2. Taylen Kinney - PG
No surprise here, one of the top targets for Kelsey and the Louisville Cardinals is the 5-star point guard, Taylen Kinney. The No. 1 point guard in the 2026 cycle is ranked as high as No. 11 in the nation, and Louisville has vocalized that he is the guy they want.
Kinney is a Newport, Ky. native and appears to be Kelsey's top target for his backcourt in 2026 after Louisville made the 5-star's top 12. The Cardinals extended their offer to Kinney back in March 2023, and were one of the first programs to earn an official visit.
Kinney played for RWE last season and averaged 20.1 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game while shooting exceptionally well from the field and beyond the arc. Back when Kinney played for Newport High School, he averaged 17.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, and shot 48.4 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from downtown.
Louisville has made it clear all offseason that they want Kinney in red and black, and Louisville was projected to land his commitment per Joe Tipton of Rivlas/On3 Sports. The Cardinals are in a massive recruiting showdown with Kentucky for Kinney, and as the recruiting heats up, it becomes clearer that Kelsey has found his next point guard in Kinney.
Related: 3 realistic commitments that would make Louisville’s 2026 class perfect