LOUISVILLE, Ky. – We're only about a month into the Pat Kelce era, but it's never too early to take a glimpse into the future and analyze the Louisville men's basketball program's 2024-25 roster.
There has been a ton of player movement in both directions so far this offseason, and Kelce's first Cardinals team isn't quite set up. This first roster update primarily serves as an update on all the moves that have happened so far, rather than an actual breakdown of the roster.
There is no doubt that there will be additional transfer portal action in the coming days and weeks. But for now, let's take a look at how this team is doing right now.
departure and arrival
As mentioned above, Louisville has had a ton of roster moves since the end of the season. Former head coach Kenny Payne was fired on March 13, one day removed from the Cardinals' season-ending loss to North Carolina State in the ACC Tournament, and roster changes began immediately.
In the two weeks following Payne's firing, more than half of the roster was on the portal. Curtis Williams Jr., Caleb Glenn, Dennis Evans, J.J. Traynor, Danilo Jovanovic, Skye Clark and Mike James all opted to transfer immediately after the season. After Kelce was officially hired on March 28, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Tre White, Emmanuel Okorafor and Tyler Johnson followed suit.
In addition, Colon Davis was fired midway through the season and bye Zan Payne graduated. All things considered, only walk-ons Aidan McCool and Hersey Miller are returning from the Kenny Payne era. Additionally, TJ Robinson of Montclair (N.J.) Immaculate Conception, Louisville's only 2024 graduate to qualify, withdrew his verbal commitment the day after Payne's firing.
To counter the players leaving, Kelce and company have had to hit the transfer portal extremely hard. So far, they've done that and then some, already making eight transfers for next season.
Shortly after Kelsey's hiring, Lane Smith and James Scott announced they would be following Kelsey out of Charleston. In the days and weeks that followed, James Madison guard/forward Terrence Edwards Jr., Colorado guard Jevon Hadley, Washington guard Koren Johnson, and Wisconsin guard Chucky Hepburn also committed to Louisville. selected.
BYU center Ali Khalifa will be on the roster next season, but will redshirt the 2024-25 season as he rehabs from a knee injury he sustained last season.
Projection depth chart
Considering everything we currently know about the current state of Louisville's roster, here are some early thoughts on what next year's depth chart will look like.
All things considered, this is a very good core of players around which to build the rest of Kelce's first-team roster. It's also very clear what his focus was in the portal this cycle: threes, defense, and winning.
Of Louisville's current transfers, four have shot 35.0 percent or higher from 3-point range, four have earned top-500 ratings in D-Porpagatu (Bart Torbic's Defensive Efficiency Index), and seven have played in the NCAA Tournament last season. with each school. Last year, five of them had an assist rate of 20.0% or higher, so they seem to be focusing on acquiring players who are good at passing.
For now, Louisville's strengths lie in its backcourt and wings as head coach Pat Kelce heads into his first year on the job. This doesn't seem like a team that will be a major focus (partly because of the number of players Kelce wants to play), but if there is a focus, it will be Edwards. He's one of the top players entering the portal (he's 20th in On3), a 3-level scorer and playmaker, and is also good defensively.
The other players in the side are very productive and very versatile. Hadley is an underrated standard “glue” who can play his two and three very well on both ends. Traore is a player who plays much bigger than his height suggests, offering both grit and hustle and can be a mismatch on both ends of the floor from the 2-4.
As for the real security guards, they will play a big role as well. This is especially true of Hepburn. His great ability as a facilitator could be the key to unlocking the offense's true potential, and he's also a tone-setter on defense. Johnson, currently the No. 6 Pac-12 Player of the Year, gives Louisville a good backup option both with and without the ball. Smith may see some action against teams that are susceptible to three-point shooting, but he should be a good bench option regardless of who the Cards play.
Under the posts is where Louisville still needs to hit the portal the hardest. The staff really likes Scott's long-term development and NBA potential, but he only has one year of college experience. Khalifa, currently the best passing big man in men's college basketball, is not scheduled to play next season. Traore can compete down the stretch, but the Cardinals need at least two more true big men on the roster.
For a more detailed analysis of each player, check out the individual breakdowns below.
(Photo by Pat Kelsey: Michael Clevenger – Courier Journal / USA)
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