Louisville basketball could have the best backcourt in all of college basketball headed into 2025-26 following the addition of Virginia star Isaac McKneely.
Louisville basketball sharpshooter Reyne Smith drilled an ACC-leading 107 three-point shots in 2024-25.
The second-most threes made by an ACC player this year came from Isaac McKneely.
Now, the Virginia Cavaliers transfer is headed to play for Pat Kelsey and the Cards.
The 6’4, 195-pound senior-to-be joins the fold as an early centerpiece for a retooled Louisville basketball squad in 2025-26.
McKneely earned All-ACC Honorable mention honors after averaging a team-leading 14.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists this season as the No. 1 option for a struggling Virginia squad.
Even as the focal point, he shot 43.9 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from 3-point range, and 81.4 percent from the charity stripe.
Isaac McKneely’s fit with Louisville basketball
Simply put, it’s hard to imagine a better fit for Kelsey’s system than McKneely.
As a two-year ACC starter, McKneely played under 2019 National Champion Tony Bennett and interim coach Ron Sanchez.
He is a tough-nosed three and D type of player with a ridiculous ability to shoot the ball and parking lot range.
If McKneely is “taking over” in Smith’s spot as an off-ball shooter, Louisville is getting an overall upgrade at the position.
He is more than just a specialist- he was easily the Wahoos’ best player this season.
Watch/Listen: Starting Five02 Podcast reacts to Louisville basketball adding Adrian Wooley
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The rising senior has 233 career three-point makes and 133 career two-point baskets. He has shot better than 42 percent from beyond the arc in his college career, and made 20 threes from 25-plus feet this season.
McKneely is also a fantastic creator. He racked up nearly three assists per game this season, and accounted for a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
He possesses excellent size, strength, and requisite speed for a combo guard. He constantly finds defenders on his hip in half court offensive sets and uses his shiftiness well to create just enough space to get his shot off. He has excellent lift on his jump shot and creates a disadvantage for defenders of all sizes by getting enough breathing room and then maintaining that spacing by getting a ton of lift on his shot. McKneely shoots the ball with conviction. He doesn’t have the traditional soft shooter’s touch. He prefers less arc and more of a consistent, flatter, Kawhi Leonard-esque shot.
McKneely stays ready to shoot when off the ball, and he fired off 7.2 three-point attempts per game this season. One would imagine that may increase at Louisville.
Don’t put Isaac McKneely in a box
People are going to peg McKneely as this year’s sharp-shooting specialist, but he is so much more than that.
What McKneely lacks in aptitude in Kelsey and Co.’s system and philosophy, he makes up for in size, athleticism, and overall basketball acumen.
McKneely possesses a quick first step and uses his physicality to get into the lane. He keeps his eyes up and facilitates as a driver and in traffic. He finishes well around the rim and adequately in the midrange.
Coming from Virginia, you know McKneely has the defensive intangibles, but he certainly didn’t get a ton of opportunity to showcase them this season.
Playing a huge portion of the available minutes at guard for Virginia, McKneely’s defensive sample-size in ‘24-‘25 is not one I’d weigh to heavily on. He was rated as the worst defensive starter for UVA via Evan Miyakawa.
Given Kelsey’s typical methodology of limiting starters to 30 minutes or less, one would expect McKneelys defensive intensity to take a step forward once again in 2025-26.
Also read: Breaking down newest transfer commit Ryan Conwell
How does McKneely impact things for Louisville basketball?
As for the pieces around McKneely?
It’s incredibly enticing to think about Mikel Brown Jr., Ryan Conwell, and Adrian Wooley’s fit with McKneely on the floor (don’t forget about Kobe Rodgers either). Brown is a low turnover guy with elite handles and court vision. He should be able to play well off McKneely and Louisville’s big men in pick and roll situations. McKneely also is big enough to be able to guard bigger two’s and even three’s so you can see lineups with him, Brown, Wooley, or Conwell on the floor together in a three guard lineup.
A situation where Louisville basketball has Brown or Wooley driving and either dishing to a James Scott or Aly Khalifa, or distributing to McKneely- who hit more than half of his corner and wing three attempts this season- seems incredibly appetizing. Add in the attention to Conwell, another 3-point sniper, and you’re talking about a potential devastating mix.
PK reeled in his third big fish of the season, and this one is going to be an elite building block for a legitimate ACC title contender.
LETS GO!!!