The Louisville Cardinals recently found out that they did not land the commitment from the 5-star phenom out of Virginia, Nate Ament. The No. 4 ranked prospect in the nation committed to the Tennessee Volunteers, so while it is heartbreaking that he didn't choose the Cardinals, it does come with a nice silver lining of him not picking Duke as well.
Louisville basketball will now try to find someone for that last scholarship, and the Cardinals should not have to look far. Louisville brought in three elite playmakers and shooters this offseason, and they need a stretch four-power forward who can shoot the ball but also play solid defense.
The Cardinals fans weren't sure they would bring back two players, J'Vonne Hadley and Kasean Pryor. Well, they got great news a couple of weeks ago that Hadley would return; now, Louisville must also go all-in to bring Pryor back.
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Louisville basketball’s No. 1 target is undeniable after Nate Ament's commitment
Pryor was a transfer from USF and was a starter for Louisville in three of his seven games with the Cardinals last year. The 6-foot-10 power forward made an immediate impact with Kelsey and his Cardinals, as his ability to space the court for Louisville's guards is something this 2025-26 roster desperately needs.
Pryor played in seven games last season as he tore his ACL against Oklahoma. He scored 13 or more in four games, including a 21-point performance against Bellarmine. Fans have been begging Pryor to answer their prayers and join this elite roster Kelsey has built.
He would be projected as a starter and play with Sananda Fru, the 6-foot-11 transfer from Germany, and Mikel Brown Jr., the 5-star commit from DME Academy. Pryor would be able to play that stretch four and shoot some 3-pointers or mid-range jumpers, as last season, he averaged 12.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game with the Cardinals. He hit a 3-pointer in four of his seven games.
Related: Louisville basketball’s new No. 1 target is clear after Nate Ament update
Pryor's ability to be elite in the paint while spacing the floor for this upcoming backcourt is why he must be Kelsey's No. 1 target moving forward. It stings that Louisville was unable to grab the Ament, but Pryor knows the system and is the perfect fit for this Cardinals roster.
He provides a spark on both ends of the floor as he can get the crowd going with a monster slam or a big-time block. When Pryor was with USF, he averaged 13.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game, demonstrating his full potential as a dominant stretch four on both ends of the floor. He was a massive commitment for Kelsey as he shot 44.7 percent from the floor, 35.2 percent from downtown, and 81.7 percent from the charity stripe with the Bulls.
Pryor is that final piece Louisville needs in their 2025-26 National Championship quest. The transfer portal will end tomorrow, Tuesday, April 22, meaning the Cardinal and Pryor must work fast.