4. Mikel Brown Jr. Commitment - January 2025
The high school recruiting trail has been somewhat turbulent under Pat Kelsey during the first couple of offseasons. However, Kelsey gained the attention not only of Cardinals fans but also of the national college basketball audience when he persuaded 5-star recruit Mikel Brown Jr. to come and run the Louisville offense this season. This recruiting score was huge, not only to add some validity to Pat Kelsey’s ability to bring in top-tier talent, but also to thrust Louisville back into the national spotlight as a once again rising titan of college basketball.
The dividends of Brown’s decision have paid off immensely in the early going of the season, as he has shown his potential and made a big difference on the floor when he has been healthy. Louisville looks to contend for a Final Four and potentially a national championship this season behind the play of Brown and his fellow transfer sharpshooters on the current roster. Although the recruiting for next season has not quite gone according to plan, noting that Brown did commit to Louisville and has shown that Louisville can be a place for talent to thrive is immense, not only for this season, but for future seasons to come.