Louisville Basketball: Cards Offer Kentucky Stand Out

After a strong showing on the Under Armour AAU circuit, Chris Mack and the Louisville basketball program extended an offer to a local wing in the class of 2019.

With the summer high school dead period finally past us, AAU tournaments all across the country kicked off with a plethora of the nations top college coaches out in full force. The Louisville basketball staff was spread out all over the country, including in Atlanta (Peach Jam -Nike EYBL), and New York (Adidas Gauntlet) keeping an eye on all of the major targets in 2019, and even looking for other players who could be fits. Also happening simultaneously was the Under Armour tournament, which took place in Cartersville, GA, where Chris Mack and Dino Gaudio watched a local prospect break out.

One of the biggest wins in recruiting, regardless of sport, is when you are able to get the city and states top prospect to stay at home. That is what Chris Mack and his staff are looking to do in 2019 with Trinity guard David Johnson, and now that’s the case with Pendelton County’s Dontaie Allen.

After a strong showing playing for the M.A.T.T. Mustangs, in which Allen led the entire event in scoring at 26.4 points per game, the 6’6 three star wing picked up an incredible eight offers, including one from the Louisville staff.

Mack was in attendance to watch Allen, a player that the staff has been keeping tabs on as his recruitment picks up, on Wednesday night when he dropped 21 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 6 assists. For the rest of the weekend, assistant coach Dino Gaudio was in attendance, watching as Allen took over, becoming one of the hottest prospects in the process.

Allen is currently ranked outside of every major recruiting site’s top 150, including Rivals and 247 Sports. The latter has Allen ranked as the 217th best player in the country, and 53rd best small forward, while being the 4th best player in the state of Kentucky.

That ranking shall soon be changing as Allen picked up offers from Louisville, Auburn, Illinois, Oklahoma, Florida, amongst other big time programs.

Picking up an offer from Louisville was big for Allen, telling 247 Sports Jody Demling:

"“It feels good because growing up I watched both (Louisville and Kentucky). It’s very humbling and I am very honored. It feels good for me.”"

The Cards would be getting a big time scorer on the wing, should Dontaie Allen commit to the program. While I can’t see Allen being a “top target” at this point with guys like Jahmius Ramsey, David Johnson, Kobe Brown, Terrence Samuel, and other wings still on the board. Though Allen would provide a big, versatile guard who can stroke it from all three levels on the floor, pass with the best of the wings in the country, and rebound at an elite level, I still would not quite consider him to be on the level of the others mentioned.

But don’t be fooled by Allen’s ranking. The big wing can BALL. Corey Evans, one of the lead recruiting writers for Rivals.com told the Herald-Leader, “If he’s not a top-50 — or fringe top-50 prospect — I don’t know what is,” Evans told the Herald-Leader on Thursday. “He has size. He has versatility. He has scoring. He has shooting. He has what seems like strong intangibles and character.

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This recruitment will be interesting to keep an eye on, as Mack has said on several occasions that winning locally is a priority for the new Louisville basketball staff. With their eyes already locked in on David Johnson, the staff has been keeping up with University Heights guard KyKy Tandy, and now offering Dontaie Allen. Mack has continued to prove with actions that he values the local talent and believes they can be successful wearing the red and black at Louisville.

As far as fit at Louisville, Allen provided some insight of what Coach Mack told him when he offered the scholarship, telling Demling: “He said in his opinion that Louisville was a great institution and I would fit in there. He told me a few things about the program and how he would incorporate me into his offense and what the recruiting class looks like.”

The offer to Allen was one of several that the Louisville coaching staff handed out this weekend. Louisville also offered rising top 50 forward Drew Timme, who had a big weekend playing alongside of another prospect the Cards are in hot pursuit of, Jahmius Ramsey at Peach Jam in Atlanta.

Cards fans will have plenty to watch over the next few weeks as prospects begin to cut lists, schedule visits, and even come to a decision and make a commitment all leading up to the early signing period.

If nothing else, seeing the coaches out at top events, offering top prospects, and getting positive feed back from them, should be a win with everything that has gone on in the last few years at Louisville. We have entered into a new era recruiting, behind a coach who isn’t afraid of a challenge.

Next: Under Leadership of Neeli Bendapudi, Louisville is Making All of the Right Moves

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