Louisville’s Pat Kelsey on Bahamas trip: ‘It allows us to speed up the growth curve’
Louisville’s Pat Kelsey talks about Bahamas trip and what he’s looking to get out of it for his players.
What jersey numbers will the members of Pat Kelsey‘s inaugural Louisville men’s basketball team wear?
The Cardinals answered that question this week with a graphic posted to X, formerly Twitter.
There are several firsts — since 1955 for three; another hasn’t been done before. They stem from an NCAA rule change last June allowing players to wear numbers that include 6, 7, 8 and/or 9.
For decades, only numbers with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and/or 5 were permitted; because they allow officials to easily signal fouls to the scorer’s table using one hand for each digit on a player’s jersey.
Below, you’ll find a rundown of U of L’s roster in numerical order, noting the most recent player to wear the number and others who have done so over the years.
We’ll get a first look at the Cards when they take the court July 30 and Aug. 1 for exhibition games in the Bahamas.
No. 0, James Scott
Most recent player to wear No. 0: Mike James (2023-24)
Other players who wore No. 0: Devin Ree, Noah Locke, Lamar “Fresh” Kimble, Akoy Agau, VJ King, Damion Lee, Terry Rozier, George Goode, Joshua Tinch, Stuart Miller
What to know: James Scott is one of three Charleston players following Kelsey to Louisville. The 6-foot-11 sophomore forward from Fayetteville, North Carolina, led the Cougars in blocks (45) last season in addition to averaging five points and 3.4 rebounds across 16.1 minutes per game. Kelsey has said he reminds him “of a young Marcus Camby.”
No. 1, J’Vonne Hadley
Most recent player to wear No. 1: Curtis Williams (2023-24)
Other players who wore No. 1: Mike James, Carlik Jones, Keith Oddo, Christen Cunningham, Lance Thomas, Tony Hicks, Anton Gill, Angel Nunez, Terrence Williams, Lorrenzo Wade, Kendall Dartez, Mac Wilkinson
What to know: As a senior at Colorado, in his first Division I season as a full-time starter, J’Vonne Hadley averaged 11.6 points on 53.8% shooting (41.7% from 3), six rebounds and 2.4 assists. Kelsey believes the 6-6 guard, who hails from St. Paul, Minnesota, is “as reliable as any player in this year’s portal class” entering his final year of eligibility.
No. 3, Koren Johnson
Most recent player to wear No. 3: El Ellis (2021-23)
Other players who wore No. 3: Hogan Orbaugh, Jo Griffin, Trey Lewis, Chris Jones, Peyton Siva, Juan Palacios, Bryant Northern, Tony Williams, Brian Kiser, Keith Williams, Corky Cox
What to know: Koren Johnson is the reigning Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year. Across 31 appearances during his sophomore season at Washington, the 6-2 guard from Seattle averaged 11.1 points on 44.1% shooting (37.3% from 3), 2.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Kelsey has given him a nickname, “Scorin’ Koren.”
No. 4, Cole Sherman
Most recent player to wear No. 4: Ty-Laur Johnson (2023-24)
Other players who wore No. 4: Roosevelt Wheeler, Brad Colbert, Grant Williams, Khwan Fore, Quentin Snider, Dillon Avare, Rakeem Buckles, David Padgett, Nouha Diakite, Hajj Turner, Jerry Johnson, Tick Rogers, Derwin Webb, Lancaster Gordon, Roscoe Shackelford, Herb Harrah
What to know: A Louisville native who graduated from St. Xavier High School, Cole Sherman is joining the Cards as a walk-on after spending the first two years of his career at Northern Kentucky. When the 5-11 guard committed, statistician Kelly Dickey reported on X that his pledge prevented the 2024-25 roster from being the first in program history without a player from a Kentucky high school.
No. 5, Terrence Edwards Jr.
Most recent player to wear No. 5: Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (2022-24)
Other players who wore No. 5: Malik Williams, Matz Stockman, Kevin Ware, Chris Smith, Earl Clark, Taqwa Pinero, Brandon Bender, Marques Maybin, Alvin Sims, Mike Case, Jerry Eaves, Jerry Moreman
What to know: Terrence Edwards Jr., the reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, averaged 17.2 points on 42.7% shooting (34.3% from 3) with 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a redshirt junior at James Madison. The 6-6 guard/forward from Atlanta goes by “Fatt.” Why? “I used to be a real fat kid,” he said. “My cousins will never let it go.”
No. 6, Reyne Smith
Most recent player to wear No. 6: Herb Harrah (1954-55)
Other players who wore No. 6: N/A
What to know: Kelsey believes Reyne Smith, the second of his Charleston transfers, is “one of the best shooters in the world at his age.” The 6-2 senior guard from Australia led the Cougars in scoring last season with 12.8 points on 41% shooting and had a career-high 39.4% clip on 284 attempts from beyond the arc. His 112 made 3s would have ranked second in Louisville’s single-season record book.
No. 7, Kasean Pryor
Most recent player to wear No. 7: Dick Keffer (1953-55)
Other players who wore No. 7: N/A
What to know: Across 32 appearances as a senior at South Florida, Kasean Pryor averaged 13 points on 44.7% shooting (35.2% from 3) to go along with a team-best 7.9 rebounds. The 6-10 forward from Chicago notched 12 double-doubles, surpassed 20 points on six occasions and grabbed 10 or more boards in 14 games. Kelsey thinks he can be “a nightmare matchup.”
No. 9, Khani Rooths
Most recent player to wear No. 9: Phil Rollins (1953-55)
Other players who wore No. 9: N/A
What to know: Khani Rooths, the lone freshman on the roster, originally committed to Michigan but reopened his recruitment after head coach Juwan Howard’s ouster. The 6-8 forward from Washington, D.C., honed his craft at prep powerhouse IMG Academy; which went 20-9 and reached the quarterfinal round of the Chipotle Nationals.
No. 11, Kobe Rodgers
Most recent player to wear No. 11: Dennis Evans (2023-24)
Other players who wore No. 11: Fabio Basili, Mason Faulkner, Quinn Slazinski, Jay Henderson, Luke Hancock, Chris Brickley, Brandon Jenkins, Charlie Taylor, James Brewer, Barry Sumpter, Denny Deeken, Denny Doutaz, Tim Mineard, Joe Reuther, Fred Sawyer, John Varoscak, Cliff York
What to know: Kobe Rodgers plans to redshirt this season to rehab a leg injury he sustained during Charleston’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Alabama. The 6-3 guard from Cincinnati averaged 9.7 points on 50% shooting (45% from 3) with 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and a 1.4 assist-turnover ratio across 31 appearances in 2023-24. Prior to joining the Cougars last year, he helped Nova Southeastern of the DII ranks cap an unbeaten season by winning its first national title.
No. 12, Patrick Antonelli
Most recent player to wear No. 12: JJ Traynor (2020-24)
Other players who wore No. 12: Hogan Orbaugh, Jacob Redding, Mangok Mathiang, Zach Price, Reginald Delk, Brad Gianiny, Carlos Hunt, Matt Akridge, Doug Calhoun, Craig Hawley, Kent Jones, Danny Brown, Gordon Minner, Jim Shelton Ron Hawley, Howard Stacey, Jim Morgan
What to know: Patrick Antonelli is using his final season of eligibility to walk on at Louisville. The 5-11 guard from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, is the son of basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli and spent the past four years at Emory & Henry College, a DII program in Virginia.
No. 13, Frank Anselem-Ibe
Most recent player to wear No. 13: Danilo Jovanovich (2023-24)
Other players who wore No. 13: Jarrod West, David Johnson, V.J. King, Ray Spalding, Mark Jackson, Alhaji Mohammed, Quintin Bailey, Hajj Turner, B.J. Flynn, Derwin Webb, Ricky Gallon, Mike Carroll, Richard Shay, Bill Murton, Bud Olsen
What to know: Frank Anselem-Ibe is on his third school in five seasons. The 6-10 center from Nigeria spent the past two years at Georgia and began his career at Syracuse. In total, he’s averaging 2.6 points on 56.6% shooting and three rebounds across 96 appearances at the DI level.
No. 15, Aly Khalifa
Most recent player to wear No. 15: Hercy Miller (2022-24)
Other players who wore No. 15: Drew Schultz, Tyler Sharpe, Trent Gilbert, Tim Henderson, Samardo Samuels, Perrin Johnson, Simeon Naydenov, Travis Best, Micah Layston, Todd Howard, Shannon Fraley, Kevin Walls, Greg Deuser, Wayne Cosby, Bill Butler, Jim Price, Jim Shelton, Bill Windchy, Sam Smith, Jon Stripling, Harley Andrews, Jim Heeren, John Prudhoe
What to know: Aly Khalifa, a 6-11 center from Egypt, plans to redshirt this season to rehab a left knee injury that he said has been bothering him since his freshman year at Charlotte. Across 29 appearances for BYU as a junior, he averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds. His 3.6 assist-turnover ratio was the best in the Big 12 and among all DI centers.
No. 24, Chucky Hepburn
Most recent player to wear No. 24: Jae’Lyn Withers (2020-23)
Other players who wore No. 24: Dwayne Sutton, Montrezl Harrell, Chane Behanan, Russ Smith, Samardo Samuels, Luke Whitehead, Caleb Gervin, Craig Farmer, Troy Smith, Will Olliges, Daryl Cleveland, Stanley Bunton, Larry Loehle, Paul Pry, Gary Holland, Eddie Whitehead, Don Goldstein
What to know: Chucky Hepburn started all 103 games during his three years at Wisconsin. Last season, the 6-2 guard from Omaha, Nebraska, was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive team and averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds. His goals for his final go-around in college: “getting a national championship (and an) ACC championship.”
No. 25, Aboubacar Traore
Most recent player to wear No. 25: Zach Price (2012-13)
Other players who wore No. 25: Wayne Blackshear, Lee Steiden, Jeff McKinley, Jason Osborne, David Robinson, James Jeter, Steve Clark, Bobby Turner, Jeff Wayne, Ron Stallings, Chas Nalevanko, Fred Holden, John Reuther, Jack Ray, Bill Geiling
What to know: In Aboubacar Traore, Kelsey believes U of L has “one of the most productive players in college basketball.” The 6-5 senior forward from Ivory Coast won back-to-back Best Hustle Player awards from the Big West Conference during his final two seasons at Long Beach State; where he ranks third in career rebounds (853) and blocks (114).
No. 33, Aidan McCool
Most recent player to wear No. 33: Matt Cross (2021-22)
Other players who wore No. 33: Jordan Nwora, Mike Marra, Andre McGee, Erik Brown, Dion Edward, Beau Zach Smith, Jason McClendon, Avery Marshall, Charles Jones, Tony Kinnaird, Bill Bunton, Wayne Cosby, Rick MIles, William Hall, Nat Shields, Gordon Minner
What to know: Walk-on guard Aidan McCool, a 6-3 Charleston native, is the lone holdover from the Kenny Payne era. He is keeping alive a streak dating back to 1944-45 of the Cards having at least one returner who scored the previous season.
No. 93, Noah Waterman
Most recent player to wear No. 93: N/A
Other players who wore No. 93: N/A
What to know: Entering his sixth season in the DI ranks, Noah Waterman is the most experienced player on the roster. The 6-11 forward from Savannah, New York, averaged 9.5 points per game on 45.7% shooting (37% from 3) and 5.4 rebounds across 33 starts for BYU in 2023-24. Kelsey said he gives the team “a level of flexibility rare at this level.”
Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.