LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Over the past few days, head coach Pat Kelce and the Louisville men's basketball program have made a concerted effort to strengthen their frontcourt. On Saturday, they landed another piece of impact debris in this area of the floor.
Noah Waterman, who spent the final two seasons of his career at BYU, is headed to Derby City to finish his college career as a Cardinal. He is Kelce's 11th transfer since his appointment on March 28 and 12th overall.
The 6-foot-11, 210-pound big man was one of the most underrated elements of BYU's success. Waterman started all but one of the Cougars' 34 games last season and averaged 9.5 points per game and was the second-leading rebounder with 5.4 boards. He also shot 45.7 percent from the field and second on the team in three-point percentage at 37.0 percent.
The Savannah, New York, native played his true freshman season at Niagara, then spent two seasons at Detroit Mercy and his final two seasons at BYU. Waterman has scored 861 points and grabbed 448 rebounds in 110 games and 81 starts over all three games, giving him career shooting splits of 44.9/38.9/67.9.
But what else does Waterman bring to the Cardinals beyond his stat line?
The traditional stretch 4 staple is a legitimate option from long range. Well, Waterman is a threat from all areas of the Ark, so that and some other things.
He shot 44 percent from the left corner, 36 percent from the left corner, 41 percent from the right corner and 30 percent from the right corner. Louisville's previous transfers have had areas where they have struggled to hit 3-point shots, but Waterman can wear them down no matter where he is. His best work is catch-and-shoot or spot-up threes, but he can also shoot off the dribble or from tight defense.
Of course, Waterman is a more than capable option within the arc. He is a great finisher and completed on 66% of his shots at this rim. He's very good in pick-and-pop and give-and-go sets, but he's also an underrated scorer off the cut thanks to his quick release for a big man. Regardless of the play, he does a great job of quickly getting the ball out of his hands after a pass or shot attempt.
Notably, he doesn't draw much contact overall, so his game in the paint revolves around being a savvy player and crafty finisher, as well as making plays out of contact. It's what it looks like you're doing. That being said, he doesn't seem to mind whenever contact is involved.
Waterman is a great transitional asset. He does a great job of switching from defense to offense on the fly, getting past defenders with ease, and is also comfortable handling the ball himself at times. Also, catch-and-shoot rhythm threes in transition seem so natural to him that they happen almost automatically.
As for other aspects of Waterman's offensive game, he is not a facilitator at all, but does a very deliberate job with the ball in his hands. His attrition rate is just 10.3 percent, and he is one of only three players in the majors 6-11 and older to have a lower attrition rate.
Utilizing his natural height and length, Waterman is an excellent rebounder, especially defensively, with a defensive rebound percentage of 18.7. He can hook the boards over most players' heads and most of the time gets himself into position in the right spot.
While his offense certainly outperforms his defense, Waterman is still a capable defender and not a liability on that side of the court. Although he doesn't swipe the ball much (just 0.6 blocks and 0.4 steals per game), his length and overall presence help convert low shot attempts.
Overall, this is a great pickup for Louisville. He's another player who would be a great fit in a system that fits Pat Kelce's three-heavy, fast-paced five-out offense and further strengthens the entire frontcourt.
(Noah Waterman Photo: Rob Gray – USA TODAY Sports)
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