VJ King Could Be Primed For a Breakout Season
Under his third coach in three years, VJ King could finally find himself in a position to explode offensively.
VJ King could be looking at a great season to burst onto the college basketball scene in 2018-19 for the Louisville Cardinals.
A former All-American, King had high expectations during his first season. King’s freshman year had flashes of brilliance, but a lot of head scratching plays, as well as fighting for playing time, left him with just 13 minutes of playing time off of the bench.
The departure of Donovan Mitchell opened a starting spot for King in his second year under Associate Head Coach David Padgett. King did just that, starting all but one game for the Cards. Unfortunately, season two was similarly disappointing. Although King was the most consistent starter on the team, he only played 25 minutes per game, and often lost playing time to Deng Adel, Ryan McMahon, Dwayne Sutton, and Darius Perry, depending on match ups.
King was given every opportunity by Padgett to contribute to a team often in desperate need of a play-maker. Although King doubled his minutes from his freshman to sophomore season, he only increased his scoring from 5.5 to 8.6 ppg. Additionally, King averaged less than 1 assist and 1 steal a game, while turning the ball over almost twice a game, and only snagging 3 rebounds.
At times, it felt like King was invisible on the floor in his sophomore campaign. To many Cards supporters, that is a huge disappointment. King was expected to be a major contributor after the departure of Mitchell, but often looked lackluster.
King has the tools to be a successful wing. He stands 6’7″ and has a 7 foot wing span. He is long and a bit lanky, but he has a sturdy enough frame to weather the physical ACC and start 35 games in a season. He has shown the ability to beat his man off the dribble and get to the basket. His frame allows him to easily create space from defenders to get a shot off. He is a prototypical 2/3 in college, with the size and ability to play the 2 at the next level.
These tools fit the perfect mold for a Chris Mack guard. In four out of the last five seasons, Mack’s Xavier teams have had a 6’6″ guard/forward lead the team in scoring (in the fifth season, they were second by 1 point). Justin Martin, Trevon Bluiett, and J.P. Macura all made names for themselves playing the role that King will presumably be asked to fill this season. All three players are around 6’6,” and 210 pounds. All three played critical parts in leading Mack’s teams through a physical Big East Conference.
Mack’s style is self-described as physical and brash, and creates space for offensive players. Mack is also known for giving his players the ultimate confidence to succeed. This seems like a perfect recipe for VJ King. King often lacked confidence late in the 2018 season. Many times, King passed up open shots, or even turned the ball over after second-guessing himself. He disappeared when it mattered most.
Mack could have the ability to finally instill the confidence in King that he has been missing since leaving high school. Former Louisville assistant Kareem Richardson said in an interview that Mack is “one of the best that I’ve been around in terms of getting his guys to believe that they’re the best. Whether that’s walking a fine line of a little bit of arrogance. … His guys will never lack in confidence of whether they’ll win the game.”
Mack’s offense gives players the ability to take their man one-on-one off the dribble by spreading the floor, and creates mismatches through pick-and-roll situations, a staple of his. This could be a prime opportunity for King to shine when he will be counted on the most.
King is also one of only 9 scholarship players on this Louisville team, allowing him to play pressure-free basketball, and not fear losing minutes for the first time at UofL. Speaking of pressure-free, Mack is a decent defensive coach, but don’t expect to see the hostility of a Rick Pitino, or even David Padget-led defense. Mack’s game plan is predicated on aggressive defensive rebounding, and not allowing the opponent second-chance points. Don’t expect King to feel nervous about getting yanked for blowing a defensive assignment. This allows for a more free-flowing game; an environment in which King can thrive.
Ultimately, the weight falls on VJ King to succeed this season, but Chris Mack should be able to use his talent, size, and skills to help King have the break out season we have all been waiting for.