Louisville basketball is going all-in on multiple 5-star recruits, including Kentucky natives. The Cardinals appear to be trending in the right direction for Louisville native, and No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 cycle, Tyran Stokes.
They are also emerging as favorites for Newport native and the No. 1 point guard in the class, Tay Kinney. Louisville has been in contact with many other 5-star recruits, including Deron Rippey Jr., Ikenna Alozie, Anthony Thompson, and many others.
One name that has been on the Cardinals' radar, but it appears they are falling behind in their recruitment efforts, is the consensus 5-star Caleb Holt. The elite shooting guard seems to be all-in on the SEC school, as he has locked in two official visits with SEC powerhouses and is looking to visit another shortly after.
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Louisville basketball's 5-star dreams in jeopardy as top target eyes SEC heavyweights
The 5-star shooting guard is ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation and the No. 1 shooting guard. Holt has received over 20 offers from big-time programs, including the Louisville Cardinals.
Head coach Pat Kelsey and his staff made their offer to Holt back in July 2024, but have yet to receive any visit. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound shooting guard comes out of Huntsville, Alabama, where he played his first three seasons with Buckhorn High School, but will now transfer to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, and finish his high school career in California. He is now ranked as high as the third-best player from the state.
The SEC is the 5-star top target, as he has locked in visits with Auburn and Alabama and is closing in on visits with Kentucky and Kansas, per On3 Sports' Joe Tipton.
5⭐️ Caleb Holt has locked in official visits to Alabama and Auburn, source tells @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) July 9, 2025
The 6-5 guard and top-5 player in the 2026 class is also planning to visit both Kansas and Kentucky, per source.
Story: https://t.co/c49BMtcQXr pic.twitter.com/g1krumzN3e
Being a native of Alabama, it doesn't shock many that the Tide and Tigers are his top two spots. On 3 Sports gives Auburn the best chance of landing his commitment with a 34.3 percent. Following the Tigers is Bama with a 20.2 percent, and Ole Miss with a 17.2 percent.
The Rebels earned an official visit from the 5-star phenom back in April 2025, and Auburn, Alabama, Georgia Tech, and Vanderbilt have all earned unofficial visits.
Holt signed with Adidas, sparking rumors that Louisville might be a top target, as the Cardinals are one of the biggest Adidas schools. But just because he signed with Adidas doesn't mean he has to commit to an Adidas school.
Kelsey is still looking for his first 2026 commitment. The Cardinals are trending in the right direction for many superstars in this cycle, but Holt is falling drastically behind.
Related: Louisville basketball trending for trio of 5-star recruits after key boost
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.