Louisville basketball: The biggest needs ahead of the 2020-21 season

One more big man

I think it goes without saying that this will be Malik Williams’ team next season. The rising senior big man is Louisville’s best defensive presence, and as both seasons under Mack have progressed, Williams has gradually earned more minutes until he finally earned the starting nod heading into the postseason.

One vulnerability this year, however, was Louisville’s play when Williams was injured. He missed the first five games of the season due to injury, and he either sat out or played sparingly in the last four.

Rising sophomore Aidan Igiehon was not where the coaches felt he needed to be to earn playing time early in the season, and by the time he would have been used, Igiehon was suffering from a lingering shoulder injury.

Louisville could opt to roll the dice and go next year with only Igiehon and Willaims down low. However, given the injury-prone nature of both players of late, and a virtual unknown in Igiehon to this point, perhaps Mack will turn to a transfer big man to help lighten the load.

The key here is that Mack likes to play a four-out, one-in system. Williams and graduating center Steven Enoch have never really been that. In the modern game, an anchor big man is rare to find.

Would Mack opt to go with his traditional, towering presence down low, or would he try to go in the direction of the modern game and find a guy who can play multiple positions? Mack clearly sees the need to add additional brute as reports have indicated that the Cards have interest in Quinnipiac graduate-transfer Kevin Marfo, who just happens to be the nation’s reigning rebounds leader.

Marfo is likely to look somewhere with a more prominent role, which means that the pursuit for the perfect fit could take some time and may not look more like Akoy Agau than Fresh Kimble in terms of abilities and impact.

Regardless of who the Cards land, the talent in the frontcourt will once again be evident in 2020-21, but it’s going to take a lot of work this offseason developing Igiehon as well as assimilating in whoever they add to the roster.