Louisville basketball and head coach Pat Kelsey officially signed the 4-star Xavier transfer, Ryan Conwell. The new Cardinal had an exceptionally good year with Xavier last season as Conwell averaged 16.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Conwell would earn a spot on the All-Big East Third-Team the previous season due to his elite scoring and playmaking at a high level.
The 6-foot-4 guard shot the ball well above average last season, connecting on 45 percent of his field goal attempts and 41.3 percent of his 3-pointer attempts. Conwell entered the transfer portal for the second year in a row as the year prior to his junior campaign with the Musketeers, he played at Indiana State, where he dominated all phases of the court. Conwell led the Sycamores to the NIT Championship game after averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 48.2% from the field and 40.7% from downtown.
Conwell expressed on social media how excited he is to be a Cardinal as he is "all-in" and wants to bring the Cardinal nation a National Championship. On Friday morning, Conwell officially signed with Louisville, and Kelsey released his first statement on what Conwell would get to this Cardinals roster on and off the floor.
Pat Kelsey says Ryan Conwell is built for the big stage - and Louisville fans will love him
Conwell is going to be one of Kelsey's elite playmakers on the floor, but he will also bring veteran leadership off the floor for the Cardinals. The new Cardinal has great experience in his three years of collegiate basketball. Conwell has played for three different schools, Louisville will be his fourth in four years. The four-star commit is ranked as a unanimous top-17 prospect in the portal and as high as No. 16 by On3 Sports.
Louisville desperately needed a veteran guard who can help run this offense along the Cardinals pair of 5-star commitments. Louisville will have an explosive backcourt in Mikel Brown Jr., Adria Wooley and Conwell, but the expereience and leadership that Conwell brings is exactly what Kelsey was looking for.
"Ryan is a pro in every sense of the word on and off the court," head coach Pat Kelsey stated in Louisville's official statement. "One person that we spoke to who was around him for a long time told us he is one of the best humans they've ever worked with. That is powerful praise."
On the floor, Conwell has all the skills Louisville needed. The Cardinals needed to get some shooting, and they got three of the best shooters in the league, with Conwell being one of them. In his three collegiate seasons, he averaged 39.3 percent from beyond the arc, and in his last two seasons, he shot above 40 percent from the 3-point line.
Conwell splashed 109 3-pointers in his sophomore season with Indiana State, and averaged 2.9 3-pointers per game while shooting 40.7 percent from downtown. He put up nearly identical numbers last year with Xavier as he shot 41.2 percent from beyond the arc while making 99 3-pointers total, averaging 2.9 per game.
"He is one of the best all-around guards in the collegiate game. He is a veteran player that has had success everywhere he's been. His efficiency and modern basketball statistics are terrific. Card Nation is going to love his bravado and big game, big moment mentality. His leadership qualities bolster an already veteran, mature locker room."
Related: 5 glaring reasons the Louisville Cardinals aced the Ryan Conwell commitment
Conwell is a guard who can do it all. He can dominate the game and be that clutch player late in the game who can seal the Cardinals' win. The physical guard is someone Kelsey can use in the pick-and-roll, and Conwell can either create his shot or drive to the rim, as he loves to play through contact. Conwell is an elite playmaker who can run the offense, as he is an excellent ball-handler and passer. Kelsey is thrilled to bring Conwell to the Cardinals next season, as the 6-foot-5 guard will be a massive addition to this stacked roster.
Louisville's offseason is ranked No. 5 by On3 Sports and No. 1 by 247Sports. The Cardinals are poised to have a National Championship contending roster, and the addition of Conwell is one of the main reasons. This veteran guard will fit perfectly in Kelsey's style of play, and the Cardinal nation can't wait to see this elite backcourt playing at KFC Yum! Center.