'It's going to be fun': 3 Louisville women's basketball newcomers already showing promise

Louisville women’s basketball coach Jeff Walz joked that spectators can no longer say his program can't win "the big one" after the Cardinals' won a gold medal at the 2023 GLOBL JAM over the last week.

Going 3-1 in the international tournament, while representing the United States, U of L avenged its lone GLOBL JAM loss by beating Canada, 68-66, in the gold-medal game.

The Cards' veteran leadership, scoring threats and experience brought by five transfers were on full display throughout the team's trip to Toronto. It was UMass transfer Sydney Taylor's go-ahead 3-pointer with just under 30 seconds remaining in the gold-medal game that secured the Cards' win over Canada.

“It’s exciting to see the potential that we have,” Walz said. “Being able to see the growth that I was able to see here in a week with only 10 days of practice, it’s pretty encouraging. If I can get them to buy into playing just a little bit harder, especially our transfers … it’s going to be fun.”

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Here are three newcomers who are already showing promise for U of L:

Sydney Taylor, Guard

Kianna Smith was Louisville’s sharpshooter during the 2021-22 season. Last season, it was Chrislyn Carr. Now, it looks to be Taylor's turn to fill that role for the Cardinals. The New York native, whose 104 3-pointers ranked seventh nationally last season, was named the GLOBL JAM Most Valuable Player after averaging 13.25 points while shooting 36.4% from 3-point range during the tournament.

Taylor, who was announced as a member of USA Basketball's Under-23 Nations League 3x3 team on Monday, started all four games of the international tournament. She opened play with a 22-point performance, knocking down 6 of her 10 attempts from beyond the arc, against Puerto Rico.

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Kiki Jefferson, Wing

Kiki Jefferson has the potential to be one of the Cards' most versatile players this season. The 2022-23 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year from James Madison averaged 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists as a starter throughout GLOBL JAM. Her rebounding and play in the paint provided help for returning post players Olivia Cochran and Nyla Harris while her ability to facilitate gives Louisville another ball handler in the starting lineup. In Toronto, she averaged 25 minutes per game, second on the team behind Taylor and Jayda Curry’s 26 minutes apiece.

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Nina Rickards, Guard

After starting 30 of Florida's 34 games last season, Nina Rickards came off the bench for Louisville over the last week. Still, she made a difference. Rickards averaged 5.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 23 minutes per game. Her best performance came in the gold-medal game where she finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Should the starting lineup remain when U of L opens its season against Cincinnati in November, Rickards coming off the bench provides the Cardinals an opportunity to be more versatile with their lineup. Walz said Rickards will run the point when she’s in the game, moving Curry, the starting point guard, to the 2.

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville women's basketball: 3 to watch on Jeff Walz's 2023-24 team