Khristian Lander or Zion Harmon? Who is the better fit for Louisville basketball?

Khristian Lander

If there is a recruit that, based solely on the eye test, has absolutely wowed Louisville basketball fans in the next couple of classes, it is Khristian Lander.

Louisville’s staff has been locked in on landing Lander since, and probably before, they arrived on campus, and they have not let up in his recruitment.

He has visited the Cards a handful of times, came to a game as recently as February 19th against Syracuse, and appears to have a great relationship with the coaching staff and current players.

Lander is a 6’2,” 170-pound guard from Evansville, Indiana, and he is the No. 1 rated point guard in the class of 2021 according to 247Sports.

Here’s what 247’s Director of Basketball Scouting Jerry Meyer had to say about Lander:

"Average size for a point guard. Left-handed. Both a smooth and explosive athlete. Has a tremendous burst to the rim off the dribble. Creative ball handler and finisher. Good passer as well. Streaky outside shooter at this point. Rebounds his position. Has potential to be high quality defender."

Lander came to Louisville back in the fall for some of the Cardinals open run sessions, and as a player entering his junior year of high school, he fit right in with veteran players.

Even among larger players, Lander’s speed and athleticism jump out at you.

Remember the first time you saw David Johnson or Terry Rozier get to the bucket smoothly and you just knew they were the best athlete on the floor? That’s the way Lander is with the ball in his hands.

He has all the shots already. He’s a good shooter from deep, creative in the mid-range, and deadly at the bucket. The quickness of the release on his jump shot is Jordan Nwora-esque.

Where he fits in with Louisville

Lander is a one-and-done. If he came to Louisville, anything less than that would be an absolute shock. He has just enough size to be a really appetizing first-round point guard as it is. Combine his size and athleticism with a clear work ethic that shows in his repertoire, and you have the makings of a future star with a big-time ceiling.

With the Cardinals, Lander would fit right into the rotation in 2020. I think you could interchange David Johnson and Lander at the one or two with Jay Scrubb or Samuell Williamson on the wing, and you have a ton of potential to mold a lineup based on the opponent.

Darius Perry, Josh Nickelberry, and perhaps another unknown transfer or graduate transfer would vie for playing time with Lander in the backcourt, but he would almost certainly be good enough to start from day one.

Louisville loses Jordan Nwora, Ryan McMahon,  Fresh Kimble, and Dwayne Sutton as backcourt or wing scoring threats after this season. Aside from Scrubb (who is still weighing his options as a professional), Louisville will lose all of that veteran talent but won’t supplement it with any proven pure scorers.

From an offensive standpoint, there would be few better options in the next two classes for players who can just go get you a bucket.