Louisville basketball earning Mikel Brown Jr.'s commitment elevated this program to a level fans could never have even dreamed of. Brown is the second-highest commitment in franchise history, and while the fans can't wait to see him touch the floor and bring dreams into reality for the fans, it also sparks some obvious questions about how Kelsey will operate his lineups.
Many fans and experts are dreaming of Louisville's backcourts and can't wait to see Brown in action with the three transfers the Cardinals bought in. It appears Isaac McKneely and Ryan Conwell will get some minutes at small forward, and Adrian Wooley will be the starting shooting guard.
However, one player consistently gets left out of the conversation. With Brown's arrival and gaining a lot of minutes at point guard, and the addition of the Cardinals' three transfers, it is hard to find minutes for Louisville fan-favorite Kobe Rodgers.
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Kobe Rodgers path to minutes just got a whole lot harder
Now, it is clear that Rodgers is one of Kelsey's favorites as he constantly brings up his name in nearly every interview. However, when the lights are big and the minutes are more valuable, Brown and the three transfers are more likely to earn those minutes now rather than Rodgers.
Earlier this offseason, Chucky Hepburn warned the nation about Rodgers, and he is still right. The 6-foot-3 guard is a great role player off the bench and can be a veteran leader on this team, as he has now played for Kelsey for three seasons. But when 5-star transfer Adrian Wooley has the capability to handle the ball if he has to, and of course, Brown is going to get 30 minutes a game.
Rodgers won't get shooting guard minutes and will be strictly Brown's backup. That is the best case for Rodgers: he is the only other true point guard on the team. However, when Louisville is playing Duke, North Carolina, or the SEC giants, don't be surprised if he gets under 10 minutes.
He has the potential to be a solid backup point guard for Brown, but ultimately, Louisville wants to win, and the lineup with Wooley running the point and McKneely and Conwell playing the other two positions is a possibility.
Rodgers is coming off an injury that sidelined him the entire 2024-25 season. Back in Charleston, he averaged 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from beyond the arc.
The Charleston transfer has emerged as one of the Cardinals' fans' favorite players, and he has some expectations entering the 2025 season. But with Brown and Wooley's arrival, Rodger's role and minutes are going to be shortened as the season progresses and March approaches.
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For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.