Louisville Basketball: 5 keys for a successful 2018-19 campaign

This is V.J. King’s team now

If there is one thing that the team should know heading into 2018-19, though, it is that Louisville is V.J. King’s team now. When King is on the court, he is going to be the star player and the one that the offense runs through. The top returning scorer from last year’s team, King averaged 8.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore. With another offseason under his belt and more opportunity ahead offensively, 2018-19 could be a stellar year for the rising junior.

In order for Louisville to succeed, King will need to take that next step in his career to become a star and a leader on both ends of the floor. A top-25 recruit out of high school, it is time for King to live up to his potential at the college level. While at Xavier, Coach Mack always seemed to get the best out of his players and he has had tremendous success with talented wings in recent memory (see Trevon Bluiett). Louisville is a team that has consistently relied on defense in recent years yet King could be a 12-15 points per game scorer regardless.

Every quality team needs someone that they can rely on to fill up the basket in crunch time. This is where King’s leadership needs to take the next step. He has to be the one that the team can trust to have the ball in his hands and making something happen in the closing stretches of games. With his size, athleticism, and quickness, King has shown the ability to create his own shot in college. The hope, though, is that he can become more efficient than his 39.8%/32.0%/73.5% shooting percentages (FG/3P/FT) from last season.