What Terrence Edwards Jr. Brings to Louisville

Here's what the transfer from James Madison brings to the table for the Cardinals.

Mar 24, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; James Madison Dukes guard Terrence Edwards Jr. (5) / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In his first week on the job, Pat Kelsey has hit the ground running. The new head coach of the Louisville men's basketball program was able to convince two of his former players to follow him from Charleston, and - with some help from Rick Kueber and the 502 Circle - has gotten the Cardinals in the mix with some noteworthy players in the portal.

Of course, if Louisville is going be competitive in year one of the Kelsey era, landing some of these high-profile transfers instead of simply being in the mix for them is paramount. Well, the program was able to do just that on Wednesday, securing a commitment from former James Madison guard/forward and 2024 Sun Belt Player of the Year Terrence Edwards Jr.

Securing Edwards, as you can imagine, was an enormous development for Louisville. Starting all 36 games for JMU, he averaged a team-best 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for the Dukes. He also shot 42.7 percent from the field, 34.3 percent on three-point attempts and 81.0 percent from the free throw line.

Edwards was the key factor in James Madison going 32-4 - their most wins in school history - and pulling off a 12/5 upset over Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. The Atlanta native was also tabbed as the Sun Belt's Sixth Man of the Year last season.

But beyond his stat lines, what else does Edwards bring to the table for the Cardinals?

The word that has been most used by various basketball analysts when describing Edwards' game has been "slick." When you watch his game tape, it's easy to see what they mean. Edwards is incredibly shifty, and possesses top tier stop-and-go burst. It's part of the reason why defenders have such a hard time staying in front of him. One second he's at the top of the key, the next he's in the paint in the blink of an eye.

Edwards is able to get to the lane with relative ease - even against high-major competition where the physicality and athleticism is top notch. Against Michigan State, Wisconsin and Duke, he had a combined 51 points. Because of this, he also has a propensity to draw fouls from defenders who weren't able to stay in front, with his 205 free throw attempts in the season good for 42nd in all of D1. Additionally, he is extremely efficient at the free throw line, connecting on 81.0 percent of his attempts.

Not only does Edwards' shiftiness help him get to the rim, it helps him create his own shots away from the basket. As you can imagine, he possesses incredible footwork, which helps him generate the space necessary to get a shot off. Throw in his length and vertical, and most closeouts don't seem to have much of an effect on him. Put it all together, and it's easy to see why he was able to be a legitimate three-point threat.

When the defense does collapse on him, he's able to get his teammates involved thanks to his well above average court awareness and good passing ability. He finished a 21.1 percent assist rate, while posting a 3.4-24. assist-to-turnover ratio.

There's a lot to like on the defensive end as well with Edwards. His "slickness" translates on that end of the court as well, as he does a good job at keeping ball handlers in front of him. His natural length also plays a role in his ability to both take away passing lanes and alter shot attempts. Perhaps most importantly, Edwards is a very active communicator.

That all being said, Edwards isn't perfect. His biggest detriment is the fact that while he can get to the rim with ease, he's not that great of a finisher. Despite 46 percent of his total field goal attempts coming at the rim, he only connected on 49 percent of these shots. Most of this is due to the fact that he not a great finisher with his left hand. There is also some concern with his slight frame, and his ability to consistently deal with the physicality of a league like the ACC on a nightly basis.

Bottom line: this is a potentially game-changing pickup for Louisville next season. Edwards very much has the athletic intangibles to be able to play at the power conference level, he possesses the ability to score at all areas of the court, and he makes his teammates better. While there are some flaws to his game that certainly need to be worked on, Edwards could wind up being one of the Cardinals' most impactful playmakers in year one of the Pat Kelsey era.

(Photo of Terrence Edwards Jr.: Brad Penner - USA TODAY Sports)

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