Ryan Conwell headlines the Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List of elite guards

Louisville basketball has a lot of new faces on this year's roster, but one that is getting some of the most attention and praise is the Xavier transfer Ryan Conwell. The elite playmaker turned heads in his debut with the Cardinals, dropping a game-high 26 points, and is now getting the national recognition he deserves.

On Tuesday morning, the transfer received some high praise as he is one of 20 players to earn a spot on the Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List. The Louisville Cardinal is one of three ACC players on the list, along with Seth Trimble from North Carolina and Isaiah Evans from Duke.

Conwell played for three teams before Louisville, but his time with Xavier is when he really popped off. Now he will look to lead Louisville to its first Final Four run since 2013.

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Ryan Conwell earns a spot on the Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List

The Xavier transfer is an elite shooter from beyond the arc, splashing 99 3-pointers at 41.2 percent. He has scored 1,353 career points in his three college basketball seasons, including last year, when he made 176 baskets and averaged 16.5 points per game.

Conwell was one of the top-ranked transfers in the Transfer Portal, reaching as high as No. 13. He will now join an elite backcourt, including Mikel Brown Jr., who is also receiving recognition, as yesterday the 5-star freshman made the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List.

The Cardinals' backcourt has the potential to be one of the best in the nation, and Brown Jr. and Conwell's inclusion on these elite award watchlists proves that. These two have the potential to dominate this upcoming season and be nearly unstoppable. Add Isaac McKneely into the mix and Adrian Wooley and Kobe Rodgers off the bench, and college basketball will see why Louisville claims to be PGU.