3 Dark horse candidates to eventually break into Louisville's starting lineup

Louisville basketball's starting lineup has been a hot topic all offseason, as the Cardinals' fans have not been able to pinpoint just exactly who Pat Kelsey will start. The only thing for sure as of right now is that Mikel Brown Jr. will start. Outside of the 5-star point guard, it is nearly impossible to guess who the Cardinals' starting five will be.

The following two names that are almost locks to start for Kelsey include J'Vonne Hadley and Xavier transfer Ryan Conwell. However, the shooting guard and center positions are when it gets hard to predict. But, it appears many are predicting Isaac McKneely to get that nod at the shooting guard position, and Aly Khalifa to start at center.

So, in this scenario with the starting five being those five names, here are three dark horse candidates to eventually break into Louisville's starting lineup.

3 Dark horse candidates to eventually break into Louisville's starting lineup

3. Sananda Fru

Sananda Fru is a 4-star prospect in the 2025 class who is already generating noise in the summer camp. The German native can start at center as the season progresses, and be one of the top lob threats and rim protectors in the ACC.

Louisville's backcourt gets a lot of praise, but the Cardinals' depth in the frontcourt is severely underrated. Fru is ranked as high as a top 25 recruit in the 2025 cycle and one of the top prospects from overseas, per 247Sports. The 6-foot-11, 245-pound forward averaged 12.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game, while shooting 66.8% from the field, according to Real GM.

His athleticism should gel perfectly next to Brown, and this offseason, the fans have already seen the two 2025 commitments playing together in pick-and-roll scenarios. Fru has the potential to become a starter and a star in the ACC, and it wouldn't be surprising if he steals a starting spot later in the year.