Crafting Various Lineups for Louisville’s 2026-27 Season

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 2026-27 men’s college basketball season is still several months away from tipping off, Louisville’s roster for their third season under head coach Pat Kelsey is likely set – at least in terms of scholarship players.

While a whopping 11 players have departed the program in some form or fashion this offseason, six players have opted to transfer to the Cardinals, while three more are joining as part of the Class of 2026. They’re also bringing back a pair of players, putting UofL at an 11-man scholarship roster for next season.

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Louisville might have come short of expectations in year two under Kelsey, but the offseason hype is churning yet again. The Cardinals have regularly found themselves getting tabbed as a top-15 team in various offseason top-25 polls, and has typically been viewed as the second-best team in the ACC (behind Duke) and a squad who could make some serious noise next March.

With the amount of impact playmakers that Louisville has, you can create a variety of different lineup that cater to various strengths on the roster. Beginning with our projection of*the*starting five, here are our projections for a few lineups that the Cardinals could employ for the 2026-27 season:

Starting Five

Breakdown: With how talented and relatively versatile Louisville’s roster is, there are a few starting fives that Pat Kelsey could opt to role with when the season opener roles around. That being said, this one seems to make the most sense.

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Regardless of the exact starting lineup, two of the five spots are guaranteed no matter what. Coming by way of Oregon, Shelstad is the best pure fit in regards to Kelsey’s scheme. He’s one of the quickest players in college basketball, and the point guard was a high-level scorer in all three years with the Ducks.

Whether he winds up playing the four or five more, the other penciled-in starting spot goes to Bidunga. He is an elite athlete with a high motor, and brings a crucial interior presence that the…

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Publish date : 2026-06-06 10:00:00

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