Louisville basketball secured a trip to the ACC Tournament Championship game last season, marking the first time in the program's history. The Cardinals' nation believes last year's team was just the beginning and that this team will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come, especially after their massive offseason.
The Cardinals only strengthened as head coach Pat Kelsey secured a program-changing commitment from 5-star Mikel Brown Jr. in January. The No. 6 overall recruit from the 2025 class will look to replace Chucky Hepburn and run this Louisville Cardinals program next season, along with three newcomers from the transfer portal and key returning player J'Vonne Hadley.
One of those key transfers joining the Cardinals is coming off his freshman season and will look to be a significant reason Kelsey's Cardinals turn the page and now become a National Championship contender team for many years.
Adrian Wooley will make Louisville basketball an elite program for years to come
Louisville secured a massive commitment last week as the Cardinals landed the 5-star prospect out of Kennesaw State, Adrian Wooley. The Kennesaw State transfer is a combo guard who can score off the dribble or pass at an elite level. Wooley played in 33 games last season and averaged 18.8 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals, and had an impressive shooting percentage of 51.2 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from beyond the arc.
The true freshman started in 32 games last season and scored 20 points or more in 15 games, including his season-high 32-point performance against Brewton-Parker. The left-handed shooter is the second-highest-ranked freshman to enter the transfer portal, according to On3 Sports, as they rank him as the No. 7 overall player. 247Sports ranks the Cardinals' rising star as the No. 5 overall player in the portal, which puts him as the highest-ranked freshman.
A glaring reason the Cardinals newcomer is so highly ranked is his ability to shoot from beyond the arc and how he can do it. Wooley splashed 2.2 3-pointers per game and made three or more 3-pointers in 12 games, four or more 3-pointers in four games, and his season high was six made 3-pointers in that elite sharpshooting performance against Brewton-Parker.
Related: 5 key reasons Adrian Wooley committed to the Louisville Cardinals over Alabama
Another glaring area that stands out from Wooley's game is his ability to drive and finish at the rim. At 6-foot-5, the freshman has tremendous skill in finishing through contact, adjusting mid-air, and finding a way to score with his impressive craft. The Conference-USA Freshman of the Year is highly athletic, as he is a shifty guard who can do it all on the offensive side. His ability to create his shot, whether it is a pull-up jumper, stepback 3-pointer, or driving to the rim and finishing a tough layup, is a glaring reason he made the All-C-USA First-Team.
Louisville should see Wooley in a Cardinals uniform for a few years, as he doesn't have much noise in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Cardinals will have an elite guard running their program, which will be a key reason why the Cardinals are back in the National Championship conversations.