Louisville basketball: 2021 recruiting big board 2.0
Scoring guard
Matthew Cleveland
6’6 190-pounds- Alpharetta, GA
Cleveland is still very much on Louisville’s radar, but the Cardinals are going to have a tough time beating out Florida State for his services.
“Good length for a wing scorer,” said Jerry Meyer of 247 Sports. “An explosive athlete with top-notch body control. A slasher who specializes in making tough shots. Can keep the defense honest with long-range shooting but needs to improve in that area. Handles well especially in half-court. Not necessarily a playmaker for others. Great potential as a versatile defender. Top-notch rebounder for his position.”
The Seminoles feel like a really good fit for Cleveland, but Louisville is right there. The Cardinals could really need a wing in this class if Samuell Williamson makes a jump to the league, and Cleveland would be a perfect fit to replace him.
Jordan Hawkins
6’5 170-pounds – Hyattsville, MD
Marquette, Xavier, and Seton Hall are all in on this dead-eye shooter who has a lot of creativity when he puts the ball on the floor.
We talked already about how Hunter Sallis is a walking bucket, but Hawkins is right up there with Sallis in terms of pure shooting ability. He doesn’t have a perfect stroke, but he takes a makes a ton of spot-up shots from behind the arc.
Hawkins shows the ability to create separation and is comfortable in the mid-range. He’s not super twitchy and he’s not an incredible jumper, but he has great instincts and ability to go up and grab boards.
Hawkins is a two-guard who could very easily slide to the three spot as well. His recruitment is very much up in the air, but Mike Pegues, who knows the DC area well, is in on him.
D’Marco Dunn
6’4 180-pounds- Tucson, AZ
Dunn feels like a bit of a fall-back guy in this class for a handful of teams, but don’t discount Dunn as a player who could make a splash from this class.
This kid has excellent fundamentals, underrated size, and he is smooth in all facets of his game. He’s going to be a bit overlooked in general as a prospect from Arizona, but Dunn is a player that does a lot of things coaches are looking for.
Dunn squares up to the basket and rises straight up on most of his shots. He is a consistent finisher and takes a calculated approach to the game, often catching the ball in the post or moving without the ball to get open.
Arizona, North Carolina, Maryland, Xavier, and many more have offered Dunn, who’s recruitment will begin to heat up once his senior season starts. He has a mature feel to his game, and it will be interesting to see what his ceiling looks like when he gets into a college weight program. We would not be mad at all if that program was in Louisville.