Louisville basketball got major news on Saturday as the Cardinals' fans officially learned Adrian Wooley will be a Cardinal in the 2026-27 season. Pat Kelsey’s portal magic continues to impress, as he has shown this offseason that he can not only recruit and bring in big-time transfers but also recruit from within and avoid an elite player entering the portal.
Predicting Pat Kelsey's next 3 moves after Adrian Wooley returns to Louisville
Wooley's return to Louisville is a huge update, as he ranked as high as No. 9 in the portal last offseason, No. 2 among combo guards, and a 5-star transfer. He has the potential to be an elite scorer, as he showed multiple times this past season with Louisville that he can not only score, but do so at a high rate.
With Louisville officially bringing the 5-star transfer back, this team is trending to be a real Final Four contender. Now that Wooley is returning, we want to break down the starting lineup as of today. So, here is Louisville's projected 2026-27 starting lineup.
PG: Jackson Shelstad
Kelsey is known to recruit the guard position heavily, and he didn’t hesitate and he landed his starting point guard early on. Louisville went out and landed former 5-star recruit and 4-star transfer Jackson Shelstad. The Oregon transfer was one of the top point guards who entered the portal, and he will now be Kelsey’s starting point guard.
Shelstad spent his first three seasons with Oregon after committing to the Ducks as a 5-star recruit. He made an immediate impact, making the All-Pac-12 Freshman team his first season, then made the All-Big Ten Third Team his junior season, and this past season, he played only 12 games but was trending toward a career year. The 4-star transfer averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game, and ranks No. 16 overall in the portal and No. 5 among point guards.
SG: Adrian Wooley
With Adrian Wooley officially returning, the Cardinals' starting shooting guard is the former 5-star transfer. Louisville is still in contact with Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, but UCLA and Duke are gaining momentum, and it is hard to imagine Wooley would return to Louisville to come off the bench.
Wooley averaged 18.8 points while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from beyond the arc his freshman season with Kennesaw State, and averaged 8.7 points while shooting 45 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc. The 6-foot-4 guard is a crafty combo guard who can be reliable from downtown, but can also attack the rim and finish at the basket. Wooley is in a good position to be Kelsey’s starting shooting guard, and Louisville fans are thrilled he is back.
SF: Karter Knox
The Cardinals' starting small forward will likely be their recent portal addition, Karter Knox. The Arkansas transfer was a former Louisville target out of high school, ranking No. 22 in the nation and a 5-star transfer. After spending two seasons with Arkansas and serving as a key piece for John Calipari, he entered the portal and is now with Louisville, where he will be a key piece in their frontcourt.
Knox started in 42 of his 58 games with Arkansas, and with his athleticism, he has the potential to be an elite two-way player for Kelsey. He showed his ability to score in the NCAA Tournament two seasons ago when he scored 15 points against St. John’s and 20 points against Texas Tech. The 6-foot-6 forward played in just 22 games last season because of a left meniscus injury and missed every game after February 14 this past season. He commits to Louisville, ranked as a 4-star transfer, No. 57 overall, and No. 6 among small forwards.
PF: Alvaro Folgueiras
The transfer Louisville is currently trending with the most is the 4-star transfer Alvaro Folgueiras. The Iowa transfer went viral when the 6-foot-10 power forward hit the game-winning 3-pointer against Florida in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and now he is trending with the Cardinals.
On3 Sports gives Louisville a dominant 100 percent chance of earning his commitment in their prediction cast, and now with Wooley’s announcement, he is Louisville’s glaring No. 1 target. The Cardinals have four of their five starters, and they just need to get their power forward. Kelsey has had a dominant offseason so far, and with Louisville needing a stretch-four, it appears Folgueiras could be their guy. He has made 101 3’s in three seasons, including 45 in his sophomore season, where he made 41.3 percent of 109 attempts. He ranks as a 4-star transfer, No. 54 overall and No. 13 among power forwards in the Transfer Portal.
C: Flory Bidunga
And the star of the lineup and this offseason is the 5-star transfer and the former 5-star recruit, Flory Bidunga. The Kansas transfer is the biggest addition so far this offseason, as he ranks as a consensus 5-star transfer and as high as the No. 1 center and the No. 1 overall transfer.
Bidunga is a dominant two-way center, as he is an elite lob threat and can take over the paint, averaging 13.3 points while shooting 64.4 percent from the field. He is also a dominant defender, ranking in the top five in total blocks and blocks per game in Division I basketball. The Cardinals' biggest weakness this past season was their frontcourt, and Kelsey went out and got not just the best center in the portal but the best transfer in the portal.
Related: Pat Kelsey's latest move just confirmed Louisville isn't dropping out of John Blackwell race
For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.
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