As the early signing period approaches, Cardinals fans might be wondering what to make of the situation surrounding their basketball program. It reflects the evolving nature of college basketball and the tight timeline that the new regime at the University of Louisville faced after taking charge last March, where the primary goal was to build a competitive team from the ground up. Under the leadership of Kelsey and his coaching staff, enthusiasm has surged among high school recruits in the 2025 class and beyond, especially after the program’s struggles under former coach Kenny Payne. However, this buzz must eventually transmute into verbal commitments and signed letters of intent as they move ahead. At present, only five of the 13 scholarship athletes on Kelsey’s first roster
Top Target Committing This Spring
In late October, reported by On3’s Joe Tipton, Louisville, along with Alabama, is generating considerable traction in the recruitment of Mikel Brown Jr., a consensus top three point guard for the 2025 class hailing from DME Academy in Orlando, Florida. Tipton highlighted that Brown is “likely waiting” until spring to finalize his commitment, indicating that the competition remains heated.
Brown embarked on an unofficial visit to Louisville in September. According to Tipton, he is expected to return for an official visit on December 8, coinciding with Kelsey’s team’s ACC opener against Duke at the KFC Yum! Center.
Having already taken an official visit to Alabama in January, Brown is also slated to revisit the Crimson Tide informally in the upcoming months. Throughout the past year, he has visited numerous schools including Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Ole Miss, Providence, and UCF, and he plans to explore Arizona at the end of November.
A Shorter Transfer Portal Window Awaits in 2025
Kelsey and his coaching squad have showcased their prowess in navigating the transfer portal during the recent off-season and will likely need this skill again to replenish a roster that will see several players exhaust their eligibility by 2024-25.
In 2025, the transfer portal window will shrink by 15 days compared to this year. Players can start entering the portal the day following the second round of the NCAA Tournament and will be unable to do so after 30 days. While they’ll have the opportunity to explore options, the condensed timeline could affect high school athletes’ decisions as they choose to wait and see how the situation unfolds.
