Louisville is able to proceed hovering upward in 2025-26 after successful thrice as many video games final season (27) than it did within the earlier three mixed. It was a sterling debut marketing campaign for coach Pat Kelsey, who adopted it up with an equally good offseason to place the Cardinals for a shot at ACC supremacy.
A staff that hoisted extra 3-pointers per recreation (28.5) than anybody else within the convention is poised to do it once more — and certain with larger effectiveness — as a trio of elite shooters enter by way of the portal. Adrian Wooley (Kennesaw State), Ryan Conwell (Xavier) and Isaac McKneely (Virginia) every ranked amongst CBS Sports activities’ prime 20 transfers.
They are going to be joined by one of many program’s most extremely anticipated recruits ever. 5-star level guard Mike Brown Jr. charges because the second-best Louisville signee of the 247Sports period and is extensively thought of to be a possible lottery decide within the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Playing cards are going to be harder underneath the basket, too, after including a pair of European bigs (Vangelis Zougris and Sananda Fru) who’re categorized as juniors due to their in depth worldwide expertise. They may mix with veteran publish gamers Aly Khalifa and Kasean Pryor — every coming back from harm — to offer the Louisville entrance court docket dimension and enviable depth.
Kelsey guided Louisville to its first NCAA Match look since 2019 final season as he resurrected one of many sport’s sleeping giants. The Cardinals rose as excessive as No. 10 within the AP ballot, even whereas coping with a tricky spat of accidents. Now, after a primary spherical exit from the Large Dance, Louisville is poised to fly even increased. Here is a breakdown of the Playing cards’ 2025-26 roster.
Louisville ranks among the many most fascinating groups heading into the season; it is no shock the Playing cards get again into the Summer season Shootaround combine. Pat Kelsey’s making good noise at a program that is returned to respectability. Norlander is joined on this episode by Mark Ennis, a neighborhood radio host in Louisville who is aware of this system in and out. Mikel Brown Jr. is the man who’s received Playing cards followers amped, however there’s sufficient right here to imagine U of L might be a top-10 staff.
Projected beginning lineup
1. Mikel Brown Jr. | 6-5 | 180 | Fr.
Brown is a 3-point marksman, highlight-reel passer and sneaky athletic finisher. In a sensible best-case situation, he’ll convey the playmaking prowess and athleticism of Jeremiah Fears and pair it with the taking pictures contact of Jared McCain. That will sound far-fetched, however all of the instruments are there. Even when the physicality of school basketball requires a studying curve that retains Brown from hitting his sky-high potential, he ought to nonetheless be among the many ACC’s higher level guards after rating because the No. 6 general participant from the Class of 2025.
2. Ryan Conwell | 6-4 | 215 | Sr.
Conwell might be on his fourth faculty in 4 years, however do not let that transience obscure his taking pictures greatness. He rated within the 97th percentile nationally final season on catch-and-shoot appears to be like, per Synergy. And that wasn’t only a one-year blip. The Indianapolis native was equally efficient for a 32-7 Indiana State staff as a sophomore. He is one of many sport’s most-proven flamethrowers, which is why he was ranked the No. 14 switch within the class.
3. Isaac McKneely | 6-4 | 195 | Sr.
McKneely is yet one more elite taking pictures possibility with ample expertise. The Virginia switch is at his greatest coming off screens, which differentiates him a bit from the opposite shooters Kelsey added. Lots of the units Louisville ran to get Reyne Smith open final season could translate for McKneeley, who owns a profession 41.8% 3-point taking pictures mark in 60 video games towards ACC opposition.
4. J’Vonne Hadley | 6-7 | 210 | Sixth-year
The 2024-25 season was anticipated to be Hadley’s final, however he and Louisville benefitted from a ruling that allowed former junior faculty gamers further eligibility. He is a flexible ahead who can spot up, publish up or create for himself off the dribble. That well-roundedness helped him common 33.1 minutes per recreation final season. Hadley is ready to play both ahead place, and he must be a rotational mainstay but once more.
5. Sananda Fru | 6-11 | 245 | Jr.
Louisville signed Fru in June as a soon-to-be 22-year outdated from the German skilled ranks. He’s a load to deal with within the paint however not in an old-school, bruiser approach. He can publish up, certain. However the place he shines is as a lob menace who runs the ground effectively for a participant of his dimension. Pair that athleticism and power with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and the result’s seemingly an upper-tier faculty large.
Off the bench
Aly Khalifa | 7-0 | 250 | R-Sr.
Khalifa missed all the 2024-25 season with a knee harm however gained a struggle with the NCAA for eligibility and can add a singular playmaking aptitude to Louisville’s frontcourt. He averaged 4 assists in simply 19.4 minutes per recreation at BYU in 2023-24 and can also be a confirmed 3-point shooter. His consolation as a handler and shooter ought to draw opposing bigs away from the basket and open issues up for the Playing cards offensively.
Adrian Wooley | 6-4 | 200 | So.
Wooley slipped underneath the radar as a three-star prospect with a slender construct from the Class of 2024. However he exploded onto the scene because the Convention USA Freshman of the 12 months whereas averaging 18.8 factors on 42.2% 3-point taking pictures for Kennesaw State. Wooley ranked because the No. 9 switch of the category and is a combo guard who ought to get loads of run. Exterior taking pictures is his calling card, however he is added the required muscle to his body to be efficient attacking the basket.
Vangelis Zougris | 6-8 | 240 | Jr.
Zougris is a school basketball newcomer labeled as a junior as a result of he is a veteran of Greek skilled basketball who might be 21 on opening evening. The Cardinals like that he is a bodily screener however nonetheless versatile sufficient to change onto guards defensively. In one in every of his final video games with Peristeri BC, he put up 15 factors and 7 rebounds in simply 20 minutes towards a Panathinaikos staff that includes former NBA gamers resembling Kendrick Nunn, Cedi Osman and Juancho Hernangomez.
Kasean Pryor | 6-10 | 230 | Sixth-year
Pryor is on the mend from a torn ACL that restricted him to seven video games final season, and he must be able to convey athleticism and floor-stretching capabilities to the rotation. Dynamic defensive exercise is a differentiating issue for Pryor, who might be a part of a powerful competitors for frontcourt minutes.
Khani Rooths | 6-10 | 210 | So.
Rooths cracked Louisvlle’s veteran rotation as a real freshman, bringing power and flexibility at ahead in 13.4 minutes per recreation. The Playing cards are once more stacked with expertise, however Rooths might be within the combine and constructing towards what might be a significant function sooner or later. Within the meantime, he’ll be a fan-favorite grinder who does the soiled work.
Kobe Rodgers | 6-3 | 185 | R-Sr.
Rodgers spent final season rehabbing a knee harm that he sustained whereas enjoying for Kelsey at Charleston in 2024. The veteran guard was additionally an integral a part of the 36-0 staff at Nova Southeastern that gained the 2023 Division II nationwide championship.
Mouhamed Camara | 6-8 | 225 | Fr.
Louisville is excessive on Camara’s defensive upside as an athletic and versatile participant who will have the ability to guard a number of positions. Within the brief time period, the battle for minutes might be robust.
Market watch
Louisville’s odds to win 2026 NCAA Match (by way of Fanduel): +2000
Louisville has all of the substances of a Remaining 4 squad and must be considered a national-title contender. Kelsey added a possible lottery decide at level guard, elite taking pictures and high quality dimension to a core nucleus that was round for final season’s 27 victories. With versatile forwards resembling Hadley and Rooths on the roster, the Cardinals can have choices for the best way to play.
It is also useful that every participant in a deep group of publish choices brings a barely completely different talent set to the desk. Opposing defenses might be getting a special look each jiffy. The Playing cards can crush you with dimension, or they will go small and play quick whereas terrorizing you with three or 4 must-guard shooters on the ground.
Given the age, expertise, dimension and depth on this roster, final 12 months’s No. 8 seed for the NCAA Match must be the ground for Louisville. The ceiling? Nicely, that is the place they dangle banners, and Louisville is completely gifted sufficient to hold some in 2025-26.
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