Louisville basketball: Four new transfer names emerge for Cardinals

Ryan Betley – Scoring guard

Penn, RS junior

2019-20 stats: 11.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 43 percent FG

Another new name that many of us heard for the first time this week, despite being in the transfer portal since March 13, was Ryan Betley a 6’5 scoring guard who has spent his last four years playing for Penn in the Ivy League.

Betley is mostly known for his ability to score the ball, doing so in a variety of ways.

The 6’5 guard has quite a career at Yale that has featured a ton of accomplishments as well as adversity. From averaging double-figures as a freshman to being named an All-Ivy Leaguer in 2017-18, to suffering a devastating patella tendon injury that caused him to miss over a year of action.

Betley’s breakout season came as a sophomore where he led his team in scoring, finished at the top or near the top in every major three-point shooting statistic in the conference, led Yale to the conference title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament and was named All-Second Team Ivy League.

His junior year had the chance to be special but was derailed by a torn patellar tendon that came just minutes into the team’s season opener. Betley missed all of 2018-19 before returning in 2019-20 to play in 22 games, averaging over 11 points per game and leading Penn to a fourth-place finish. While many might argue the competition level at the Ivy League level, which is understandable, the stats show that Betley was really good against power-five teams across his career. In five games as a senior against P7 opponents (including AAC and Big East), Betley averaged 16.2 points and 6.8 rebounds, including a double-double performance against UCF and a 20-point game against Arizona.

One thing we’ve noted this offseason is how important it will be for Mack and his staff to add shooting to a roster that will feature several dynamic athletes who thrive in space, including Jay Scrubb (assuming he plays for Louisville and doesn’t go pro), Sam Williamson, and even Josh Nickelberry.

Who wouldn’t want a shooter named Ryan?

Much like Ryan McMahon, Betley is capable of going off from the three-point line and completely shifting the direction of a game. But unlike the former Louisville guard, Betley is a much larger guard who is capable of beating others off the dribble as well as getting his shot up off screens. Most Chris Mack teams have been good moving off of the ball and using screens to get open, but for some reason, his first two Louisville teams struggled to do that. Betley is comparable to guys like Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, and even JJ Redick (not in overall talent) when it comes to weaving through screens and using them to secure enough space to get up a shot.

There are a ton of programs interested in Betley including Louisville. The Cards need experienced and versatile guards, and that’s exactly what he would provide. If Louisville is able to land a player the caliber of Justin Turner or Carlik Jones, adding a role-player at the other guard spot is likely going to be the move. Betley would be a great fit.