Louisville basketball secured another versatile, do-it-all transfer in USF forward Kasean Pryor. What he brings to the table for Pat Kelsey and company.
Two weeks between commits felt like an eternity in the ever-changing transfer portal landscape, but patience paid of for Louisville basketball.
Needing another versatile big man in the fold, head coach Pat Kelsey and staff secured the commitment of South Florida forward Kasean Pryor.
Pryor (first name pronounced KAY-SIN) joins center James Scott and forward Aboubacar Traore in a frontcourt that was desperately needing depth.
The path to Power Five basketball was anything but conventional for Pryor. The super senior spent his first two seasons at Boise State where he appeared in just 13 games. After struggling to find playing time, he made a sensible move, transferring to Northwest Florida State College.
After his lone season in JUCO, Pryor joined Amir Abdur-Rahim at USF. There, he played a major hand in leading the Bulls to their best record in program history.
Pryor started 21 games while putting up, 13.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.7 blocks. He shot 35.2% shooting from three on 3.3 attempts per game.
After his breakout junior season, Pryor received love from a ton of power five schools, but ultimately chose Louisville basketball over Arkansas, St. John’s, and Villanova.
Beating out Rick Pitino and John Calipari for a player’s services is never a bad thing. But Pryor also makes sense for a lot of reasons in Louisville.
Pryor is long, athletic, can handle and pass the ball well above the mean for his size and position, is a solid shooter from beyond the arc.
Additionally, Pryor is an excellent defender and rebounder. He developed a penchant for owning the boards at USF, using his size and length to create extra possessions. He averaged 1.5 offensive rebounds per game for the Bulls.
Pryor was rated as USF’s best defender in 2023-24 and the 3rd-best player overall in the AAC, per EvanMiya.com.
He has a nack for jumping passing lanes and using his length to be able to guard every position on the floor. He collected over a steal per game, and nearly 1 block per game.
Transforming his role
Overall, Pryor blossomed into something completely unexpected in the last season, particularly on the back half of South Florida’s run to an AAC regular season title.
The Bulls began the season 2-4 with Pryor averaging only 18 minutes off the bench. Abdur-Rahim inserted Pryor into the lineup in a crucial game against Florida State, and he chipped in 9 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block.
From there, USF went on to win 22 out of its next 26 games with Pryor as a foundational piece in the lineup.
It’s becoming increasingly apparent that all Pryor needed was a chance to work out the kinks, and it was off to the races for the big man.
While his game is still a bit raw, his overall contributions to one of the better teams in the country a season ago should not go overlooked.
Pryor has quickly developed into a true point forward. He showcases an aptitude for putting the ball on the floor and getting to his spots. He’s comfortable in the mid-range and from the wings. He’s a good to great spot-up shooter. But, perhaps most importantly, he helps those around him by distributing the ball at a high level.
The tape shows Pryor often grabbing loose balls or offensive rebounds and immediately finding the open man. He can attract multiple defenders and create for others with ease.
He demonstrates the ability to take whatever the opponent gives him.
Against Rice in January, the Owls sagged off a bit, forcing Pryor into more of a scoring role. He put up 29 points on 7-for-13 shooting from two-point range.
Pryor became the first player with at least 25 points, 5 assists, and 5 blocks in a Division I game since 2008.
This came a week after Pryor was a priority for Temple defensively. He only attempted 7 shots, instead dishing out 6 assists while grabbing 9 boards and 2 steals.
There are some efficiency issues that Pryor will have to continue working on.
He turned the ball over 53 times in 32 games- a product of a 6’10 wing who went from playing sparingly for 3 years to a starring role in a quality conference.
However, the upside of Pryor is fantastic. He approached a double-double nearly every time out for the Bulls this season, bringing a high energy level, positive spirit, and excellent basketball acumen.
Louisville basketball is getting a weapon that can be utilized all over the floor.
If Kelsey sees Pryor as a 4 out, 1 in big, he should be up for the task.
But if Pryor needs to play with another big man like a Scott or Aly Khalifa, he is more than capable of doing so. He is capable of playing a big guard role and facilitating well for those around him.
This coincides with the identity established with nearly every member of this Louisville basketball roster. Shooting, rebounding, passing, defense- Every player on this Louisville team is capable of being a Swiss army knife.
For Louisville basketball fans, that is a refreshing thing to hear.
