4. Khani Rooths
A player that many Louisville fans have high expectations for entering the 2025-26 season is the former 4-star commit, Khani Rooths. The 6-foot-10 forward grew two inches over the summer, making his potential skyrocket.
At 6-foot-10, he is a pure scorer who can flash through the lane and slam for two or back his defender down and get an easy bucket. He has been working on his jumpshot all offseason and has shown drastic improvements, making many fans believe he is Kelsey's glaring X-factor next season.
Rooths might play some power forward minutes next season now that he has grown to 6-foot-10, and with Kelsey possibly losing a man already in Zougris, the Cardinals' frontcourt will take any help it can get. The true sophomore has an extremely high ceiling for year No. 2, and with Zougris going down on Wednesday with an ankle injury, Rooths' minutes and role might increase.
Last season, Rooths proved he can have a role off the bench and be relied on to spark this team. While many were thinking Zougris was going to be that energy and spark off the bench next season, don't forget Rooths was that guy last season, and he has shown all offseason that he will be that guy again next season. A player with energy and passion is crucial for a championship-caliber team, and Rooths is quickly emerging as that guy for next season after Zougris' injury.
Related: Louisville's 6-foot-10 sensation set to take a massive leap this season