The 2026 NBA Draft concluded last week, where Louisville basketball fans saw two Cardinals selected for the first time since the 2015 draft. Mikel Brown Jr. snapped a 36-year-old drought as he was the first Louisville Cardinal selected in the first six picks since the 1990 draft, as he was selected No. 6 overall by the Brooklyn Nets.
NBA analyst calls Mikel Brown Jr. a potential home run pick—with one major question
The other Cardinal selected was Ryan Conwell, who went No. 37 overall and is heading to the Miami Heat. The Cardinals' two guards selected led Louisville in scoring this past season, as Conwell averaged 18.8 points per game and Brown averaged 18.2 points per game in their 21 games.
Louisville fans saw on Tuesday morning that the Cardinals' sharpshooter, Isaac McKneely, got some good news as the shooting guard was picked up by the Atlanta Hawks and will be playing for the Hawks in this year’s Summer League.
Our Summer League roster is here! 👀 pic.twitter.com/09drkC8RCn
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) June 30, 2026
Louisville's Isaac McKneely gets picked up by Hawks
Not many expected McKneely to get drafted, but there was hope that the elite Virginia transfer would be picked up and play this Summer. McKneely is coming off a season where he averaged 11.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 42.2 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 86.0 percent from the free-throw line.
He was one of Louisville’s big additions last offseason, a unanimous 4-star transfer ranked inside the top 25. He is one of the best 3-point shooters in Virginia history, having spent three seasons with the Cavaliers before transferring to Louisville, and he made a massive impact during those seasons.
He etched his name in Cavaliers record books as he made the fifth most 3’s in a career in Virginia history, knocking down 233 3’s. McKneely continued to get better in his years with Virginia as he made 51 3’s on 39.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc his freshman season, then 81 3’s on 44.5 percent shooting from 3-point range his sophomore season, and in his junior season, he made a career high 101 3’s on 42.1 percent shooting from downtown.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard then transferred to Louisville, where he splashed 96 3’s on 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. He started for Pat Kelsey in every game and was a huge reason Louisville snapped its nine-year drought without an NCAA Tournament win. McKneely made seven 3-pointers in the Cardinals opening round matchup against USF and led Louisville in scoring with 23 points, moving them on to the second round.
Now, McKneely will try to be that elite sharpshooter at the next level, and making an NBA Summer League is a massive step in the right direction. Other notable names on the Hawks' Summer League roster include their three 2026 NBA Draft selections, Kingston Flemmings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar.
Also read:Â Mikel Brown Jr.'s NBA Draft rise is a painful reminder for Louisville basketball fans
For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.
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