A perfect Isaac McKneely replacement for Louisville basketball plans to transfer

Louisville basketball is just one day away from its showdown with USF. The Cardinals and Bulls will be tipping off at 1:30 p.m. local time as Louisville will seek its first NCAA Tournament win since 2017, and will try to make its first Sweet Sixteen since 2015.

5 immediate observations from Louisville basketball's 2026 NCAA Tournament draw

But, with some teams' seasons already coming to an end, some portal news has already begun to surface. Louisville and the fans are all-in on this NCAA Tournament run, but it is worth noting that, with the Cardinals losing many guards after this season and yet to earn a 2026 commitment, Louisville will likely be a top contender in the Transfer Portal again.

The Cardinals will lose Isaac McKneely after he graduates, and in recent news, Pat Kelsey has the perfect replacement. Providence star guard Stefan Vaaks plans to enter the portal, and Louisville fans are already circling his name, hoping Kelsey will attack his recruitment in a month.

Pat Kelsey and Louisville basketball must go after Stefan Vaaks

Last year, Louisville reportedly gave Kelsey significant NIL support, as he had around $10 million to work with. Kelsey went out and earned three commitments from the portal: Adrian Wooley, Ryan Conwell, and Isaac McKneely, while also adding Sananda Fru and Mikel Brown Jr. from the 2025 recruiting class.

Looking ahead to next season, Conwell, McKneely, and Brown are all gone, and it will be worth monitoring whether Wooley and Fru return. But with Louisville losing three starting guards, the Cardinals should be raising an eyebrow at Vaaks' plan to enter the portal, as he is a 6-foot-7, 206-pound freshman and exactly what the Cardinals are looking for.

He is currently the best player in the Transfer Portal, as 247Sports ranks him No. 1 overall and No. 1 at shooting guard and as a 4-star transfer. Vaaks averaged 15.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 40.8 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc.

The Providence transfer really came to life in the Big East Tournament when he scored 28 points against Butler after going 8-of-13 from beyond the arc and scored 23 points against St. John’s after going 5-of-9 from 3-point range. He scored 20 points 10 times this season and would be perfect to replace McKneely, as he is someone with height who can shoot from 3-point range, but also someone who likes to get paint touches and has the defense collapse, and he has the vision and awareness to find the open man.

He is a guard who moves around and can cut to the paint and play through physical contact at 6-foot-7, but he is also a sharpshooter from beyond the arc. He was a bit inconsistent last season at 35 percent, but he made 2.9 3’s per game last season as he had 17 games with three or more made 3-pointers, six games with five or more made 3-pointers, one game with six made 3’s, and his career high was the Big East Tourney game where he splashed eight 3’s.

With McKneely struggling in big games and against physical teams, bringing in a sharpshooter like Vaaks would be the perfect replacement. He fits Kelsey’s style for 3-point shooting, he can attack the rim and get paint touches, but he also has height and size, which allows him to play physical basketball, which McKneely has lacked this season.

The Cardinals will have a lot of work to do this summer to replace the three guards they will lose, and with Vaaks already planning to enter the portal, he is a good target to start with.

Related: Ryan Conwell knows Mikel Brown Jr. is the missing link to Louisville's NCAA Tournament run

For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.