Louisville basketball has had some struggles with the 2026 recruiting class, but Pat Kelsey recently shocked the nation by landing his first commitment from the NBA G-League. It took the country by storm when the Cards landed London Johnson's commitment, but since then, the fans have seen multiple G-League players commit to college basketball programs if they are eligible.
Kelsey looks to try to get on a heater in recruiting as the Cardinals are now in a recruiting battle with powerhouse schools for one of the top guards after he just decommitted. Marcus Johnson recently decommitted from Ohio State and reopened his recruiting, and Louisville is one of 10 teams to reach out to the elite 4-star guard, according to Sam Kayser.
2026 4⭐️ Marcus Johnson has heard from the following schools since reopening his recruitment yesterday, source tells @LeagueRDY:
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) October 28, 2025
Indiana
Louisville
Michigan
Arkansas
Tennessee
Illinois
Syracuse
USC
South Carolina
Cincinnati
The 6-foot-2 guard was previously committed to Ohio… pic.twitter.com/M8sAz6B8sl
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Johnson is one of the top point guards in the 2026 recruiting class, ranking as high as No. 28 in the nation, according to ESPN. Kelsey recently made a bold claim that Louisville is PGU, and while they might have struck out on Taylen Kinney, with Johnson ranked as the No. 3 point guard in the class, per 247Sports, the Cards are back in the mix to land an elite point guard and to back Kelsey's claim.
The 6-foot-2 phenom currently attends Garfield Heights High School in Garfield Heights, Ohio. In his junior season, he averaged 29.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.2 steals per game and was named the MaxPreps Player of the Year in Ohio. Johnson had an impressive offseason, playing in Nike's EYBL league and making the All-EYBL second team after averaging 18.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
Louisville has only landed Johnson's commitment, and adding a player like Johnson would be massive. The Cardinals and Kelsey are trying to become a spot where elite recruits commit, and Mikel Brown Jr. was the first — and now the hope is Johnson can be the next.
Louisville is going up against elite competition to try to steal Johnson after he decommitted. Indiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Syracuse, USC, South Carolina, and Cincinnati have also reached out, making it a battle to land his commitment. However, Kelsey has proven he can be an elite recruiter, and hopefully, after Brown Jr.'s impressive second game with Louisville, Johnson can see just how dominant he could be if he plays under Kelsey.
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For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's 2025-26 season, stay tuned.