The Louisville men's basketball program now has a starting five's worth of guaranteed returners for the 2022-23 season.
J.J. Traynor, a local product who mainly rode the bench until late in the season, announced on social media Saturday that he will be returning to the program for next year.
Withers posted a graphic to Twitter and Instagram of him over the Louisville skyline with the message "Home", accompanied by the caption "Staying home."
Traynor joins Sydney Curry, El Ellis, Mike James and Jae'Lyn Withers as players who have confirmed that they would be coming back for next season to play for recently-hired head coach Kenny Payne.
The 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward had a productive 2020-21 season with the Cardinals as a freshman, averaging 3.9 points and 2.0 rebounds with a team-high 11 blocks.
But during his sophomore year, he was almost nowhere to be found. After seeing garbage time action against Southern, Furman and SE Louisiana, the Bardstown, Ky. native went almost two months before seeing the court again.
Interim head coach Mike Pegues explained that Traynor was both coming off of a hamstring injury to start the year, and that he was "not necessarily out-playing" players in front of him when healthy.
He debated sitting for the remainder of the season and trying his luck at applying for a redshirt waiver, but had a change of heart. He was eventually reinserted back into the rotation, even making a start vs. Miami where he played a career-high 28 minutes. Traynor would finish the season with 16 points and 14 rebounds in 10 games played.
"I'm proud of him, because the kid has been through a lot. He's battled, he's fought through not playing, which is hard," Pegues said after Louisville loss at Notre Dame back in early February, Traynor's first game since against SELA.
The former Bardstown HS star might not have had the impact that the other four returners had last season, but there is reason for optimism. He showed flashes of potential during his freshman year, and Payne could help him tap back into that given his reputation as a big man developer.
With Traynor's opting to come back, the only remaining decision left for Louisville is from Roosevelt Wheeler. They're also waiting on a concrete decision from class of 2022 commit Kamari Lands, who has yet to sign an NLI but has hinted he wants to remain a Card.
(Photo of J.J. Traynor: Jasen Vinlove - USA TODAY Sports)
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