Louisville basketball has been waiting for an update from one of its seniors, J'Vonne Hadley. The Cardinals fifth-year senior was one of Pat Kelsey's key players in his starting rotation last year, as Hadley is an undersized forward but was a valuable piece on both ends of the floor.
The Cardinals nation found out late Tuesday afternoon that Hadley will officially return to Kelsey and the Cardinals, as he announced on his social media. The Cardinals senior averaged 12.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 51.8 percent from the floor and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc last season.
𝕦𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤. 🤞🏾❤️ pic.twitter.com/H1q430A0lk
— Jvonne Hadley (@jvonnehadley) April 8, 2025
Louisville basketball receives massive update from J'Vonne Hadley
This is a massive update for the Louisville basketball program. Hadley will bring outstanding leadership and much-needed defense to this Cardinals roster. Louisville desperately needed a two-way player, and they will bring back one of the best two-way players in the nation. Some of the Cardinals' glaring flaws in their roster were an elite point-of-attack defender, a solid 3-and-D wing, and a small forward, and they just got all that in bringing Hadley back
Hadley is just 6-foot-6 but can guard every position. Last season, he started at the power forward position towards the end of the season after the Cardinals got hit by the injury bug. The Cardinals brought in three elite playmakers from the transfer portal, and it was unknown if the Cardinals' forward would return. Louisville is projected in many experts' top five way-too-early rankings, and with the veteran experience in Hadley returning, this lineup just got significantly better.
Hadley's video was simple and to the point. All he said was, "CardNation, let's run it back." Hadley was the Cardinals' glaring X-factor last season, and Chucky Hepburn even called him the Cardinals' unsung hero.
The 6-foot-6, 215-pound forward will most likely play small forward and power forward minutes next season, and he will be a crucial player on this elite roster. Hadley was the only player from last season to start in every game for Kelsey, and he led the Cardinals in rebounds with 7.3 per game.
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason, stay tuned.