Big Red Louie
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Let’s have an honest discussion about Louisville basketball

By Presley Meyer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - MARCH 07: Head coach Chris Mack of the Louisville Cardinals is assessed a technical foul in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on March 7, 2020 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - MARCH 07: Head coach Chris Mack of the Louisville Cardinals is assessed a technical foul in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on March 7, 2020 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – FEBRUARY 08: Jordan Nwora #33 of the Louisville Cardinals celebrates making a three point shot against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first half of the game at KFC YUM! Center on February 08, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – FEBRUARY 08: Jordan Nwora #33 of the Louisville Cardinals celebrates making a three point shot against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first half of the game at KFC YUM! Center on February 08, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /

Jordan Nwora is vastly underrated

Let’s start with the most confounding narrative over the course of this season.

It’s time to give Jordan Nwora the respect he deserves.

A three-year graduate, a 1,000-point scorer after playing sparingly his freshman season, a likely first-team all-conference player, and, yet, easily the most criticized player on this team.

The criticism has been Nwora not showing up in big games, and not being consistent from game-to-game.

Can we at least acknowledge his greatness, then, over the last five games?

16.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and only 1.4 turnovers a game in a stretch where the rest of his team has not been what they’re expected to be.

Malik Williams and Steven Enoch have battled injuries down low. Louisville’s backcourt as a whole has struggled to find a scoring rhythm, and fellow forwards Dwayne Sutton and Sam Williamson have been okay in other areas, but don’t provide the scoring ability Nwora has.

It’s time to recognize this team for what the are on both sides of the ball, and that is a squad that is heavily reliant on Nwora to be a do-everything type of guy.

This season, the team has looked to Nwora to make the big play, and if it’s not him, there hasn’t been a player that has consistently taken the responsibility to be the other guy.

Again, stars are supposed to do star things but name one great team in any sport where one guy could consistently put the team on his back. Louisville has a talent roster, but it consists of a ton of role players and only one player that is the guy.

Russ Smith was a Naismith Player of the Year Award winner. Russ Smith also had Gorgui Dieng, Peyton Siva, Montrezl Harrell, Wayne Blackshear, and Chane Behanan.I’d challenge you to name one player on this team that is that. An alpha dog. A guy who can take the pressures and responsibilities off of your back.

This Louisville team doesn’t have that elite or even semi-elite second guy, and instead of heaping the praise on Jordan Nwora for taking double teams game after game, for playing with one or two guys shadowing him as soon as he crosses half court, and still putting up these numbers, he is criticized.

Jordan Nwora is the reason this team is even remotely successful, yet he receives the most heat. Appreciate what Louisville has now because we will miss him when he’s gone.

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