Louisville basketball: Preseason player power rankings

In his first season as a Cardinal, I think it’s safe to say that big man Steven Enoch scratched just the surface of his potential as a basketball player. At times, Enoch looked like the most dominant player on the floor while at others he either picked up boneheaded fouls and missed big chunks of action or completely disappeared on the floor.

Putting the NBA off for another season, Enoch decided to return to Louisville for his redshirt senior year and look to establish himself as the most dominant big man in the ACC – something he’s 100 percent capable of doing.

Working with assistant coach Mike Pegues last season we saw an NBA ready low-post game that featured multiple moves including the hesitation, over the shoulder hook shot, the spin move into a drop step dunk, and even a face-up game. While he looked dominant in games like North Carolina, he disappeared far too much and struggled with consistency throughout the season.

For Louisville to take the next step as a team and for Enoch to become a draftable prospect in 2020 the goal is simple – dominate.

After spending the summer working on his conditioning and preparing to carry a much heavier work-load, Enoch’s hard work started to bare fruit in both the red-white scrimmage and the secret scrimmage with Ohio State.

Speaking with the media, Chris Mack said about Enoch:

"“Steven’s gotten a whole lot better. He’s worked really hard in the off-season. His conditioning is way beyond what it was a year ago. He’s worked hard at that. I think he’s gained the confidence. He knows he can face the basket and he can play with his back to the basket. I’ve wanted him to play with a high motor since I got here, but the trick of it is can he be that guy consistently throughout.”"

With Malik Williams out to start the season, the pressure will be on Enoch to play big minutes, stay out of foul trouble, and develop into a consistent low-post and outside scoring threat for Louisville.