Louisville basketball has been in hot pursuit of multiple 5-stars in the 2026 cycle. The Cardinals learned some crushing news last week as the Kentucky Wildcats are now trending towards the nation's No. 1 player and consensus 5-star, Tyran Stokes.
The elite playmaker is a Louisville native, making the Cardinals and Wildcats fierce rivals in a recruiting battle. Louisville has definitely shown that they have a backup plan if Stokes commits elsewhere, as Pat Kelsey has been recruiting all over the country this offseason.
A player the Cardinals have gone the extra mile for is 5-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. Louisville has been in contact with Rippey for a long time now and has been seen at practices, earning an official visit last month. Well, all the hard work is paying off, as On3 Sports gave Louisville a massive update.
Related: Louisville basketball making a strong push for 2026 5-star PG
Louisville basketball receives massive update on 5-star PG after crucial visit
The 5-star point guard emerges as an excellent option to take Mikel Brown Jr.'s place once the incoming 5-star goes to the NBA. It is no secret Brown will be a one-and-done star, making Rippey a perfect replacement for Brown.
Rippey is ranked as high as the No. 18 player in the nation, the fourth-best point guard in the class, and New Jersey's top recruit. The 5-star guard recently took a visit to Louisville, and after his visit, he expressed his enthusiasm for the program, describing it as engaging and energetic.
His recruit went perfectly, as On3 Sports has recently updated their forecast, with the Louisville Cardinals now the favorite to land this 5-star point guard. The Cardinals jumped up to No. 1 with a 30. 4 percent chance of earning his commitment. The second-best chance is Alabama at 26.6 percent.
Before the update, On3 Sports gave Rutgers a 35.8 percent chance, Villanova a 31.3 percent chance, and Louisville a 20.3 percent chance. That has since drastically changed in the Cardinal's favor, as they have now earned a visit, been to a practice of his, and been out to see him compete multiple times.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard recently competed at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, where he averaged 21.7 points, 4.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from downtown. Rippey was named the New Jersey Player of the Year after his Junior season, and in his sophomore season, he averaged 14 points, 5.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game.
Rippey is emerging as one of Louisville's top options in the 2026 class, and the nation is taking notice. The 5-star has earned over 39 offers, including elite programs such as Kentucky, which made their offer this weekend. Other big-time programs include Texas, Tennessee, Villanova, UConn, North Carolina, Alabama, and many others.
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For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.