Identifying Potential Louisville Front Court Targets

The Cardinals are in need of some big men for their 2024-25 roster.

Louisville basketball / Jared Anderson - Louisville Report

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In the month-plus since Pat Kelsey was hired as the head coach of the Louisville men's basketball program, he and his staff have killed it in the transfer portal.

Since his hiring on Mar. 28, the Cardinals have landed nine commitments via the portal. Three of these commitments - Terrence Edwards Jr., Chucky Hepburn and J'Vonne Hadley - rank in the top 100 of players to enter the portal according to The Athletic. Put it all together, and it's the No. 2 portal class in college basketball according to EvanMiya, second only to St. John's.

But if there is an area where Louisville needs to improve, it's the front court. The Cardinals have just landed two big men for next season - James Scott and Aly Khalifa - and Khalifa will be redshirting to rehab a knee injury. Aboubacar Traore can play the four, but he is 6-foot-5. No matter how you slice it, Louisville needs more big men.

So, who are some front court targets that Louisville is currently involved with? Who are others that they could insert themselves into the mix for? Below is a list of some of the top uncommitted big men in the cycle, sorted into groups:

Main Targets

Great Osobor

Measurables: 6-foot-8, 250 pounds
Previous School: Utah State
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 14th
2023-24 Stats (35 games, 35 starts): 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 blocks, 57.7 field goal percentage.

Note: Osobor is Louisville's top current portal target, front court or not. He took a visit back on May 1-3, recently visited Texas Tech on May 4-6, and wraps up his visit to Washington on May 9. Osobor's old head coach at Utah State, Danny Sprinkle, recently took over the Huskies, so it's likely a battle between UofL and UW.

Kasean Pryor

Measurables: 6-foot-10, 210 pounds
Previous School: South Florida
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 72nd
2023-24 Stats (32 games, 21 starts): 13.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 44.7 field goal percentage, 35.2 three-point percentage

Note: Louisville was one of several program that inserted themselves into the mix for Pryor when he entered the portal. While there haven't been many developments since, Pryor would be a great system fit with the Cardinals.

Khani Rooths

Measurables: 6-foot-10, 210 pounds
Previous School: South Florida
247Sports Composite Ranking: 33rd

Note: Rooths was previously committed to Michigan but did not sign, and after the Wolverines fired Juwan Howard, he re-opened his recruitment. He's the highest-ranked available Class of 2024 prospect, and is scheduled to visit Louisville this weekend.

Ugonna Onyenso

Measurables: 7-foot-0, 247 pounds
Previous School: Kentucky
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 120th
2023-24 Stats (24 games, 14 starts): 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 0.2 assists, 55.0 field goal percentage

Note: Onyenso is currently going through the NBA Draft process after one season at Kentucky, and was recently invited to the NBA Draft Combine. While Alabama leads, Clifford Omoruyi's commitment to the Crimson Tide makes things interesting here, and Louisville could get back in the mix if Onyenso ultimately spurns the NBA.

Coleman Hawkins

Measurables: 6-foot-10, 230 pounds
Previous School: Illinois
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 17th
2023-24 Stats (35 games, 35 starts): 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.1 blocks, 45.1 field goal percentage, 36.9 three-point percentage

Note: Like Onyenso, Hawkins is dead set on focusing on the NBA, and only entered the portal as a contingency plan. However, Louisville and a few other schools are reportedly in the mix to land him if he ultimately decides to come back to college.

Achor Achor

Measurables: 6-foot-9, 227 pounds
Previous School: Samford
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 32nd
2023-24 Stats (33 games, 33 starts): 16.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.8 blocks, 58.6 field goal percentage, 43.5 three-point percentage

Note: Auburn is in line to host Achor this weekend for his first visit since entering the portal. That being said, Louisville is also one of several schools that are reportedly involved in this recruitment.

Langdon Hatton

Measurables: 6-foot-10, 240 pounds
Previous School: Bellarmine
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 265th
2023-24 Stats (31 games, 31 starts): 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 48.0 field goal percentage, 33.3 three-point percentage

Note: Being from Bellarmine, Hatton is already very familiar with the city of Louisville and area as a whole. However, Indiana seems to be in the driver's seat here.

Other Potential Options

JT Toppin

Measurables: 6-foot-9, 210 pounds
Previous School: New Mexico
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 25th
2023-24 Stats (36 games, 35 starts): 12.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 62.3 field goal percentage, 34.4 three-point percentage

Note: As big as landing Toppin would be, not getting him could actually help Louisville. Texas, Kansas State, Alabama and... Texas Tech are the main schools in the mix for Toppin, and TTU's pursuit of him could eliminate them from landing Osobor.

Ven-Allen Lubin

Measurables: 6-foot-8, 226 pounds
Previous School: Vanderbilt
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 84th
2023-24 Stats (26 games, 26 starts): 12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 50.0 field goal percentage, 33.3 three-point percentage

Note: Lubin was one of the last entries into the portal to be reported after it closed on May 1. UNC is generating early interest here, and it wouldn't be surprising to see others get involved.

Dillon Mitchell

Measurables: 6-foot-8, 205 pounds
Previous School: Texas
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 42nd
2023-24 Stats (34 games, 33 starts): 9.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 58.5 field goal percentage, 0.0 three-point percentage

Note: While Mitchell would be a good addition, it might be too late to get in the mix here. He went on a visit to Miami last week, and has a visit to Cincinnati lined up this weekend.

Trevon Brazile

Measurables: 6-foot-10, 220 pounds
Previous School: Arkansas
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 53rd
2023-24 Stats (26 games, 23 starts): 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 48.8 field goal percentage, 35.3 three-point percentage.

Note: Unless there are some behind the scenes conversations we don't know about, Brazile seems dead set on the NBA. He didn't enter the portal until the very last day of the window, and hasn't been publicly linked to any team.

Baba Miller

Measurables: 6-foot-11, 204 pounds
Previous School: Florida State
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 185th
2023-24 Stats (33 games, 32 starts): 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 44.9 field goal percentage, 29.3 three-point percentage

Note: Miller is also someone that is testing thr NBA Draft waters, but it's very likely that he returns to college.

Moussa Cisse

Measurables: 6-foot-10, 220 pounds
Previous School: Ole Miss
On3 Industry Portal Ranking: 210th
2023-24 Stats (26 games, 17 starts): 4.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 55.8 field goal percentage, 0.0 three-point percentage

Note: He could be someone that Louisville gets involved with if they strike out on other options.

(Photo via Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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