, even without big scoring numbers.
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Brandon Huntley-Hatfield: B-
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is probably the toughest player to grade on this team. At times, he’s been an A++ player, but in other games I barely even notice him on the floor.
BHH began the season pretty slowly. Never scoring more than six points against UMBC, Chattanooga, or Coppin State, all teams he should be able to physically dominate. Hatfield did rebound well in those games, though, averaging 10+ rebounds a game, but he never asserted himself on the offensive end.
Much like Skyy Clark and a few others, Hatfield clearly came to New York with a newfound level of energy. BHH went toe-to-toe against Texas’s Kadin Shedrick, putting up 11 points and 9 rebounds before fouling out on what some would call a bullshit bogus foul.
With BHH off the floor, Texas murdered Louisville on the offensive glass and consistently got two or three looks at the rim on each offensive possession at the end of the game. Hatfield’s effort levels stayed high against IU, grabbing another 9 rebounds, but scoring less effectively.
Hatfield’s issues all stem from his lack of a consistent motor. If he gave full effort for the rest of the season, he’d be a top-two player on this team, easily averaging a double-double. Hatfield is so clearly this team’s best rebounder, never grabbing less than seven boards in a game, but his offense will need to improve for this team to compete.
We saw BHH score easily against a strong Texas front line in New York, so he’s clearly capable of averaging 10+ points a night. This team so badly needs a consistent post presence that can get us an easy bucket every few possessions and possibly get the opposing big man in foul trouble.
The only things standing in the way of an A grade for Hatfield are his effort level and foul trouble.
Dennis Evans: D-
Please don’t hate me for this grade. I love Dennis. He seems like a joyful kid to be around, and I think his potential is limitless, but the beginning of this season has been a real struggle.
The 7’1 high school senior shocked everyone this offseason by flipping his commitment from Minnesota to Louisville, and with a 9’8 wingspan and a 5-star rating, expectations were high for this season.
But, so far, those expectations have been far from met. Dennis started the year off showing some promise scoring seven points and blocking two shots against UMBC in just 16 minutes of action, but since then it’s been 40 minutes of play with just 4 points scored, 4 rebounds grabbed, and 8 fouls committed. Dennis hasn’t provided much on offense, except a few dunks and couple of offensive rebounds, and the defense hasn’t been much better.
His issues all stem from a lack of strength and experience. He’s getting pushed around inside and is so easy to get shaken on defense while guarding the ball or trying to grab a board. He’s also no threat on offense, except to catch a lob or dunk a basketball, which is killing the spacing when he’s in.
But, I’m not giving up on Dennis, just yet. The man (barely) just turned 18 in July and has a frame that could make him the next dominant big for years to come. His high 5-star status probably set his expectations too high to begin this season. If you watched his high school tape, you saw a kid with an incredible frame but little skill or feel for the game.
Dennis is so far from a finished product. This grade isn’t an indictment on what he can become, but for now, I’m not sure how much the Cards can rely on Big D. He looked physically outmatched against Texas and IU, and I’m afraid that’s going to happen a lot more often once we get into conference play. Dennis needs more strength and more experience at the D-1 level, and unfortunately that just takes time to develop.
Ty-Laur Johnson: B+
I said it in the off-season, and I’ll say it now, Ty-Laur Johnson is the biggest impact freshman we have on this team. Thank God the NCAA was actually nice to us and deemed him eligible. This team would have just one win without him and wouldn’t have even been competitive against Texas and IU without Ty-Laur stepping up.
Johnson came to the Cards as the last addition to an impressive freshman class, and he’s turned out to be the most important. His insane quickness with the ball and frenetic pace has kept defenses on their heels all season long.
Johnson started the season hot, scoring 12 points in just 21 minutes of action against UMBC, but then hit a bit of a lull against Chattanooga and Coppin State, scoring just 12 points combined and turning the ball over 7 times.
But a return to his home state brought out the best in Ty-Laur. Johnson put up 14 points and SIX assists against a tough Texas squad and truly seemed un-guardable, at times. He followed that up by helping lead the Cards to a 21-3 run in the middle of the second half against Indiana, where he again looked unstoppable in the pick & roll. Unfortunately, foul trouble, cramps, and a “tricky” 2-3 zone stopped the Cards from grabbing a win in the Big Apple.
A win would have been huge, but I think Ty-Laur finding confidence in his game at this level may be ever bigger. If you watched any of Johnson’s game in the Overtime Elite (OTE) League, you saw a kid willing to shoot any shot and try any move. The OTE League is a far cry from the NCAA, but his play in that league showed how easily he could get to the rim and create for others when given free reign.
The first three games of the season seemed to be a bit of a feeling out process for Johnson. Seeing what he can and can’t do against D-1 competition, but his performance in NY, hopefully, showed him what he’s capable of doing for Louisville this year.
Now, with all of that positive does come some negative. At times, Johnson tries to do way too much, and that leads to a bad shot or live ball turnover, and he’s still a little too aggressive on the defensive end (i.e. five fouls in 17 minutes against IU), but the positive far outweighs the negative.
The continued ascension of Ty-Laur’s game will be huge for the Cardinals. His ability to dominate on the ball and create for others will make everyone’s job easier. Skyy and Mike James can continue to be a knockdown spot-up shooter, Tre White can let the game come to him more, and the bigs will feast inside with Ty-Laurs ability to get them the ball near the rim.
Ty-Laur needs to get into the starting lineup, or at least be playing starter minutes NOW. More consistency from behind the three point line and on the defensive end can turn this grade into an A+.
J.J. Traynor: C-
If I were grading on the offensive side alone, J.J. Traynor would have received, at least, a B grade, but unfortunately there are two sides of the ball, and Traynor has been awful on defense.
The only senior on the team has started out the year playing pretty well on offense. He’s been aggressive at the rim, trying to dunk everything he can, and he’s shooting the ball really well (46% from three). He’s also been solid on the offensive glass.
But my goodness, J.J. is by far the worst defender this team has . He’s a liability on the ball, and teams know it. Even UMBC was intentionally attacking with whichever play Traynor was guarding, but the worst part of his defensive game has been his lack of boxing out and grabbing defensive rebounds to end possessions. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen a shot go up and seen J.J. just stand near the rim and try to jump for the rebound, instead of boxing his man out.
This issue was made even more clear against Texas when Brandon Huntley-Hatfield fouled out of the game. In those final few minutes, all Texas had to do was throw a shot up at the rim, because they knew they’d get the offensive rebound, and all that was done while J.J. was playing center. If he would just box out, he’d improve my rating by, at least, a full letter grade. Hopefully, the coaching staff sees this issue too and will get it fixed.
Curtis Williams Jr.: C
Curtis Williams Jr. came to the Cards this year as a low-end top-100 player out of Brother Rice High School. From the games I watched of his, he was a smooth player with an even smoother jump shot, but the rest of his game needed work, and that’s a lot of what we’ve seen, so far.
In Louisville’s first scrimmage of the year, it looked like the Cards might have found a diamond in the rough. Williams put up 15 points, 5 rebounds, and flashed playmaking that I never saw in his high school tape. Unfortunately, that’s the best we’ve seen from Williams, so far, and it was against one of the worst college basketball teams I’ve ever seen in Simmons College.
Since the regular season began, Curtis has shown flashes of his smoothness and jump shooting ability, but not at a consistent level. His best games have come against our worst competition (Coppin State & Simmons College). In New York, Curtis was relatively quiet, scoring just three points in 15 minutes of action.
As the season goes on, Curtis should continue to get better and improve his feel for the game. At times, he’s been seen lost on defense and offense, and he’s struggled to do much when he’s had to put the ball on the ground.
I’ve liked his confidence and his willingness to shoot when he catches the ball. He knows he’s a good shooter, and it’s only a matter of time before more shots start to fall and his confidence grows. I’d expect to see more from Williams as the season goes on.
Kaleb Glenn: B+
This is an extremely high grade for a player averaging exactly one point per game, but the performance Kaleb Glenn put on against IU has me high on his play.
The hometown kid has been committed to Louisville for what seems like the last half decade, and it’s evident in his game that Glenn plays with a sense of pride when he has the Louisville jersey on.
The start to the season was mainly spent on the bench, as Glenn saw just 12 minutes of play in his first four games in college, but KG took full advantage of his opportunity when he was called in off the bench in the IU game.
As soon as Glenn came into the game, the energy on the court increased. Him and Ty-Laur Johnson were the spearheads behind Louisville’s 21-3 run against IU in the second half. Glenn put up five points, three rebounds , and one steal in that run, but it was the intangibles of his game that stood out the most.
Glenn played with such a higher level of toughness and energy than anyone else we’ve seen all season long. His intensity on defense and on the glass are the two things this team needs so much.
On the offensive end, he isn’t the most skilled player, but he knows that, and he plays perfectly into his role as a cutter and rebounder. I’m not sure how KP can watch the film against IU and not start playing Glenn at least 15 minutes a night. Glenn plays with a hunger and inspiration that I haven’t seen since Dwayne Sutton.
Danilo Jovanovich: B
I’ve heard a lot of criticism about Danilo Jovanovich and questions about why he’s getting minutes at all, but I’ve actually been pretty impressed from what I’ve seen from D-Lo.
A lot of his criticism has come from the fact that he’s yet to score, but he’s doing everything else right. He’s always in the right spot on the defensive side of the ball, he’s always boxing out, he’s always fighting hard for rebounds, and he’s always looking to quickly move the ball on offense to the open man.
He’s doing all of the little things that go unnoticed by many. I’m not clamoring for D-Lo to get starters minutes, but I do think he’s earned the right to get 5-10 minutes a night, and with time I think he finds his way to score and becomes a fan favorite.
Emmanuel Okorafor: C+
Many were excited when the unknown prospect joined the team mid-season last year and came into games with a motor and intensity unmatched by anyone. This season, the effort is still there, but it’s become more apparent the talent is not.
Emmanuel Okorafor started the season out with his best game, as he put up eight points and six rebounds in just 10 minutes played against UMBC, but since then we’ve seen just 11 combined minutes in the last four games.
I think Manny is who he is. A guy that’s going to give you his all for every minute he’s out there, but he’s also a guy that can only score when he’s within five feet of the basket and a guy that just lacks the polish necessary for a high-level D1 big man. I appreciate the effort, but my expectations are always somewhat low when he comes into the game.
The one thing he can give this team is a solid presence on the boards, though. Okorafor has grabbed 11 rebounds in just 21 minutes of play. That’s something this team could certainly use, especially against physical teams like Texas and IU.
Hercy Miller, Zan Payne, Aidan McCool & Koron Davis: INCOMPLETE
These four have combined to play just 13 minutes of action for the Cards this year, with Zan Payne somehow leading them with 9 minutes???
Hercy Miller
We’ve seen Hercy in just one game this year, but I really think those minutes need to increase a bit. He doesn’t have the talent to demand being on the court a ton, but I think he’s showed enough skill, security with the ball, and effort to deserve at least five minutes a game. With Ty-Laur Johnson starting to play more minutes with Skyy Clark, there may be a little bit more opportunity for him to spell one of the guards.
Zan Payne
It’s insane that Zan Payne is leading all of these guys in minutes played, as he’s played competitive minutes in each of the last three games. Payne has no business being on the court with any of these players, and it’s dumb as hell that Kenny keeps putting his son in the game when he could give more minutes to Kaleb Glenn, Danilo Jovanovich, Hercy Miller, or literally anyone else with a pulse. KP already has a majority of the fan base against him, and he loses even more of it each time he puts in his son.
Aidan McCool & Koron Davis
Aidan McCool has played just one minute at the end of the Coppin State game. Hopefully, we’ll have a game where we’re winning and McCool can get his first points as a Cardinal.
I’m not sure what’s going on with Koron Davis. He’s away from the team, but he’s definitely not in any trouble.
Koron looked straight up bad in Louisville’s Red-White Scrimmage and against Simmons College, and he’s been away from the team since then. I’m unsure if / when he will return to the team, but, regardless of his return, I don’t think he’ll have an impact on this team. There’s a reason he was playing in the second best JUCO league in the state of California, and there’s a reason why no one else was recruiting him at the D1 level. His tape in JUCO was bad, and he hasn’t shown any signs of improvement in the little opportunity he’s gotten.
Good analysis!