Pat Kelsey reflects on how he has turned Louisville around so quickly

The first season of the Pat Kelsey era at Louisville helped bring the Cardinals back into the national spotlight, as it won 27 games for the first time since the 2014-15 season and clinched a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.

Following a loss to Tennessee in its second game of the season, Louisville went on to win 25 of its next 31 games until it lost to Duke in the ACC Championship Game and dropped its NCAA Tournament Round of 64 matchup to Creighton. This included downing West Virginia and No. 14 Indiana in the Battle 4 Atlantic and winning 18 of its 20 games in ACC play.

Kelsey joined “Inside College Basketball Now” with CBS Sports‘ Jon Rothstein this week. There, he discussed how he turned around the program so quickly. Prior to Kelsey’s arrival, Louisville was just 38-78 in the previous four seasons.

“In today’s day and age you kind of have to,” Kelsey said. “It used to be where you can take over a job and you’d have a couple of years (some runway in front of you). But, in today’s day and age with the transfer portal, people complain about it so much but it giveth and it taketh away a little bit. We all lose guys to the transfer portal from time to time but you’re able to restock and reload your roster.”

“I mean, we had zero players on our roster a week after the press conference last year and we were able to put together a championship-caliber team. I think that’s kind of the new thing. It was great to see in the city the renewed energy because this is one of the best college sports cities, if not THE best college sports city in America.”

Kelsey reveals he would welcome Rick Pitino back to Louisville

Prior to Kelsey’s arrival last season, the program had not been relevant since Rick Pitino was fired from the program in October 2017. Pitino, who is now at St. John’s, brought the Cardinals a National Championship in 2013 (which has since been vacated) and led the program to a 293-140 record.

During the interview with Rothstein, Kelsey revealed that he would wholeheartedly welcome the Hall of Fame coach back to Louisville any time.

“I don’t have to welcome the great Rick Pitino back; this is his town,” Kelsey said. “He can come back any time he wants and we would love to have him back. I think on most college basketball Mount Rushmores, Coach Pitino has always been up there. Since he’s come back, he had great success at Iona and then he goes to St. John’s and he’s turned them into one of the best programs in college basketball again so quickly.”

“If there was any question from any college basketball fan whether he’s on the Mount Rushmore or not, it’s done. He might be the best in the history of college basketball. Sometimes I think about it, like I’m sitting in this office and have the same office as the great Rick Pitino. It’s humbling and to get him back here at some point would be one of the coolest things I think in the history of Louisville basketball.”