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NCAA Basketball Recruiting: 10 takeaways from 2020 classes and commitments

By Tristan Freeman

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 21: A detailed view of a Wilson college basketball during the third round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Consol Energy Center on March 21, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 21: A detailed view of a Wilson college basketball during the third round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Consol Energy Center on March 21, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 05: Jordan Nwora #33 of the Louisville Cardinals (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 05: Jordan Nwora #33 of the Louisville Cardinals (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

4. Louisville’s struggles on the recruiting trail

After landing a top-15 recruiting class led by five-star commit Samuell Williamson, there was talk about Louisville having a top-5 group for 2020. They were listed as finalists for a number of top-30 recruits and at one point, considered to be favorites to land them.

However, that hasn’t worked out well to this point for the Cardinals. They do have the No. 24 class, led by Jay Scrubbs, the top-rated JUCO recruit this cycle. Four-star commits D’Andre Davis and JJ Traynor are coming too, so it’s not like head coach Chris Mack completely struck out.

But it’s also a “what could’ve been” scenario for the program based on who they missed out on. They were once favorites to land five-star point guard Caleb Love (UNC), and were within striking range for Nimari Burnett (Texas Tech) and forwards Puff Johnson (UNC) and Earl Timberland (Miami).

Despite losing four key rotation seniors and likely leading scorer Jordan Nwora to the NBA Draft, top-50 prospects just couldn’t pull the trigger on the playing for the Cardinals. There is playing time available on a team that should go dancing, yet the “blue bloods” won out yet again. Louisville should still be a tournament team next season but they’ll take a step back, missing a chance to put themselves up there with Duke and UNC on the recruiting trail.

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