ACC Basketball: 2024 offseason grades for all 18 programs

Louisville Cardinals - Grade: A

Let’s be honest. The Cardinals guaranteed themselves a high grade when they made the coaching change, getting away from the doomed Kenny Payne era. He was replaced with Pat Kelsey, one of the better mid-major coaches from the past few years at College of Charleston and known for his more energetic personality. 

Coach Kelsey did a nice job at rebuilding the entire roster, adding 12 transfers and former Michigan commit and top-50 forward prospect, Khani Rooths. Even with BYU transfer forward Aly Khalifa set to sit out next season, there’s plenty of depth and versatility throughout the roster.

Louisville has a proven power conference point guard (Chucky Hepburn) to lead the offense, joined by sharpshooters, Reyne Smith and J’Vonne Hadley. The big pickup for the team was Terrence Edwards Jr., the star at James Madison and earned Sun Belt Player of the Year honors. Even the frontcourt transfers (Kasean Pryor and Noah Waterman) provides needed spacing at the forward positions.

It’s not a guarantee that this roster will work out in year one and there will be some growing pains for Coach Kelsey in the ACC. But for the first time in a few years, there’s finally some real hope with the program going forward.