Basketball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A bigger pay day is coming Pat Kelsey’s way.
On Thursday, the Board of Directors for the University of Louisville Athletics Association officially approved a $1 million raise in the yearly salary for the Louisville men’s basketball head coach.
Kelsey now makes $3.3 million per year through the end of the 2029-30 season.
Additionally, Kelsey also earned more performance-bases incentives for the NCAA Tournament. On top of his incentives already baked into his contract, he will also earn $100,000 for making the Sweet Sixteen a third time and beyond, $250,000 for getting to the Final Four a third time and beyond, and $400,000 for winning the national championship a third time and beyond. The increases are non-cumulative and are based on highest threshold met.
The 49-year old Kelsey originally signed a five-year, $2.36 million deal to take over the Cardinals following the ouster of former head coach Kenny Payne in March of 2024. He later earned an automatic one-year extension for guiding UofL to the NCAA Tournament within the first three years of his deal, and is currently under contract through the end of the 2029-30 season.
Coming over after three years as the head coach at Charleston following Louisville’s dismissal of Payne, Kelsey inherited a Cardinals program that was at the lowest point in its 110-year history. In two years under Payne, UofL went just 12-52 and 5-35 in ACC play. Additionally, every scholarship player from last year’s team either graduated or entered the portal.
Kelsey and his staff immediately got to work following his hiring. In just under two months, he and his staff completely flipped the roster, bringing in 12 transfers and one true freshman. The portal class ranked as the No. 1 class in college basketball, per On3.
Year one under Kelsey had a bit of a rocky start. Not only did Louisville begin the season at only 6-5, starting forward Kasean Pryor (knee) and reserve guard Koren Johnson (shoulder) both suffered season-ending injuries.
However, the Cardinals exploded after that slow start. They won 21 of their final 24 games, finishing the season at 27-8 overall and 18-2 in ACC play. Louisville was the runner-up to Duke in both the ACC regular season standings and ACC Tournament title game, resulting in Kelsey winning ACC Coach of the Year.
Louisville also punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament, making their first appearance in the Big Dance since 2019. However, it was a one-and-done showing, losing their first round matchup vs. Creighton, 89-75.
So far this offseason, Kelsey and his staff have been loading up in preparation for year two. Kennesaw State guard Adrian Wooley, Xavier guard Ryan Conwell and Virginia guard Isaac McKneely have all transferred in, while five-star Mikel Brown Jr. and four-star big man Sananda Fru are both coming in as part of their 2025 recruiting class.
Add in the fact that starting guard J’Vonne Hadley is coming back for one more year, and Louisville has appeared in the top-10 of multiple “way-to-early” preseason polls.
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(Photo of Pat Kelsey: Jamie Rhodes – Imagn Images)
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