The Louisville basketball program has struggled since Rick Pitino left. Chris Mack and Kenny Payne were both disasters as head coaches for the Cardinals. Still, they have a lot of rich history and despite what the NCAA says, they've won a national title in the last 11 years.
That sort of success should still resonate with recruits. Pat Kelsey comes in knowing he has a lot of work to do in order to rebuild this program. What should help are the NIL resources that Louisville and and the fanbase will pour into the basketball program.
One particular recruit would really help jumpstart the rebuild. That recruit is Darryn Peterson. Peterson is the third-best recruit in the country for the 2025 recruiting class. The five-star shooting guard is exactly what the Cardinals need and Peterson is interested in Louisville.
Five-star recruit is interested in Louisville basketball program
Peterson plays his basketball at Huntington Prep in West Virginia and stands at 6'5 and 195 pounds. He can really do it all. He's a great scorer who can score at all three levels. His passing skills are impressive. Perhaps the best thing about him is that he doesn't dominate the ball. he can play off the ball too.
Peterson recently narrowed his collegiate school list to eight. The Louisville basketball program made the cut. The other schools fighting for his services are Ohio State, USC, Kentucky, Arizona State, Washington, Kansas, and Kansas State. Peterson still has to make some visits.
If the Lousiville Cardinals could get Peterson on board, they instantly become a threat in the ACC. He's that good of a player. Not only would he make the team better next season, but he could be the catalyst for the Cardinals to land some other big-time recruits.
Of course, NIL is going to play a big part in his recruitment. If the Cardinals want to land him, the collectives better be ready to pay up.