Louisville Basketball: Preview of Cardinals 2020-21 depth chart

Small Forwards

Barley playing 15 minutes per game formerly for the Cardinals, expect Samuell Williamson’s role to increase substantially this season, emerging as the team’s starting small forward with Nwora departed for the NBA. Williamson remains a player with the potential to field minutes at other positions as well, but small forward stands as his most adequately suited home.

Williamson shot well during his limited stints for the Cardinals last year, earning a 47% mark from the field. This efficiency likely earned him Coach Mack’s trust, leading him down the path to commence this upcoming season as the team’s starting small forward, hopefully building upon his small, yet solid foundation as a player. The casual Louisville fan might not feel too excited about Williamson at this point, but he appears primed to break out, having now earned his most lucrative opportunity thus far during his career.

Next up comes freshman D’Andre Davis, who earned a four-star rating according to 247Sports. Put simply, Davis plays incredibly hard and with fearless offensive aggression, often attacking the rim while simultaneously neglecting to ever shy away from any three-point opportunities. But beyond that, Davis’s speed poises to help him impact the game defensively as well, leading him to potentially help spark some fast-break opportunities as a true two-way threat.

All that combined with his solid ball-handling skills, Davis truly persists as the team’s “crowning jewel” from the recruiting season, which may allow him to eventually seize the starting spot from Williamson. But for now, Williamson maintains the starting role with Davis watching on from afar. Meanwhile, Andrew Shultz and Sam Bearden provide depth as walk-ons as well.