Virginia Sharpshooting Transfer Commits to Louisville

Cardinal fans may be unhappy with how the season ended, but they can’t be unhappy with how the transfer portal has gone. Louisville received commitments from Adrian Wooley on Monday and Ryan Conwell on Tuesday. Louisville received even more good news on Thursday, as Isaac McKNeely committed to play for the Cardinals. The Virginia sharpshooter was a top 10 transfer target in the offseason, receiving interest from major programs like North Carolina. Louisville, however, remained the most active and successful transfer portal program in 2025. So, what does McKneely add to an already elite backcourt? Is Louisville becoming an ACC favorite?

Virginia Sharpshooting Transfer Commits to Louisville

All About McKneely

McKneely has been a solid player for Virginia, but unsurprisingly entered the transfer portal after Tony Bennett retired and Ron Sanchez was let go. With the program handed over to Ryan Odom, McKneely opted for a more established program to finish his college career. Last season for Virginia, McKneely averaged 14.4 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game. Virginia struggled as a whole, but he was one of the few bright spots for the Cavaliers.

With Isaac McKneely’s commitment, Louisville gained arguably the best sharpshooter in the country. McKneely shot 42.1% from three, making 101 total threes. He slightly regressed this season, having shot 44.5% during his sophomore campaign. McKneely brings a three-and-D mentality from Virginia and will likely be a huge boost to the Cardinals on both ends of the floor.

The Perfect Compliment

Wooley and Conwell are both elite scorers and playmakers. They can attack the rim and find open shooters or score all the points themselves. With McKneely on the outside, they will be as dangerous as ever. McKneely cannot be left alone on the weak side. If players can’t crash down on the drive, Wooley and Conwell will have their way in the paint. If they commit to stopping the drive, McKneely will punish every opponent with every open look he gets. That doesn’t even factor in the mismatches Louisville can create with Wooley and Conwell’s three-point abilities. McKneely rarely found space and shot 42.1% from three. If the other guards can draw defenders, he could conceivably finish the season up near 50% from three.

Is Louisville the ACC Favorite with Isaac McKneely?

Duke will still be a problem for the Cardinals, but this roster is being masterfully built from the ground up. Each of the three commitments for the Cardinals so far balances the others out perfectly. Pat Kelsey brought Louisville back from the deepest trenches of college basketball purgatory. The Cardinals aren’t going anywhere. They may not have a huge roster at this point, but the way Kelsey has recruited in the portal so far, they won’t have any problem filling out an elite roster.

The only thing Louisville needs is an elite center or stretch-four. Most of their scoring came from the backcourt this season, led by seniors Terrence Edwards Jr., Chucky Hepburn, and Reyne Smith. Kelsey has put together a set of transfers to replace each of those three. However, Creighton exposed their lack of size in the NCAA Tournament. Isaac McKneely is a great addition for Virginia, but their next step needs to be acquiring some elite size. With an elite big man, Louisville could take over Duke for the best team in the ACC.