After injury, Nickelberry settling in
By Rodd Baxley
Staff writer FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
CHARLOTTE - Josh Nickelberry has made quite the impression in his short time at Louisville.
The Fayetteville native’s freshman year got off to a rocky start over the summer when a broken right hand sidelined him for several weeks.
But second-year coach Chris Mack said Nickelberry has “bounced back nicely” from the injury and “never got out of shape” during the recovery period.
“Josh is a phenomenal athlete, maybe the best athlete on our team - both vertically and side to side,” Mack said Tuesday during ACC Operation Basketball in Charlotte. “I think as he gains more experience at the college level with understanding our defense, gaining his confidence as an offensive player, he’s going to have a great career for us. Josh is a guy that I think can be a lockdown defender. He’s a terrific shooter. The thing about him is he has a great attitude every single day. We couldn’t be more pleased with him.”
Nickelberry broke the metacarpal bone in his pinky finger while playing one-on one with fellow freshman Samuell Williamson this summer, but the Northwood Temple Academy graduate has certainly caught the attention of his teammates.
Junior wing Jordan Nwora, one of the favorites to earn ACC Player of the Year honors this season, said Nickelberry is a player “that’s going to be a dog on defense” for the Cardinals, who are expected to compete for league honors.
“That’s where he’s going to make an impact for us this year and he’s been doing that in practice,” Nwora said of Nickelberry’s defensive prowess.
“He’s an athlete. … He’s been on my team in practice a lot lately. Just being someone who knows what he does, he just locks in on defense and that’s how he makes a big impact so far.”
During his time at Northwood Temple, Nickelberry had a knack for changing the game in a variety of ways.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard was the first commitment of Louisville’s 2019 signing class and, as a senior, helped the Eagles earn an appearance in the NCISAA 1-A state championship for the first time in program history.
He averaged 26.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per games in his final prep season and finished his high school career with 2,904 points, making him the second-leading scoring in the history of North Carolina high school basketball.
Because of his reputation as a scorer and cerebral player, Nickelberry is expected to be a key cog for the Cardinals over the course of his college career.
“He’s very bright,” Mack said.
“He doesn’t have to be told things three and four times. He’s very coachable. He’s extremely intelligent, so he tries to put into practice what you talk to him about. I really have enjoyed having Josh in the program. He’s going to be a good player for us.”
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver. com or 910-486-3519.
By Rodd Baxley
Staff writer FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
CHARLOTTE - Josh Nickelberry has made quite the impression in his short time at Louisville.
The Fayetteville native’s freshman year got off to a rocky start over the summer when a broken right hand sidelined him for several weeks.
But second-year coach Chris Mack said Nickelberry has “bounced back nicely” from the injury and “never got out of shape” during the recovery period.
“Josh is a phenomenal athlete, maybe the best athlete on our team - both vertically and side to side,” Mack said Tuesday during ACC Operation Basketball in Charlotte. “I think as he gains more experience at the college level with understanding our defense, gaining his confidence as an offensive player, he’s going to have a great career for us. Josh is a guy that I think can be a lockdown defender. He’s a terrific shooter. The thing about him is he has a great attitude every single day. We couldn’t be more pleased with him.”
Nickelberry broke the metacarpal bone in his pinky finger while playing one-on one with fellow freshman Samuell Williamson this summer, but the Northwood Temple Academy graduate has certainly caught the attention of his teammates.
Junior wing Jordan Nwora, one of the favorites to earn ACC Player of the Year honors this season, said Nickelberry is a player “that’s going to be a dog on defense” for the Cardinals, who are expected to compete for league honors.
“That’s where he’s going to make an impact for us this year and he’s been doing that in practice,” Nwora said of Nickelberry’s defensive prowess.
“He’s an athlete. … He’s been on my team in practice a lot lately. Just being someone who knows what he does, he just locks in on defense and that’s how he makes a big impact so far.”
During his time at Northwood Temple, Nickelberry had a knack for changing the game in a variety of ways.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard was the first commitment of Louisville’s 2019 signing class and, as a senior, helped the Eagles earn an appearance in the NCISAA 1-A state championship for the first time in program history.
He averaged 26.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per games in his final prep season and finished his high school career with 2,904 points, making him the second-leading scoring in the history of North Carolina high school basketball.
Because of his reputation as a scorer and cerebral player, Nickelberry is expected to be a key cog for the Cardinals over the course of his college career.
“He’s very bright,” Mack said.
“He doesn’t have to be told things three and four times. He’s very coachable. He’s extremely intelligent, so he tries to put into practice what you talk to him about. I really have enjoyed having Josh in the program. He’s going to be a good player for us.”
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver. com or 910-486-3519.
