Louisville basketball commit Sydney Curry will solidify the frontcourt for the Cards. What to know about the future Cardinal.
It’s official. Louisville basketball has shored up its frontcourt with the addition of top 10 JUCO transfer Sydney Curry.
The Fort Wayne, Indiana native and Kansas decommit will be eligible immediately for Louisville.
Let’s take a look at what Curry brings to the table for Chris Mack and the Cards.
Former teammate of Jay Scrubb
If you’re familiar with the Louisville basketball program, you probably recognize John A. Logan CC. That is where former Louisville signee and current LA Clipper Jay Scrubb played his first two years of college ball.
While Scrubb ultimately bolted for the league, the Louisville basketball coaching staff already developed a relationship with the Logan staff.
When Scrubb was being heavily recruited by the Cards, it was apparent that there was talent around him. Curry was one of the players that stuck out.
While Curry’s highlight tape is impressive, I think that looking at Scrubb’s tape shows a lot more of what Curry will bring to Louisville. More on that in a second.
Curry played both at the four and five at Logan, starting at the four or coming off the bench behind new Western Kentucky Center and No. 2 JUCO recruit Jamarion Sharp.
Lightly recruited out of high school
Curry struggled to find his footing in high school. He played at three different schools in four years in Fort Wayne, Indiana- the same hometown as fellow Louisville center Malik Williams.
Listed at 6’7,” 220 pounds as a junior, Curry has clearly grown a lot more into his frame. Logan’s roster listed him as 6’8,” 265.
Curry had interest from schools like Xavier, Purdue, Indiana, and Ohio State, but ultimately chose Miami, Ohio over Bradley and IUPUI.
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An offensive aggressor
That NFL tight end frame is what makes Curry such a fascinating prospect.
On one hand, he is still pretty raw. Curry is not super efficient outside the lane and needs to work on his free throw shooting.
On the other hand, I’m not sure you want Curry to do anything but be a beast for Louisville in the middle. He uses his chiseled frame to set aggressive screens, works well in pick-and-roll situations, and finishes with authority at the rim. Curry shot nearly 70 percent from the field during his junior year and did so making a living right at the hole.
Curry finishes most possessions with a dunk and shows the ability to outmuscle players that are taller and longer than him. Think freshman Montrezl Harrell with a little more weight and a little less crazy.
Above average defender
Curry averaged just shy of a block and a steal per game with Logan. He has excellent lateral quickness and leaping ability.
In limited film, Curry demonstrates the ability to wall up without fouling. He can allow the offensive player to create space and use his athleticism and timing to make a solid defensive play. This is something that was mentioned as a serious issue for Curry in high school, but an area where he has shown growth at the next level.
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A solid fit in the Louisville basketball offense
This is where I am the most intrigued about Curry’s game. Yes, it is exciting to see a player finish over and over with ferocious dunks. It’s fun to think that Louisville basketball could have a physically dominant big once again.
At the same time, I think Curry is simply a solid fit for what Louisville wants to do with Chris Mack and new offensive guru Ross McMains.
On the Basketball Immersion Podcast, McMains addressed the challenges of running an up-tempo offense with a traditional big man. McMains stresses pushing the tempo and getting into fast-break scenarios. In his offensive philosophy, the big is used to stretch the sidelines in transition “unless he has an absolute mismatch” or he beats his man up the floor.
While Curry is not a Malik Williams type of big that can hit shots in the mid-range or from deep, he is extremely mobile and explosive.
Louisville will benefit with Curry stretching the floor because opponents cannot allow him to get downhill. Curry will certainly have opportunities to create mismatches as a physically imposing forward. However, when he runs to the sideline instead of to the paint, his defender will have to trail him in order to not allow him to get a full head of steam crashing into the lane.
In half court sets, Curry is above average working in the high post and working in screen and rolls. Again, because of his explosiveness and athleticism, Curry will have to keep opposing bigs on his hip or they risk allowing an easy bucket.
Next: How El Ellis went from unknown recruit to Louisville basketball star
