Louisville basketball: 2021 recruiting big board 3.0

Wing (Small forward/combo forward)

Already committed: Eric Van Der Heijden

Off the board (committed elsewhere): Harrison Ingram (Cut Louisville), Caleb Furst (Purdue), Bryce Hopkins (Decommitted)

Aminu Mohammed – Wing

6’4, Springfield, MO

I think it’s fair to say that Aminu Mohammed was the top target on the board for Chris Mack and the Louisville basketball staff for quite some time, but with the NCAA’s ruling impending and interest coming in from other schools it seems things have cooled off.

Louisville’s recent addition of three-star combo forward Eric Van Der Heijden was thought to be the last addition on the wing, but following the subsequent deceommitment from four-star forward Bryce Hopkins, the Cards are back on the market.

Throughout the “shutdown period” Mack and his staff did a great job of communicating with Mohammed, checking in via phone calls and zoom on what seemed to be a daily basis. They’ve continued to keep tabs on him and appears that when the five-star releases his top five finalists, Louisville could make the cut.

Georgetown, Indiana, Harvard, Georgia, and a few others are making hard pushes for his services and it’s likely that he’s going to end up at one of those spots. While I think Mack and company have the ability to seal the deal, I think Hopkins comments post-decommitment could cause top recruits to think twice.

Trey Kaufman – Combo forward

6’8, 210-pounds – Sellersburg, IN

I wrote about Trey Kaufman, a local four-star prospect from Sellersburg, Indiana, last week and how it would make sense for Chris Mack to turn the heat up in his recruitment A-S-A-P.

Kaufman is a prospect who the Louisville staff has kept close tabs on for quite some time now, but following the commitment of Bryce Hopkins back in November of 2019, it has kept things from getting anywhere near serious.

Now with an open slot and the need for a big name, Kaufman makes a ton of sense. There are currently multiple crystal ball predictions logged for Indiana, who would also make sense for the local product. The Hoosiers have been much better at winning in-state since Archie Miller arrived and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them once again land the top talent in Indiana.

However, Louisville is going to have playing room available to offer Kaufman and the potential to be a two-and-through type of player should he commit. Because of Kaufman’s ability to score in a  variety of ways, his positional versatility would be on full display in Mack’s offense.

Playing for IU is great but let’s not act like it’s playing inside the KFC Yum! Center in the best conference in college basketball. Louisville has a ton to offer to Kaufman and it all boils down to whether or not his recruitment is too far down the road for Mack to get back in it.

Michael James – Wing

6’6, 200-pounds – Orlando, FL

I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it again – having Eric Van Der Heijden is going to provide Chris Mack the ability to play a lot of different lineups. At 6’9, his size and positional versatility should allow for smaller players to play alongside of him as well as for him to be used in bigger lineups.

It may seem like Louisville doesn’t need another wing, but thanks to EVDH they can really go in a lot of different directions with who they target. Michael James is the prototype bulldog athlete that we’ve seen Mack go after time and time again, and he’s definitely a player the Cards have interest in.

Things seem to be going with for the Cards with James as he recently named Louisville one of his eight finalists, including them in a list along with Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Alabama, Texas A&M, and South Florida.

James would be a solid addition on the wing, giving Mack another player who thrives attacking the rim off the bounce and either getting to the rim and finishing (or going to the line) or getting a solid pull up jumper. The rising senior shot 53 from the field last season and nearly 42 percent from deep and he’s just beginning to reach the beginning of his potential as a scorer.

I think James is the most likely to commit out of the group listed above him.

Mouhamed Liame Mbaye – Combo Forward

6’8, 215-pounds – Louisville, KY (Senegal)

The last name on the board is one we haven’t talked about in quite some time. Mouhamed Liame Mbaye caught some eyes earlier this year when he received a scholarship offer from Chris Mack. As an unranked player who didn’t hold a single scholarship offer, many wondered what Mack was doing. However, once you dug a little deeper you could see his breakout junior season combined with his international experience clearly made him an intriguing hidden gem.

There hasn’t been much movement since the initial offer and there probably won’t be for a while as Louisville prioritizes other players. Rutgers and Iona are his other current offers but Memphis and Cincinnati have expressed interest.

Mbaye’s former AAU director said of his game:

“Mo is unlike any player I’ve ever had. He’s so skilled, so long, so athletic, but what sets him apart is his motor and his work ethic. Pair those intangibles with his elite character and he’s a no brainer for any high-major school.”

The 6’9, 215-pound combo forward projects as a four at the next level who will thrive as a defensive player and someone who is capable of scoring around the rim. Mbaye’s offensive game is still raw and while he’ll likely never be a go to scorer, he’s a more than capable shooter within 15 feet and can stretch it out to the three point line at times.

Mbaye is without question a “project” type recruit that could be a very valuable asset under the right right circumstances. At this point he’s a player worth watching but until other players make decisions he’s probably not a take just yet.