Head coach Pat Kelsey transformed a team into an immense powerhouse overnight, and this is just the beginning of something exceptional.
Last season when Kelsey inherited the team, he rapidly made them relevant again. NCAA Tournament success is a key factor, but the fact that this is even mentioned says a lot about the job Kelsey has done. The entire city of Louisville is enthusiastic again about its basketball team, the roster keeps getting more significant with talent, and the Cards are standing big with the best of the best programs, proving that they’re not a team to mess with.
Key Additions
Once Kelsey picked up the Louisville job, he immediately zeroed in on what he believed is the team’s next best point guard: five-star recruit Mikel Brown Jr. Kelsey was persistent in his pursuit and eventually secured him on Jan. 1, setting the tone for exceptional recruiting success over the next few months. Brown had a very successful summer on the AAU circuit, followed by dominating numerous senior all-star games this spring. He then continued to boost his early NBA draft stock by putting up great performances at the FIBA U19 World Cup. With his momentum this early on, his potential will set him apart from everyone else, establishing himself as a clear one-and-done talent who can take his future very far in the NBA.
After picking up a generational talent, Kelsey then got to work in the transfer portal and load up the backcourt. Coming from Xavier as an elite shooter, Ryan Conwell was one of the top players in the portal, averaging 16.5 points per game last season with an NCAA tournament team. One of his competitors includes Isaac McKneely, who’s challenged ACC opponents for three years as a very effective guard at Virginia. He sank 101 three-pointers last season and could be one of the most dangerous shooters in the game. After seeing how Kelsey built up Reyne Smith last season, it’s evident that McKeely will have a strong and successful season. Meanwhile, even though Adrian Wooley might get overshadowed due to the other talent in the backcourt, he could be a great starter with his relentless pressure at the rim.
At the front, Louisville has numerous options to play around with as they search for the perfect combinations during key plays. The Cards went international for Sanandra Fru and Vangelis Zougris. Fru has great size at 6 feet 2 inches to go along with his impressive mobility, fluidity, and soft touch. With Zougris, he’s more of an energy big who can battle well at the board, but his ability to guard on the perimeter will be very valuable. Kasean Pryor and Aly Khalifa both redshirted last year, and now they’re serving as heavy factors up front. With Khalifa now healthier than he was at BYU two seasons ago, he’s no longer a defensive liability, instead he’s one of the best passing bigs in the nation. Especially early on in the season, Kelsey will be cycling through each of these regularly. As one of the most underrated players in the game, Cardinal veteran J’Vonne Hadley has the ability to play at any spot in the lineup to create lots of flexibility.
Key Matchups
Nov. 11 “Battle of the Bluegrass” rivalry game vs. Kentucky at 8 p.m. on ESPN
Dec. 13 “ACC vs SEC Challenge” at Arkansas at 7 p.m. on ESPN
Dec. 6 vs Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 2 p.m. on CBS
Dec. 13 vs Memphis at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
Jan. 6 vs Duke at 7 p.m. on ESPN
Jan. 13 vs Virginia at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
March 3 vs. Syracuse (final regular-season home game) at 9 p.m. on ACCN
Bottom Line
Coming in at No. 11 on the AP preseason Top 25 rankings for the first time since 2019, it’s no secret that Louisville basketball is officially back to the entertaining and intense team they used to be. Kelsey’s play style with this amount of pure shooting and playmaking could make the best version of this squad an absolute joy to watch for all fans, both at the KFC Yum! Center and back at home on the big screens. With all the infinite momentum and pure intensity this program shows, it would be foolish to bet against Kelsey after his magical year 1 run.
