Louisville isn’t allowed to send its coaching staff to watch Camden star D.J. Wagner at this weekend’s Nike EYBL stop in Louisville, but that didn’t stop a slew of ex-Cardinals’ players from going to show their support.
Darrell Griffith, the star of Louisville’s 1980 NCAA championship team, led a parade of former Cardinals to the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center Saturday to watch Wagner, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2023 and the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Louisville coach Kenny Payne, who played on the 1986 national championship team, and his staff were not permitted at the event because it’s an NCAA Dead Period.
“Special,” Griffith told Louisville writer Rick Bozich of Wagner after D.J. scored 29 points in a 73-71 win over ProSkills Elite Saturday. “Very special.”
“He showed me everything I needed to see,” added Griffith. “His skill set is special, the way he can finish with either hand and change directions so easily.”
Payne this week hired Milt Wagner -- D.J.’s grandfather and Payne’s teammate on the 1986 team -- as Director of Player Development and Alumni Relations, a brilliant chess move that does not prevent Louisville from recruiting D.J.
Milt Wagner was on hand alongside Griffith, Pervis Ellison, Herbert Crook, Wiley Brown, Kevin Walls, Jerry Eaves, Tick Rogers, Robbie Valentine, Beau Zach Smith, Will Olliges, Sydney Curry, El Ellis, Mike James and other former and current Cardinals.
The 6-foot-3 Wagner, who did not address the media, was photographed chatting with Griffith, Ellison and other ex-Louisville players.
“D.J. has been groomed from Day One for the success that he’s achieved now,” Ellison, who coaches Wagner’s U17 AAU team, the New Jersey Scholars, told Bozich.
“Very few superstar type players like that, play the game the right way. This kid, if you watch him play, he’s never going to be that kid who takes 30 shots in a game.
“But if you go back and look at the numbers that he puts up, his plus-minus is always at a high level … his parents have done a fantastic job with the young man he’s become.”
After Kentucky had appeared to be in the driver’s seat for Wagner for the last year or so, Louisville now appears firmly in control. The ‘Crystal Ball’ for Wagner on 247Sports.com is now 67% in favor of Louisville.
Louisville is also the favorite for Memphis transfer Emoni Bates, who was once compared to a young Kevin Durant and is expected to announce his transfer destination in the next few weeks.
If Payne, the ex-Kentucky and Knicks assistant, can land Bates and then Wagner, it would be quite a 1-2 punch, and would serve notice both nationally and within the Bluegrass State that it figures to be a major player in getting Louisville back to relevance on the national stage after a series of NCAA infractions under Rick Pitino and then Chris Mack.
Dajuan Wagner, the all-time leading scorer in New Jersey prep history, played a one-and-done year under current Kentucky coach John Calipari at Memphis, and he said recently that D.J. “can’t go wrong” at either Kentucky or Louisville.
For this weekend -- which includes a game against Bronny James and his Strive for Greatness team at 9 p.m. Saturday -- all of the love appears to be coming from Louisville, though.
“It’s funny. D.J. was like, ‘I’m going to meet Dr. Dunkenstein (Griffith).’ I said, ‘Yeah, you sure will meet him,’” Ellison told Bozich.
“So when (Griffith) walked over to him, it was a surreal moment for him.
“Louisville has got a history of great players who played in the program. These young men aspire to go on and have professional careers. We’ve had a lot of former players who’ve had that opportunity. So they look up to those guys.”
And soon enough, D.J. Wagner could be one of them.
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
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