Expectations build in Louisville after Year 1 success under Kelsey

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Louisville guard J'Vonne Hadley remembers walking into a grocery store near campus last fall and some Cardinals fans politely encouraging him to go win some games.

This year they clearly want more.

“This year, you see people and they're like ‘Hang a banner!,’” Hadley said with a laugh.

Expectations are clearly on the rise in Louisville, and deservedly so.

A year ago, the Cardinals hired Pat Kelsey to resurrect a program that had gone 12-52 overall and 5-35 in Atlantic Coast Conference play in two seasons under his predecessor, Kenny Payne. One of basketball's most storied programs, it felt like, had hit rock bottom.

Kelsey responded by leading the Cardinals from out of the ACC cellar to a 27-8 record and a berth in the conference tournament championship game, where they lost to a star-studded Duke team loaded with Cooper Flagg and other top NBA talent. Despite a first-round loss to Creighton in the NCAA Tournament, it was hard to declare Louisville's season anything other than an enormous success given where the team started.

This year, despite Hadley being the only returning starter, the Cardinals appear poised to compete with Duke for the ACC title backed by top recruit Mikel Brown Jr. and a lock to begin the season ranked in The Associated Press Top 25.

It's what the ACC wanted, and now has.

“I heard it in spring meetings when I first got the job: Every coach in the room was like ‘The ACC needs Louisville to be good.’ And I’m sitting over there in my chair going ... ," Kelsey said as he paused and pretended to slink down in his chair under the overwhelming weight of the task.

But Kelsey was aware of what he was getting into at Louisville. He knows the tradition.

Duke coach John Scheyer said he wasn’t surprised that Louisville was able to bounce back so quickly under Kelsey.

“The ability to develop a strong identity right away is really impressive, but in today’s day and age you’re basically starting from scratch almost every year anyway,” Scheyer said. “So I think it allows you to rebuild quickly as long as there’s an investment there. And then obviously you have to be a good coach and be a good recruiter and all those things, but no it doesn’t surprise me."

Kelsey attributes the turnaround to his team's grounded approach.

He said the focus of his players a year ago was to put blinders on and block out the outside noise, focusing only on the task at hand, which was the next practice or game. Even as Louisville struggled with injuries — at times relying on just seven players during games — it surged toward the top of the ACC standings.

“We’re just worried about getting better and, you know, the results take care of themselves,” Kelsey said.

On paper, the Cardinals look plenty talented despite losing starters Terrence Edwards Jr., Chucky Hepburn,. Reyne Smith and James Scott.

But Kelsey is hesitant to compare this year's squad to last season's.

“It's Forrest Gump,” Kelsey said, referring the popular movie that starred Tom Hanks. “Like a box of chocolates, right? Every single team you coach is different. I don’t want to play that comparison game.”

And besides, Kelsey doesn't want to take anything away from what he calls his “revival team” from a year ago, one that he said he will fondly remember for its heart and character and the adversity it overcame.

“This team, this one’s the new box of chocolates," Kelsey said. "It is extremely talented, lots of veterans, tons of experience, lineup versatility. The makeup of the character of the guys I think is what gives me the most confidence that we’ll be able to do something really great with this team.”

Hadley sees things a little differently.

Maybe it's all that time talking to folks at the grocery store.

“National champions,” Haldey said when asked of the team's ceiling. “People talk about it, but we don’t really talk about it. I’m surprised I just said that. But right now we’re worried about the next thing — we’re worried about tomorrow’s practice.”

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