Louisville basketball continues to trend in the right direction for another 5-star recruit in the 2026 cycle. Pat Kelsey is closing in on multiple recruits in the 2026 cycle but is just waiting for that first domino to fall his way, and it appears he is one step closer to one of his top targets.
The Cardinals learned that they are in 5-star Ikenna Alozie's top eight and 4-star Cole Cloer's top eight, and now, just last night, they also learned that they are in top 20 recruit Jaxon Richardson's top 10, per Dushawn London.
Related: 5-star PG gives Louisville basketball huge update with recruiting battle heating up
Massive recruiting shift puts 5-star phenom within reach for Louisville
Richardson is one of the top recruits in the 2026 cycle and is trending as one of the Cardinals' top targets. The 5-star phenom is ranked as high as No. 19 in the nation and the No. 6 ranked small forward.
The 6-foot-6, 200-pound small forward comes out of Columbus High School, where he averaged 13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 63.4 percent from the field, according to MaxPreps.
The elite 5-star is the son of NBA star Jason Richardson and the younger brother of first-round pick Jase Richardson. Louisville will now be in a heated recruiting battle for the rising superstar against Cincinnati, Creighton, Villanova, Miami, USC, Alabama, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Seton Hall.
NEWS: Jaxon Richardson, the No. 19 overall prospect in the class of 2026, has cut his list down to 10 schools, sources tell @247Sports
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) July 8, 2025
Story: https://t.co/Cg4lX4sS1T pic.twitter.com/t4A27sHlFN
Richardson ranks as the third-best player out of Florida, and the Cardinals are given the third-best chance to land his commitment, per On3 Sports. Alabama has a commanding lead with a 61.3 percent chance, followed by USC at 11.6 percent, and Louisville at 9.9 percent, which comes in third.
The Cardinals earned a visit from Richardson back on Feb. 22 for their home game against Florida State. Richardson has earned over 21 offers, and now, being in the 5-star's top 10, it is clear that Louisville is closing in on its first commitment in the 2026 class.
Related: Louisville Basketball rolls out red carpet for 5-star forward prospect this weekend
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.