Conference realignment has shuffled the landscape of college basketball leaving a path of rubble in its wake. One of the beneficiaries (or victims depending on your viewpoint) of this shift will be Louisville who will enter the ACC this season instead of being left out in the cold.
After being one of the dominant forces in the Big East and American Athletic Conference, the Cardinals will face the challenge of establishing themselves in a new conference featuring legendary programs Duke and North Carolina, as well as former Big East rival Syracuse.
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This Louisville team will have a different feel than fans are used to. Gone are the days of
Peyton Siva,
Russ Smith,
Gorgui Dieng, and
Luke Hancockrunning things. Those familiar faces are gone as Louisville basketball enters a new age.
Rick Pitino’s squad features some exciting new freshmen, and returns a few nice pieces from last season’s Sweet 16 squad, but one in particular stands out above the rest. Rather than looking to a point guard as the star player like Siva or Russdiculous, Pitino will look to a big man to be this season’s go-to guy.
Montrezl Harrell was not supposed to end up at Louisville. He had committed to Virginia Tech under former head coach Seth Greenberg, but was given his release from his letter of intent after Greenberg was fired. After opening his recruiting back up, he opted for Louisville even though other programs would have provided an immediate starring role.
As a role player Harrell helped Louisville to a national championship his freshman year, averaging 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game. Even in limited minutes his potential shined through.
Against Syracuse in the Big East championship, Harrell exploded for 20 points and seven rebounds to lead the Cardinals in a comeback victory. It became obvious to Louisville fans that he was going to be special.
His sophomore season saw a significant increase in minutes, up to 29.3 per game. His production also skyrocketed to 14 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He became a vital part of the Louisville offense (and defense) and helped their late season surge to the Sweet 16, where they fell in a tightly contested game with hated rival Kentucky.
After the season most fans expected Harrell to take his talents to the NBA. Though he is undersized for the NBA and lacks a consistent jump shot to make up for it, he still was expected to be a first-round draft pick and develop into a solid professional player.
Harrell shocked everyone when he announced he would return to Louisville for his junior season. That decision instantly cemented their status as title contenders and Harrell as a possible ACC and national player of the year candidate.
If you have never seen him play it can be overwhelming at first. First of all, he is a chiseled and athletic 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. His style is full of maximum effort, and movement. His dunks are thunderous and his blocks leave you wondering if he left a dent in the ball. Harrell is an active player who always seems to be near loose balls and tough rebounds.
His athleticism and effort make for a truly frightening and exciting display on the court. His long arms and leaping ability make him the perfect target for lobs and he runs the floor well, especially for a guy his size. Harrell also sets good, hard screens and is like a runaway freight train when he rolls towards the basket. Chris Jones utilizing the pick and roll with Harrell will be a key component of the Cardinal offense this season.
His post-game is not as refined as Louisville would like, he tends to get his buckets with brute strength rather than smooth post moves. His intense effort and fantastic finishing ability around the rim make up for any deficiencies. His mid-range game is still a work in progress, though it did get better as the season rolled along.
Harrell grew up in Tarboro, N.C., which as most fans know is generally Tar Heel or Blue Devil country. Instead of attending one of his home-state schools Harrell will now look to challenge them for ACC and national supremacy.
Heading into the season Harrell, along with Marcus Paige, Malcolm Brogdon, and Jahil Okafor seem to be the favorites to compete for the ACC player of the year award. Based on effort alone I would give the edge to Harrell, nobody is going to outwork him for anything.
After the season he will likely head to the NBA where his hard work and athleticism will silence the doubters who groan about his lack of height. Until then he will continue to get better and attempt to dominate the ACC.
Louisville will hope to knock off the bluebloods to sit atop the ACC throne in 2015. On paper they have the pieces, and the star to get it done. All that is left is doing it on the floor. As October nears, the season gets closer and these questions will soon be answered. Let the countdown to madness begin.