Amid Jamir Watkins transfer rumors, Louisville HC Pat Kelsey makes feelings known on roster additions for upcoming season

Louisville coach Pat Kelsey expressed excitement over his offseason roster acquisitions, as the Cardinals hope to improve on last season's finish.

Kelsey and his coaching staff went on hunting mode and acquired Adrian Wooley (Kennesaw State), Ryan Conwell (Xavier), and Isaac McKneely (Virginia) from the transfer portal.

They also secured the commitments of German big man Sananda Fru and five-star point guard Mikel Brown Jr. They're expected to team up with returnees Kobe Rodgers, Kasean Pryor, J'Vonne Hadley, and Kani Rooths for the 2025-26 college basketball season.

"I think the makeup of our frontcourt is as good as any in the country," Kelsey said. "And we’re continuing to add a couple pieces that you may hear about here relatively soon."

One of the prospects they're looking at is Florida State transfer Jamir Watkins. The 6-foot-7 Watkins played four seasons with the VCU Rams and the Seminoles.

He averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game and shot 42.7% from the field and 74.7% from the free-throw line last season.

The guard-forward took part in the NBA draft combine in Chicago, and experts felt he needed to return for a fifth season in college. Aside from Louisville, Watkins is being pursued by Kentucky, Illinois, and North Carolina.

Louisville turned it around under Kelsey, placing second in the ACC regular season and tournament behind Duke. The Cardinals failed to sustain their momentum in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Creighton in the first round.

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Louisville to begin six-year series with Memphis on December 13

Louisville and Memphis begin their home-and-away series on December 13 at the KFC Yum! Center.

The series will be held over six seasons, with the Tigers hosting the next game at the FedEx Forum during the 2026-27 season. The schedules for the remaining four games are still being finalized.

Louisville leads the all-time series 54-36, with the Cardinals winning 31 of their 43 games at home. Louisville won its last meeting 81-72 on Dec. 16, 2017, in Brooklyn, New York.

Memphis won two games in the 2013-14 season when Louisville transferred to the American Athletic Conference. Previously, the Cardinals and the Tigers were grouped in the Missouri Valley Conference, Metro Conference, Conference USA, and the American.

It was in 2014 when Louisville transferred to the ACC while Memphis remained in the AAC.

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Will Louisville improve on its first-round finish in the 2025 NCAA Tournament? Let us know your insights in the comments section.