Louisville is making a last-second splash in the Transfer Portal by adding North Carolina guard Seth Trimble.
Trimble played all four years at UNC and averaged 14 points and 3 assists per game in his senior season, shooting 47% from the field. He also recorded a career high, scoring 30 points against the Cardinals last year. Over the course of his time in Chapel Hill, he saw his playing time and points per game increase each year. Trimble has recorded 971 career points and reached double figures 50 times over his career, notching four 20-point games last season.
The Wisconsin native had exhausted all his years of eligibility and even played with the Washington Wizards in the Summer League before a federal court ruled that all Class of 2022 athletes would receive an extra year of eligibility. This came after the NCAA adopted the “five-for-five” format. The policy gives athletes five years of eligibility immediately after graduating high school or turning 19. Trimble was one of the athletes seeking a fifth year. Furthermore, the Colorado district court ruling opened the door for him to continue his collegiate career.
The addition of Trimble isn’t necessarily filling a need. However, if you have the opportunity to bring him in, you should take advantage of it. He’s an athletic, veteran guard who excels at getting downhill and being a crafty finisher. While not a great shooter (28.6% from 3), he has a knack for making big shots.
Despite lacking a true beyond-the-arc threat, head coach Pat Kelsey is loading up the backcourt with some serious talent, with a changing philosophy in mind. The commitment of Trimble, if it stands, would be a major boost for the Cardinals and their depth. Trimble addresses the concerns Kelsey had last season: defense and playing inside the paint. The guard was North Carolina’s best defender last season and thrives at getting to the basket. What exactly this means for the starting lineup, how minutes will be shared among the guards or how Trimble will fill in remains undetermined, but he can be expected to carve out a significant role this year. The late addition of Trimble moves the needle for Louisville being one of the best rosters in the sport. However, it puts loads of pressure on Kelsey to win, and win now.