Louisville Basketball: Predicting the Top 3 Leading Scorers in 2018-19

1. Jordan Nwora

Here’s where it gets crazy. Call this a hot take, or wishful thinking, but I have become convinced over the last two months that Jordan Nwora is ready to become the go-to scorer for the Louisville Cardinals in 2018-19. Yes, we’re in the middle of summer where any news is big news and the countless stories and tweets on Nwora’s incredible performance while playing for the Nigerian team may be getting to my head. But hear me out.

Getting the opportunity to play for his country’s national team, which is coached by his father Alex, is going to do wonders for a player who constantly was forced to sit and watch from the sidelines last season. Not only did Nwora get to play through his mistakes, but he got to practice and play against guys who are PROFESSIONALS, and are at a much more mature stage in their career.

Nwora showed the ability to score at an extremely high level during his stretch for Nigeria, where he averaged over 21 points per game, which included a record breaking 36 point performance against Mali. Al of this combined with his improvement on the boards and most importantly on the defensive end, should help Nwora be able to stay on the floor for long periods of time under Coach Mack.

In limited action last season, Nwora came through nearly every single time. He scored 18 points in 20 minutes in the season opener against George Mason, 10 points in just 14 minutes against Southern Illinois, 15 in 16 against BC, 16 points in 21 minutes against Georgia Tech, and 17 points in 21 minutes against Middle Tennessee. As my counter-part Presley said, “Every single time Nwora saw significant minutes, he rewarded interim coach David Padgett with production, and did it in a hurry.”

It was one thing for Nwora to come through in a game here or there for the Cards last season, some might even say his hot shooting was fluky. But to come out and average over 21 points a game playing with and against professional basketball players shows me that Jordan Nwora is ready to unleash his talents in the ACC this season. Going back to the per 40 minutes statistic backs it up, where Sports Reference had Nwora at 18.9 points a game last season, a number that I believe is 100% possible.

Points per game prediction: 16.5

Next: Win or Lose, Hancock and Cards Deserve to be Heard

If you’re looking for the leading scorer for the Cards in 2018-19, don’t look past Nwora.