Louisville basketball recently missed on top target Colben Landrew. The 4-star shooting guard ended up committing to the UConn Huskies over the Louisville Cardinals, which was absolutely crushing. The Cardinals are still without any commitments in the 2026 class, and while some fans were dreaming of landing multiple top-50 recruits, many are now fearing they won't secure any.
Louisville still has some hope, as the fans are now turning to the nation's No. 1 overall recruit, Tyran Stokes. However, after first wiffing on Taylen Kinney and now whiffing on Landrew, it might be time for the fans to accept reality and get a harsh reality check.
Louisville basketball fans are given a harsh reality check with Tyran Stokes.
The Cardinals were a massive favorite for Stokes this time last year, and until the summer, many thought Louisville was still the frontrunner. However, after Stokes visited Kansas, Kentucky, and Oregon, the vibes have since changed drastically, and the Cardinals are no longer the favorite.
The dream scenario was to land Kinney and use him to recruit Stokes, but after he committed to Kansas and Landrew committed to UConn, Louisville was left with no commitments. The Cardinals were already losing ground with Stokes, but after striking out on their two top targets, it feels like the Cards don't stand much of a chance to earn the Louisville native's commitment.
Kentucky has emerged as the favorite for Stokes. 247Sports logged a Crystal Ball prediction for the Wildcats, while Jamie Shaw also predicted the Wildcats to secure his commitment. On top of all that, he also signed with Nike, making it feel like Louisville's chances are getting slimmer and slimmer.
Whiffing on Landrew was almost like the cherry on top, and the feeling of all hope being lost. The Cardinals earned an official visit from Stokes this time last year, but since then, they have not received much positive news.
Earning that first commitment is crucial, as the Cardinals fans saw this offseason with the Transfer Portal. Kinney has made it clear that he is trying to recruit Stokes to Kansas, and with Stokes signing with Nike, that certainly favors the Wildcats. Louisville is now on the outside looking in, with not much in its favor, other than being the first place he visited and the city he is from.
Landrew and Kinney were a massive blow to the Cardinals' efforts to land Stokes, and it certainly feels like Louisville fans are losing all hope of landing the nation's No. 1 overall recruit.
Related: Louisville fans fear the worst after Tyran Stokes' concerning recruiting update
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