Louisville basketball fans get more heartbreaking news as the Cardinals just learned that one of their top targets, Colben Landrew, committed to the UConn Huskies. Landrew was one of Louisville's top targets for a long time, as they upped their recruiting efforts this offseason when Landrew skyrocketed up the recruiting rankings.
Louisville earned an official visit from Landrew this past August, and the elite shooting guard stated he "loved" the University, but apparently it wasn't enough as the Huskies and Dan Hurley won the battle. Landrew is one of the top recruits in the nation, but he was explicitly one of Kelsey's top targets.
The Cardinals were unable to earn his commitment, and the fans have now seen both Taylen Kinney and Landrew commit to another school, making it feel like Louisville is struggling to earn that first commitment.
Related: Louisville's top SG target is clear after Pat Kelsey's push for elite 4-star recruit
Louisville basketball strikes out on top target
The Cardinals had a massive offseason, landing three elite transfers from the Transfer Portal, which led many to believe that this was a sign of what was to come for recruiting and the 2026 class, especially. However, that was not the case, and Louisville has struck out on many 5-star recruits; now, one of Kelsey's top targets is Landrew.
Landrew is a 4-star recruit who ranks as high as No. 17 in the nation and the No. 3 shooting guard in the class. The 6-foot-5 205 205-pound forward also ranks as a small forward by 247Sports, as he ranks No. 9 in the position and No. 21 overall.
Louisville recruited Landrew a bit later than UConn, but Kelsey made it clear this summer and early fall that he wanted Landrew to wear red and black. Kelsey visited Landrew multiple times and did everything he could to land the 4-star recruit, but it just wasn't enough.
The Huskies earned a visit in early October, and Hurley's visit, the last on Landrew's list, was crucial for UConn to beat out Louisville and gain the commitment. Now, Louisville must head back to the drawing board once again, but with a much smaller list.
Louisville struck out on Kinney, Landrew, and Anthony Felesi, all of whom were thought to be top targets for the Cardinals. Now, they must turn to Tyran Stokes and Deron Rippey Jr., but it appears Kentucky is the frontrunner for Stokes, and Duke or Syracuse is the frontrunner for Rippey.
The Cardinals' striking out on Landrew is a gut-wrenching blow to this organization and their efforts for the 2026 class. Louisville still looks for its first commitment, and with November just a couple of weeks away, the Cardinals are in dire need of that first commitment.
Related: 2 Dream, 2 reach, 2 realistic targets for Louisville after Taylen Kinney's commitment
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.