Louisville basketball has had an eye-popping offseason, with the Cardinals ranking No. 1 in the Transfer Portal class and No. 18 in the 2026 recruiting class. Pat Kelsey faced a tough challenge rebuilding this entire roster, including all five starters from the previous season, and he exceeded expectations.
Pat Kelsey and Louisville basketball fills glaring need with latest 4-star commitment
The Cardinals landed some big-time stars like Flory Bidunga, Jackson Shelstad, and Obinna Ekezie Jr. Bidunga and Ekezie are both 5-stars, with Bidunga ranking No. 1 overall in the portal and Ekezie Jr. ranking No. 14 overall in the 2026 recruiting class, while Shelstad is a former 5-star recruit and ranked No. 18 overall in the portal.
When thinking about Louisville’s dominant offseason, oftentimes everyone will think about those three names of bringing back Adrian Wooley, but there is one addition that is flying under the radar, and he is going to be a crucial player this upcoming season, and that is De’Shayne Montgomery.
De’Shayne Montgomery could be Louisville basketball’s secret weapon
Montgomery is a 4-star transfer from Dayton and is expected to play a key role this upcoming season off the bench. This past season, Kelsey and Louisville desperately needed a two-way guard and they missed a player similar to Chucky Hepburn, and that is what they brought in with Montgomery.
The Dayton transfer is an elite perimeter defender as he is a ball hawk, averaging 2.1 steals per game this past season, 1.1 steals per game his sophomore season, and 1.7 steals per game his freshman season. He gets a hand up on 3-point shots while also staying aggressive and pressuring ball handlers.
This past season, Louisville didn’t really have a player like that who could get you two steals per game and pressure the opponent's best guard and ball handler. But Kelsey made big adjustments this offseason, and getting a guard who can lock down the opponent's best scorer was one of them.
Montgomery is also effective on the offensive end, averaging 13.4 points while shooting 49.0 percent from the field. He is an athletic guard who can split the defense and attack the rim and finish through contact, but also has the ability to rise up and go for a huge dunk.
He has the capability of knocking down jumpshots from beyond the arc, off the dribble, or pass, as he made 52 3’s this past season.
He will likely be the first guard off the bench, as Adrian Wooley will likely be the starting shooting guard, but getting Montgomery was a huge boost this offseason. Kelsey needed depth off the bench in its backcourt, and Montgomery will bring an elite defensive presence but also will be a scoring threat.
Also read: Louisville’s projected lineup if it lands Milan Momcilovic would put Cards in NCAA Title hunt
For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.
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