6. Dream - Deron Rippey Jr.
Striking out on Taylen Kinney is a crushing blow for the Cardinals, but it is clear that if they want to go get another 5-star point guard, their top target is. Deron Rippey Jr. is the No. 2 point guard in the 2026 class and one of the rising recruits in the cycle after earning MVP at both the Steph Curry camp and the NBPA Top 100 Camp this offseason.
The New Jersey native is ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation and No. 1 from New Jersey. Rippey earned over 40 offers and is now down to just ten schools, with the Cardinals still in the mix. Louisville is now in a heavy recruiting battle with Duke, Kentucky, Alabama, North Carolina, Miami, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas, and North Carolina State.
Kelsey and the Cardinals continued to grow this relationship, despite being all-in on Kinney, as Louisville visited Rippey for a practice in April and earned a visit back in 2024 for the Tennessee game. Louisville was once a favorite for Rippey at one point, but now appears to be slightly behind Duke and Syracuse, according to On3 Sports projections.
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