Louisville basketball: Three things to like about commit Eric Van Der Heijden

1. Selflessness

Admittedly, selflessness isn’t so much a skill, as it is an intangible. With that being said, it should never be overlooked.

A player’s ability to adapt to a certain playing style and/or role is extremely valuable in terms of the overall cohesion, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

It’s easy to claim that a player is selfless on the court, but how can it be truly determined? Take a look at the player in the picture above. Former Card Dwayne Sutton was the epitome of a ‘team-first’ guy; always do what needed to be done to win.

The three main traits of selflessness on the court are willingness, effort, and versatility. The first two are self-explanatory, but the third one may be a head-scratcher for some. Basically, to be truly selfless means to fill whatever role the team needs; to fulfill that effectively, one must possess the versatility to do so.

Van Der Heijden is a high-motor wing that doesn’t need to score to be effective in the half court. Whether it be setting screens, moving without the ball, or finding open teammates, he is proficient in making an impact on the court. He is a solid athlete for his size, while possessing a good feel of the game.

EVH has the potential to be both a wing and a power forward with the addition of more weight and strength. If not for his main two attributes, selflessness would easily be his specialty, which is extremely helpful in Mack’s high-effort system.