With head coach Chris Mack now at the helm, Louisville basketball is entering a new era. What needs to happen for the Cardinals to be successful in 2018-19?
Louisville basketball has experienced a fair amount of turmoil over the past year or so. Yet, amidst investigations and head coaching changes, the program seems to be coming out of the tunnel to a bright future. The hire of former Xavier coach Chris Mack to be the new top guy looks like a slam dunk and the Cardinals should be back on the rise soon, barring any major roadblocks.
However, while the future may look bright based on Mack’s past, this upcoming season will prove to a challenging one for the head coach. For starters, Louisville basketball fans are not easy to impress. While Mack’s impressive track record should prove to Cardinals’ fans that he is the right guy for the job, it would be nice to get off to a hot start with a quality 2018-19 campaign. Yet, coaching this roster to a top finish in the ACC is easier said than done.
This is largely due to the fact that the program had to say goodbye to a few very talented players this offseason. Most notably, the team’s three leading scorers from last season (Deng Adel, Quentin Snider, and Ray Spalding) all graduated, leaving the 2018-19 roster void of anyone who averaged double-figures in scoring for the Cardinals last season. In addition, four of the five players who averaged 20+ minutes per game last season are now gone.
There are, though, plenty of solid pieces to work with. At the forefront of this, rising junior V.J. King is a potential All-ACC player and the top returning scorer from last season. The team is also bringing back a few other key rotation players from last season. In fact, six returning players averaged more than 10 minutes played per game last season. While it certainly hurts that there aren’t any incoming class of 2018 recruits to provide an infusion of talent, Coach Mack will have four eligible transfers at his disposal to help out.
Still, Coach Mack will have his hands full as the program will have a completely different look in 2018-19. Let’s break down five potential keys to success for Louisville basketball in this season.