In the heated rivalry between Kentucky and Louisville, coaches often engage in a bit of hyperbole to fire up their fanbase. But the latest claim from Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey goes beyond hyperbole and ventures squarely into the realm of delusion.
Amidst social media reports of a recruiting spat with Mark Pope, Kelsey declared Louisville basketball to be "Point Guard U."
"Mikel picked Point Guard U," Kelsey said, referring to his new five-star point guard. "In my opinion... I think in the modern basketball era, Louisville is Point Guard U."
Let's be perfectly clear: that is an absurd statement. It's the basketball equivalent of Mark Stoops calling Kentucky "Quarterback U." It's a claim completely untethered from reality.
The evidence (or lack thereof)
First, let's look at Pat Kelsey's personal track record. As a head coach, he has never coached a single player who has gone on to play in the NBA. That is a rather important prerequisite for claiming your school is the best at producing pros at any position.
Second, let's examine the "modern era" lineage at Louisville he's so proud of. His starting point guard last season was Chucky Hepburn, a solid player who averaged 5.8 assists. The year before that, Mike James/Skyy Clark, and the year before that, El Ellis led the team. While Louisville has had some fine point guards in its modern history, like Peyton Siva and Russ Smith who won a title over a decade ago, the idea that they are the premier destination for elite point guards in the modern era is beyond laughable.
A rivalry rekindled
We aren't here to declare Kentucky "Point Guard U" either, although the list of Calipari-era point guards (John Wall, Brandon Knight, Tyrese Maxey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, etc.) makes for a much stronger case. Mark Pope will see what he has in Jaland Lowe this season after Lamont Butler had a career year last year.
This is simply about pointing out the obvious. Pat Kelsey is trying to manufacture a reputation that his program has not earned. It's a bold claim designed to make headlines, but it's a statement built on fiction, not fact and is delusional.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer.You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion