Gabe Wiznitzer, originally expected to take a prep year in the fall, gave his verbal commitment to Louisville on Tuesday and will reclassify into the 2020 class. In doing so, Wiznitzer and the Cardinals’ coaching staff have agreed upon a redshirt season which will place him on the court for the first time during the 2021-2022 season.
“Coach (Chris) Mack has an in-depth plan for me and my development. I’ll be with their strength coach every day and practicing against some of the best bigs in the country every day, too,” Wiznitzer told Rivals.com. “I trust that they will utilize me and allow to me be versatile. Getting into their system early will only help me and an extra year to work on my body and really adapt to the changes of college basketball will help me be ready to play.”
A South Carolina native that will graduate this summer, Wiznitzer was expected to take a prep year in the fall at Hargrave Military Academy. However, the chance to get onto a college campus and work with a high-major coaching staff and learn the intricacies of Louisville’s system a year in advance without using a year of eligibility piqued his interests enough to push Wiznitzer the Cards’ way a year earlier than expected.
In doing so, Louisville will bring to campus a near 7-footer that can score inside and out. A four-star center that has good hands and touch around the basket, Wiznitzer should work well within Mack’s pack-line defense. Valued even further for his offensive traits, Wiznitzer has to get quicker and more explosive but he is a capable shot maker to 22-feet and compares some to former Xavier standout Kenny Freese that Mack formerly coached at Xavier.
Wiznitzer will take the scholarship that Jayden Scrubb was expected to use until he decided to enter his name into the 2020 NBA Draft. He will enroll this fall alongside two other Rivals150 freshmen, D’Andre Davis and JJ Traynor, while Charles Minlend and Carlik Jones will enter the program via the transfer portal.
