NCAA Basketball: 20 sophomores under pressure to break out in 2020-21

David Johnson – Louisville Cardinals

After working in a crowded backcourt last season, things are a little cleared up (thanks to Darius Perry electing to transfer) for Johnson, a 6’5 combo guard, and former top-100 recruit. He has great potential as a scorer, shown by the season-high 19 points against Duke in a big-time win.

With Radford grad transfer Carlik Jones arriving, Johnson likely will be playing off the ball more than on it. He’ll have to greatly improve on his three-point shooting (just 5 makes all of last season) to truly be a breakout candidate but Johnson should benefit from a steady role and consistent minutes for a team that will be looking for a go-to scorer to replace Jordan Nwora.

Josiah Jordan-James – Tennessee Volunteers

There’s a legit argument that guard Santiago Vescovi should be on this list but in order for the Vols to become a legit Final Four threat, the former five-star prospect will have to rise to the occasion and become an All-SEC talent. He had a solid first year, showcasing an ability to play and defend multiple positions.

Jordan-James is an all-around talent, capable of filling up the stat sheet on the boards and racking up assists, even off the ball. But it was concerning how much he struggled against the better teams on the list on offense. Yet even if he’s one of those 10-7-5 producers, that’ll be fine if the arriving five-star freshmen duo plays well.