When JUCO G Jay Scrubb chose to go into the NBA Draft, it left Louisville Men’s Basketball with a big hole on the wing. They needed a proven scoring wing to pair with the highly talented, but unproven youngsters they already have in the fold. On Easter Sunday, Coach Chris Mack delivered an Easter miracle as he got the commitment of grad transfer G Charles Minlend Jr.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/P3HvMptTI3
— Charles Minlend Jr (@CminlendJr) April 13, 2020
The 6’4 190 lbs G hails from NC and, as a recruit in 2016, chose the San Francisco Dons over offers from George Washington, Murray State, and Western Kentucky according to 247sports.
San Francisco grad transfer Charles Minlend has cut his list to seven, he told @Stadium:
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 9, 2020
Butler, Arizona, BYU, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Indiana, and Gonzaga.
When Minlend originally announced he was going to grad transfer, his final list of schools did not include Louisville. Instead, it included programs like Arizona, Arkansas, Gonzaga, and Indiana, among others. However, when the Cards lost prized recruit Jay Scrubb, they got involved. They needed a proven wing scorer. Minlend fits the bill.
Minlend is a true SG and could possibly play the 3 for Louisville. He’s a pure scorer and bucket getter. Minlend can score at all three levels, but is at his best slashing to the rim. Highly athletic and tough, he’s a perfect fit for Chris Mack. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game for the Dons last season.
One of Minlend’s skills is his ability to catch and shoot threes from the wing. He has a good stroke from beyond the arc. Percentage-wise, he wasn’t very good last year shooting only 28.8% from 3-point range. However, the year before he did shoot 37%. So, while not a knockdown shooter, I think Minlend can be a capable shooter from the arc. This will be necessary with David Johnson and Carlik Jones dishing out after drawing the defense on drives.
Minlend is a very good ball handler that sees the court and reads the defense well. When given the ball on the wing, he can see gaps in the defense to exploit. He attacks with a quick first step and dribbles down hill with purpose to attack the basket. He then finishes at the basket or can hit tough mid-range jumpers.
When Minlend gets around the basket, he is an excellent finisher. He absolutely loves to dunk the ball and do so on defenders. He’s very strong and athletic which allows him to finish through contact at the rim. This is something Louisville has been lacking the last couple of years. Minlend is a player that can provide this.
Minlend is a player that with the talent Louisville will put around him, could see his productivity increase. He has the tools to score 17 or more a game. He put up 22 on a very good Gonzaga team this past season. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to high level athletes and defenders guarding him night in and night out in the ACC. However, with the skills I saw in his highlights and the talent he will have around him, I think Minlend can be a very capable ACC scorer.
Charles Minlend Jr was an excellent pickup for Coach Chris Mack after he lost Jay Scrubb. He’s a proven Division 1 scorer that can help Coach Mack allow his young, inexperienced core to gain experience and become integral players for the Cards. Minlend will likely start immediately at the 2 or 3. In essence, Louisville will likely start a 3 guard lineup of David Johnson, Carlik Jones, and Minlend. Johnson will likely run the point with Jones and Minlend being the scorers. While Jones can run the point as well, it’s no doubt Minlend is being brought in as a pure scorer.
Louisville now has excellent, quality depth in the backcourt after initially having a dearth. They have a good mix of talented youth and vets. This coming season should be a good one for the Cards after landing Charles Minlend Jr.
