Louisville basketball: What freshmen will see most PT in 2023-24?

Louisville basketball did well to add talented depth in the offseason but will have to lean heavily on its youth. What each freshman brings for the Cards, and who will likely see the court in 2023-24.

Louisville basketball head coach Kenny Payne and staff needed to make serious changes in order to facilitate a turnaround from an abysmal 4-28 season.

The Cards were able to do just that to begin the offseason.

UofL lost seven players to transfer after the season. When the dust settled, the staff reeled in 9 newcomers using a solid mix of transfers and true freshmen.

Let’s take a look at the freshman Cards and rank each by his impact on this Louisville basketball roster.

1. Trentyn Flowers, G

As the offseason has progressed, it’s become increasingly easier to separate the most impactful Louisville basketball freshman from the rest of the pack.

A reclass from the class of 2024, 6’9″ Trentyn Flowers has become the hottest name of the summer for the Cards.

It was initially believed that Flowers would be a player that has to grow into his frame and make tweaks to his game in order to work his way into the starting lineup. However, Flowers has turned heads in the offseason, particularly at USA Basketball U19 tryouts.

Flowers was one of the final players cut but received high praise from experts.

“Flowers is one of the most athletic guards in this class and loves to play above the rim,” said Krysten Peek, who most recently chose Flowers as the 30th pick in the initial 2024 Yahoo Sports mock draft. “He showcased an improved jump shot during the USA Basketball U19 trials and impressed scouts with his burst off the wing and his up-tempo playing style.”

Flowers just turned 18 in March, making him the youngest player on this Louisville roster. But his talent and basketball acumen are off the charts.

He just missed the cut for the U19 team against No. 1 and No. 3 class of 2024 players Dylan Harper and Tre Johnson but did enough to get the hype train rolling into a long off-season.

Flowers has a chance to be an immediate starter who is a focal point of this potentially fast-paced Louisville basketball offense.

He will be battling for playing time with Mike James and Tre White, but Flowers is too good of a player to keep off the court in 2023-24.

Bottom Line: Immediate impact player/ Possible day 1 starter

2. Ty-Laur Johnson, PG

Skyy Clark is the entrenched starter at point guard, but right behind him is the newest addition to the 2023 class, Ty-Laur Johnson.

Johnson is a New York City guard through and through. He is a tenacious defender, tough driver of the ball, and gutsy playmaker.

Here is what 247Sports expert Adam Finkelstein said of Johnson in May:

“(Johnson) has a tight handle, good speed, and change of pace with various hesitation moves. He’s an under-the-rim finisher, albeit one who can navigate tight spaces in the lane and has soft touch as a lay-up maker. He’s a bit of a streaky shooter, who converted just 27% from behind the arc in the EYBL, but has a clean and repeatable release that should be more consistent as he improves the balance in his lower body. Johnson is also a true three-range scoring threat with a full assortment of pull-ups and floaters in the mid-range area. He is a more than capable passer, who averaged over 6 assists per game this summer, but tends to prioritize throwing assists over moving the ball, and can also be turnover prone with over 4 per game. Defensively, he has quick hands that allow him to be a playmaker on that end, but has to commit to sitting down in a stance and guarding for stops.”

Johnson is being a bit overlooked in this class, and there are a number of reasons for that.

The Cards went after a handful of enticing transfers and big-name prospects before ultimately landing on the Memphis de-commit.

Lost in the shuffle is an undersized guard that, if he were 6’4″ instead of 6’1″, would probably be considered one of the best guards in the 2023 class.

Don’t sleep on Johnson. He is the number 1 ranked player in the state of New York for a reason, and his tape more than backs up this notion.

Behind Clark, Johnson will be battling it out with JUCO transfer Koron Davis and now walk-on Hercy Miller for PT.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Johnson as the primary backup at the lead guard position when everything is said and done.

Bottom Line: Immediate depth piece

Related: How Louisville football flipped its roster through the transfer portal

3. Dennis Evans, C

Dennis Evans would rank as the No. 1 player on this list if not for the competition at his position.

One of the best defenders in his class, Evans has all of the tools to become the most feared big man in the ACC.

A one-time Minnesota signee, Evans stands 7’2″ with a 9’8″ standing reach. But he doesn’t just rely on his size to terrorize opposing offensive players. He posesses above-average athleticism and agility for his size and is capable of staying with smaller players, even if they get a step on him.

Evans possesses the requisite size and skillset to be an ACC starter sooner rather than later, and if his offensive game catches up to his defense, he could see a ton of time in 2023-24.

Much of his ability to see the court next season, of course, will hinge on the improvements of his backcourt mates.

If big man Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and forward JJ Traynor continue their progression in the offseason, the Louisville basketball frontcourt will be a hard place to find playing time.

Factor in that Emmanuel Okorafor showed the steepest upward trajectory of any player on last year’s squad, and there is reason to believe that Evans may be largely shelved until 2024-25.

However, 7’2″ shot blockers are not exactly easy to come by. And if Evans can continue to round out his game, he very well may be the most successful player in this class in year one.

Bottom Line: Highest ceiling freshman

T4. Kaleb Glenn, SF/PF

T4. Curtis Williams, SF/PF

The two 2023 signees that have been committed to Louisville basketball for the longest are the hardest to peg heading into the season.

Former Louisville Male star Kaleb Glenn has been committed to the Cards since the summer prior to Chris Mack’s final season. Since then, Glenn was a dominant force in his junior year at Male, Louisville basketball let go of Mack and named Mike Pegues interim coach, Louisville hired Kenny Payne, Glenn transferred to La Lumiere in Indiana and played a full season at prep school before signing with the Cards in November.

The 6’7″, 210-pound muscle ball has never shied away from competition and has embraced his role for a Louisville team coming off a historically woeful season.

His arrival on campus for Louisville basketball was a long time coming, but the competition for playing time will be stiff.

Coming to Louisville alongside Glenn is Curtis Williams, an aggressive 6’7″ sharpshooting wing.

Williams’ game is much the same as Glenn’s. He is a former five-star talent with an excellent outside shot, both in spot-up and pull-up situations. He finishes well through contact and rebounds well from his position.

The two newcomers have college-ready bodies, are multi-positional, and bring high-level basketball experience both in high school and AAU. Glenn and Williams can play at the 3 and 4, with Williams being a floor stretcher that could play as a guard in a pinch.

Both Glenn and Williams feel like players who could be immediate contributors in any season for the Cards, but they will be fighting for time with Tre White, Trentyn Flowers, JJ Traynor, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Manny Okorafor, and Danilo Jovanovich.

Years 2 and 3 could see this interchangeable duo become stars under Payne, but it will take a serious step forward to carve out legitimate minutes at the most crowded positions on the roster.

Bottom Line: Potentially impactful rotation players

Bonus: Jacob Lane ranks his most impactful 2023-24 freshmen

1. Dennis Evans

2. Trentyn Flowers

3. Curtis Williams

4. Kaleb Glenn

5. Ty-Laur Johnson