Louisville basketball is in the Bahamas at the moment, as the Cardinals are getting some extra work and practice. Louisville was set to have two exhibition games on back-to-back days next week in the Bahamas, but due to player availability, the Cardinals cut it down to just one game.
Louisville’s one game in the Bahamas is now scheduled to take place on Tuesday, July 28 at 2 p.m.at the Baha Mar Convention, Arts and Entertainment Center in Nassau. Louisville fans won’t be able to watch or listen on the radio, as the exhibition game isn’t being broadcast.
When looking at who is available, Brooks Holton from the Louisville Courier Journal provided an update, reporting 5-star freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr. and 4-star transfer Karter Knox “are not expected to play as they continue to work their way back from injuries.”
Louisville two stars set to miss exhibition game
Louisville fans have had a close eye on these two Cardinals as they continue to get healthy for the fall. Kelsey told reporters on June 22 that Ekezie underwent shoulder surgeries "several months ago," and it appears he is still working to get back to full strength. As for the Arkansas transfer, Knox had a left meniscus surgery in mid-February, which forced him to miss the rest of the 2025-26 season.
Holton reported that both players participated in “portions” at practice in the Bahamas, but the two are not expected to play on Tuesday. The Cardinals' main priority at the moment is to build chemistry and keep everyone healthy for the first game of the season.
This Cardinals squad is loaded with talent, and Kelsey doesn’t want to risk losing a player at the start of the year because of a couple of scrimmages in the Bahamas. Ekezie and Knox are going to be crucial players for this upcoming year, as Ekezie ranked No. 14 overall and No. 1 among centers in the 2026 recruiting class, while Knox is a former 5-star recruit and ranked as high as No. 59 overall and No. 7 among small forwards in the Transfer Portal.
Kelsey made it when it was announced that Louisville will only play one exhibition game instead of two, that this is a business trip and not a vacation.
“There is no jet ski time,” stated Kelsey. “This is a business trip. But it is the farthest thing from a jet ski trip as you can possibly imagine.”
Key returner Adrian Wooley and key transfer additions 5-star Flory Bidunga, 4-star transfer Jackson Shelstad, and 4-star transfer Alvaro Folgueiras will lead the Cardinals next week. The exhibition game is set to start at 2 p.m. on July 28.
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