Louisville is ready to continue soaring upward in 2025-26 after winning three times as many games last season (27) than it did in the previous three combined. It was a sterling debut campaign for coach Pat Kelsey, who followed it up with an equally good offseason to position the Cardinals for a shot at ACC supremacy.
A team that hoisted more 3-pointers per game (28.5) than anyone else in the conference is poised to do it again — and likely with greater effectiveness — as a trio of elite shooters enter via the portal. Adrian Wooley (Kennesaw State), Ryan Conwell (Xavier) and Isaac McKneely (Virginia) each ranked among CBS Sports’ top 20 transfers.
They will be joined by one of the program’s most highly anticipated recruits ever. Five-star point guard Mike Brown Jr. rates as the second-best Louisville signee of the 247Sports era and is widely considered to be a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Cards are going to be tougher under the basket, too, after adding a pair of European bigs (Vangelis Zougris and Sananda Fru) who are classified as juniors because of their extensive international experience. They will combine with veteran post players Aly Khalifa and Kasean Pryor — each returning from injury — to give the Louisville front court dimension and enviable depth.
Kelsey guided Louisville to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 last season as he resurrected one of the sport’s sleeping giants. The Cardinals rose as high as No. 10 in the AP poll, even while dealing with a tough spat of injuries. Now, after a first round exit from the Big Dance, Louisville is poised to fly even higher. Here’s a breakdown of the Cards’ 2025-26 roster.
Louisville ranks among the most interesting teams heading into the season; it’s no surprise the Cards get back into the Summer Shootaround mix. Pat Kelsey’s making good noise at a program that’s returned to respectability. Norlander is…
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