Busting Brackets
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ACC Basketball: Updated way-too-early power rankings for 2023-24 season

By Tristan Freeman

Jan 11, 2023; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers forward PJ Hall (24) celebrates after scoring and being fouled against the Louisville Cardinals during the second half at Littlejohn Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2023; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers forward PJ Hall (24) celebrates after scoring and being fouled against the Louisville Cardinals during the second half at Littlejohn Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports /
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ACC Basketball Louisville Cardinals forward JJ Traynor Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
ACC Basketball Louisville Cardinals forward JJ Traynor Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /

11. Louisville Cardinals

2022-23 season record: 4-28 (2-18)

Just four players are back from the team that won just four games on the roster this past season. El Ellis is off to Arkansas but they did bring back the only other double-digit scorer Michael James, who averaged 10.1 ppg on 36% shooting from deep. He’s back, along with the starting frontcourt duo of JJ Traynor and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield.

But the hopes of the Cardinals will rely on the nine newcomers to the roster. Particularly, Skyy Clark, the transfer from Illinois and a former five-star point guard prospect. He’s tasked with running the offense, joined by star JUCO transfer, Koron Davis. USC transfer wing Tre White is a breakout candidate as a sophomore, while Danilo Jovanovich is a redshirt freshman transfer from Miami.

The key will be the top-5 incoming recruitment class. 6’8 guard Trentyn Flowers and 7’0 center Dennis Evans are both viewed as five-star prospects, while Kaleb Glenn and Curtis Williams Jr. are a pair of 6’6 four-star wings. And the most recent addition, four-star point guard Ty-Laur Johnson, is another ball-handler to the roster.

Now, it comes down to how well these pieces fit. And head coach Kenny Payne has some work to do to prove that he’s the long-term guy for the job. The roster is certainly better than this past season but how many spots in the standings will that be worth?