Louisville basketball: An early glimpse at the 2022 recruiting cycle
It is never too early to get a head start on knowing the future recruiting landscape.
The Louisville basketball team tied the bow to finish their recruiting class in the early signing period with five new signees poised to join the program for the 2021 basketball season.
With a recruiting class that ranks No. 13 in the country according to 247 Sports, that is something to be proud of for Coach Mack and staff. The staff will enjoy their recruiting victories from this cycle, but they have no doubt been working around the clock to start targeting the class of 2022 players.
The Cards already have a 2022 commitment, in fact, from a legacy player in Tae Davis. I say “legacy” to acknowledge the fact that his brother Dre is currently lighting up college basketball as a true freshman for Louisville.
https://twitter.com/DanteDavis__/status/1335413976688156673?s=20
With every winter sport player able to retain their eligibility despite playing this year, the amount of players that Louisville will be able to bring in may get tricky. The team has 12 scholarship players on the roster currently with five currently signed to play with the program in 2021.
Regardless, Chris Mack is going to be hitting the ground running trying to recruit the 2022 class.
It will not be easy, though. The program is currently being hovered over by NCAA allegations that have hurt Chris Mack’s ability to recruit some of the nation’s elite prospects. But, regardless, Mack has adjusted before and will have to do so again during these odd times for Louisville basketball.
Without many players from future classes releasing a “top five” or any other form of intel to know which schools they may be interested in most, it can be difficult for fans to peg who could be the next additions to the Louisville class so early on.
So, we decided to bring on Jake Weingarten, the founder of stockrisers.com, to help us out with that problem and talk about some of what Tae Davis offers and more thoughts on Louisville’s Class of 2021 recruiting.
Heres’s what he had to say.
Question 1: What are your thoughts on new Class of ’22 Louisville commit Tae Davis as a prospect?
JW: He’s a 6-foot-7 prospect who brings a dynamic skillset on both ends. Like his brother Dre, he has a solid frame but with a little more added muscle at the college level, Davis could expand his game even more.
Our thoughts
When Tae Davis committed, we felt similarly. Davis is lanky right now without much muscle mass. But he has plenty of time to put that weight on his frame and he does look to have the body type to be able to fill out nicely through his last couple of years in high school and once he gets into a college weight room.
Question 2: With Louisville’s 2021 class all wrapped up, who is your favorite prospect from their class?
JW: Bobby Pettiford or El Ellis. Bobby earned himself the nickname Flash from me, no rip off for my guy Dwayne Wade, but Pettiford is a lightning quick guard who is super expandable on the offensive end, can do it all. Size shouldn’t be an issue, this kid can do everything.
Our thoughts
The nickname “Flash” makes a lot of sense for the 6’1″ Pettiford. It’s not often you see a guard of his stature with the kind of elite bounce he has as an athlete. Pettiford just feels like one of those players that will outperform his No. 94 ranking by 247 Sports. Jake clearly feels similarly to us with his admiration for what Pettiford brings to the table for Chris Mack.
Question 3: Now that Chris Mack and company are moving on to the 2022 class, who are some early names to monitor that the staff could be targeting?
JW: Rodney Rice, Dylan Andrews, Jalen Washington.
Our thoughts
Rice is a 6’4″ guard prospect out of DeMatha Catholic in Baltimore. Rice is ranked in the top-75 of all recruits in 2022. The Cardinals have extended an offer to him.
Andrews is a 6’4″ point guard and a five-star recruit from Los Angeles, California. Chris Mack and staff have extended an offer. More on him later.
Washington is a 6’8″ power forward prospect from Gary, Indiana. Washington is ranked as the No. 23 player and a five-star by 247 Sports. The Cardinals have extended an offer to him.
Question 4: Dre Davis is having a breakout freshman season early on. Why do you think the mainstream recruiting services were so low on him as a recruit
JW: You know, Dre was an excellent high school player. Watched him on the circuit his junior year, but man, he wasn’t playing in a major high school conference and was also returning from an injury. Just several things to balance but I believe everything happens for a reason and he’s going to be an impactful guy for Louisville.
Our thoughts
It is hard to disagree with someone who had a first-hand look at Davis during his high school/AAU circuit days. Regardless of where Davis was ranked, he is trying to prove recruiting nicks were too low on him when he signed with the Cardinals out of high school.
Question 5: Name the biggest must-get recruit for Louisville in the 2022 class. Why is it important they land him?
JW: Dylan Andrews. West Coast guard ranked in the Top-30’s. Beating out the Pac-12 and North Carolina and also getting a very nice player in Andrews. I think he will cut his list very soon and he told me he’s built a solid relationship with Chris Mack.
Our thoughts
Andrews is a five-star prospect that Jake mentioned earlier from Los Angeles. Getting a player to come across the country and play for you is a big deal. If Chris Mack and company can do that for a five-star player, that would be one of his biggest recruiting victories to date.
Overall
Chris Mack and staff do not seem to be limiting themselves on where to recruit. Louisville basketball is a national brand and recruiting players from Maryland to California makes us believe that Chris Mack thinks so too.
There is a long way to go as far as recruiting goes for the 2022 class, but the staff is already working diligently to bring in Louisville’s stars of the future.