Louisville basketball is the talk of college basketball this offseason, and the glaring reason why is its elite backcourt. Louisville added three elite guards from the Transfer Portal and a 5-star point guard from the 2025 recruiting class.
The Cardinals enter the 2025 season with the program's highest expectations since 2013, when Louisville won the National Championship. With the Cardinals' backcourt ranked as one of the best in the nation, and with so many elite shooters, the Cardinals fans have been waiting to see who is going to start for Pat Kelsey.
Well, in a recent post by Louisville on their social media, the Cardinals fans might finally have an answer to the No. 1 question this offseason.
Related: Louisville basketball's projected starting five after Aly Khalifa ruled eligible
Louisville basketball just teased the Cardinals starting five to the fans
The Cardinals fans have been debating since May who would start at shooting guard and who would start at center. Louisville added 5-star Adrian Wooley, and two 4-stars in Ryan Conwell and Isaac McKneely from the Transfer Portal, and since they committed, the Cardinals fans have been trying to agree which of the two is going to start and who will come off the bench.
Well, Louisville's social media page just leaked how Kelsey is leaning as of now. The Cardinals recently posted scrimmage footage, and Louisville fans quickly realized the players wearing white (the starters) were Mikel Brown Jr. (PG), Isaac McKneely (SG), Ryan Conwell (SF), J'Vonne Hadley (PF), and Sananda Fru (C).
In case you wanted any more basketball content 🤷♂️#GoCards pic.twitter.com/Yt9aEQZVxr
— Louisville Men's Basketball (@LouisvilleMBB) September 12, 2025
Brown, Conwell, and Hadley are the three locks as of now to start, but McKneely and Fru in white is the big reveal to Cardinals nation. McKneely and Fru getting the nod to start is precisely what this fan base wants and has been dreaming of.
McKneely and Fru are the perfect players to play next to Brown. The 5-star point guard is an elite playmaker who can not only create space for himself but also for others. And when he draws all eyes on him, he will be able to drive and kick to McKneely for a 3-pointer or throw it up to Fru for a massive lob.
The Cardinals' depth is one of the best in the nation. Wooley and Khalifa coming off the bench is one of the glaring reasons why this team has such high expectations next season. The Cardinals' bench is going to be crucial next year, and it is poised to be one of the best in the nation.
Louisville's starting five should be dominant and nearly unstoppable. The Cardinals' roster is loaded with talent and potential. It has 5-stars, playmakers, elite 3-point shooters, athletic bigs, international stars, and more. This fan base is buzzing with excitement, and now that they know what the starting five might be for their first game, the fans are officially counting down the days until their first exhibition game against Kansas on October 24.
Related: CBS analyst just revealed what everyone’s thinking about Louisville’s backcourt
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason, stay tuned.