5. Aly Khalifa
The Cardinals' 7-foot, 250-pound center has an incredibly high ceiling as he enters the 2025-26 season. Aly Khalifa is coming off a year's rest after a knee injury he suffered back in 2024 when he was with BYU.
The Cardinals center has now lost over 50 pounds and is in the best shape of his life, and playing some of the best basketball of his life as well. Mikel Brown Jr. and Kelsey have given Khalifa extremely high praise this offseason, comparing him to Nikola Jokic and claiming he is one of the best passing centers in the world.
While Khalifa's ability to score and defend has fans excited, his passing ability is what separates him from any other 7-footer. He is playing next to four elite sharpshooters and the best backcourt in the nation, which means he is going to make some insane passes all next season and fit perfectly.
Khalifa has the skill to shoot from beyond the arc as and over defenders in the paint. Louisville fans expect Khalifa to have a similar season to his sophomore campaign when he averaged 11.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from downtown.
Related: Louisville basketball's projected starting five after Aly Khalifa ruled eligible