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The biggest "What if?" for Louisville basketball in 2024-25 was: What if Pat Kelsey had a healthy Kasean Pryor for the entire season?
The 6-foot-10 forward wants to find out.
Pryor on Tuesday announced he's running it back with the Cardinals in 2025-26 after a knee injury cut short his fifth go-around in the collegiate ranks.
Coming off a breakout senior campaign at South Florida, during which he averaged 13 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per appearance, Pryor was due for a big role in Year 1 of the Kelsey era. He lived up to the hype when he went for a game-high 18 points and 12 rebounds during Louisville's season-opening win over Morehead State.
Pryor came off the bench during the Cards' first four games but wasn't deterred; saying, "I trust my coaches. I came here because I trust (Kelsey) and the rest of the staff with my career." He earned his first start in Round 1 of the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas and entered the tournament's championship game against Oklahoma averaging 13 points and 6.8 rebounds for the season.
Less than a minute into the second half, however, Pryor was clipped by senior point guard Chucky Hepburn on the defensive end and fell to the court in pain. He did not return to what ended in a loss to the Sooners; and, three days later, U of L announced he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and would miss the remainder of the season.
[IMG alt="Louisville’s Kasean Pryor dribbles against Tennessee’s Jahmai Mashack on Saturday at KFC Yum Center.
Nov. 9, 2024"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-courier-journal/f29db35140dd4ebb97eab3824cc848da[/IMG]
"Kasean's going to continue to make an impact on this team, even though he's not (going to be) on the floor," Kelsey said at the time. "His locker room presence, his energy, his personality are infectious. He's a terrific leader on our team, so we expect him to contribute in that regard moving forward."
Pryor's final averages for the season: 12 points on 36.8% shooting (5 for 33 from 3) with 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks across 23 minutes per appearance (seven games, three starts).
Meeting with reporters April 11, before speaking at a Kentucky Derby Festival luncheon, Kelsey was optimistic about the possibility of Pryor returning for Year 2 of his tenure.
"He's on our stinkin' roster," the coach said. "Kasean's my guy; he's like a son to me. I love him, but it's just this new world; you have to get things straightened out from a business standpoint. ... I sure as heck hope it works out."
This story will be updated.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball: Kasean Pryor back for Cards' 2025-26 season
Continue reading...
The 6-foot-10 forward wants to find out.
Pryor on Tuesday announced he's running it back with the Cardinals in 2025-26 after a knee injury cut short his fifth go-around in the collegiate ranks.
Coming off a breakout senior campaign at South Florida, during which he averaged 13 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per appearance, Pryor was due for a big role in Year 1 of the Kelsey era. He lived up to the hype when he went for a game-high 18 points and 12 rebounds during Louisville's season-opening win over Morehead State.
Pryor came off the bench during the Cards' first four games but wasn't deterred; saying, "I trust my coaches. I came here because I trust (Kelsey) and the rest of the staff with my career." He earned his first start in Round 1 of the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas and entered the tournament's championship game against Oklahoma averaging 13 points and 6.8 rebounds for the season.
Less than a minute into the second half, however, Pryor was clipped by senior point guard Chucky Hepburn on the defensive end and fell to the court in pain. He did not return to what ended in a loss to the Sooners; and, three days later, U of L announced he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and would miss the remainder of the season.
[IMG alt="Louisville’s Kasean Pryor dribbles against Tennessee’s Jahmai Mashack on Saturday at KFC Yum Center.
Nov. 9, 2024"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-courier-journal/f29db35140dd4ebb97eab3824cc848da[/IMG]
"Kasean's going to continue to make an impact on this team, even though he's not (going to be) on the floor," Kelsey said at the time. "His locker room presence, his energy, his personality are infectious. He's a terrific leader on our team, so we expect him to contribute in that regard moving forward."
Pryor's final averages for the season: 12 points on 36.8% shooting (5 for 33 from 3) with 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks across 23 minutes per appearance (seven games, three starts).
Meeting with reporters April 11, before speaking at a Kentucky Derby Festival luncheon, Kelsey was optimistic about the possibility of Pryor returning for Year 2 of his tenure.
"He's on our stinkin' roster," the coach said. "Kasean's my guy; he's like a son to me. I love him, but it's just this new world; you have to get things straightened out from a business standpoint. ... I sure as heck hope it works out."
This story will be updated.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball: Kasean Pryor back for Cards' 2025-26 season
Continue reading...
