Louisville men’s basketball is starting to gain momentum in recruiting. We already have one wing in talented local product Kaleb Glenn, but a Cardinal can only fly with two wings. Louisville got their other great wing. 2023 wing Curtis Williams Jr has committed to the Cards.
Committed!! #BetOnYourSelf🎲 pic.twitter.com/qUfxLrx6Pc
— Curtis Williams Jr. (@Curtis5Williams) September 19, 2022
Williams is a 6’6 205 lbs SF from Bloomfield, MI who plays for Brother Rice. He chose the Cards over offers from Alabama, Maryland, Florida State, Notre Dame, and Xavier, among others. He is ranked the 78th-overall player nationally and 16th-overall at his position per 247sports composite rankings.
Williams definitely fits the mold of what Coach Kenny Payne is wanting to bring to UofL. Size, skill, shooting, athletic ability, and a motor. Williams is a long, lanky 6’6 athlete that has an excellent jumper. His ball handling is good, but will need some work. He’s not a selfish player as he is a willing passer and is a pretty good passer.
Williams best ability, by far, is his shooting and scoring. He is a 3-level scorer, with what I consider elite potential as a shooter. He’s got NBA range and can make the 3-point shots off the dribble or off the catch either in the half court or in transition. UofL has noticeably lacked elite-type long range threats in the last couple years. Having a guy like Williams definitely helps alleviate that issue. Williams uses his shooting ability from deep to shot-fake and create driving lanes for himself for layups and dunks. He can also make the mid-range jumper.
Williams is a player that will pass the ball to open teammates. In the particular highlight I have linked in this story, you see him drawing the defense and then dishing to a cutting teammate for an easy layup. I like that he uses his scoring ability to draw defenders and then makes the correct pass.
As a ball handler he can reliably bring the ball up on the break and can dribble to get defenders off balance in the half court for open shots and drives to the basket. He is not a guy you want necessarily being a primary ball handler, but I believe he could grow into a secondary ball handler.
Defensively, his length and athleticism should translate well to the college game. I would imagine he can really be a terror in the passing lanes and get some weak side blocks. I’m not sure how good he will be as an on-ball defender because there obviously aren’t many videos available highlighting this. The other things I mention above I can project purely from his physical traits and ability.
This is a great second pickup to go with Kaleb Glenn. Curtis Williams Jr is a player that has a ton of skill and potential that Coach Kenny Payne should be able to mold and turn into an excellent college wing. We are starting to get a feel for what type of team Coach Payne wants to put on the floor. He wants a ton of length and size, much like fellow ACC team Florida State. We now have two commits that are 6’6 and can play on the wing, possibly as 2-guards or small forwards. Basically, they’re interchangeable. Williams will bring shooting and scoring to the Cards for a couple years. I say that because I do believe he is in the mold of some past UofL greats that were 2-and-done. Excellent pickup by the staff.
