Breaking News: Mike James terminates contract with Louisville Cardinals men basketball after a background argument with Pat Kelsey concerning….
Pat Kelsey has been on the job for two weeks as the University of Louisville basketball coach.
He’s been focused on the now – trying to hire a staff and is scouring the transfer portal trying to put together a roster for next season. But now Kelsey and his staff are also starting to look ahead to the future recruiting efforts of the program as well.
Utah Prep 2025 point guard JJ Mandaquit confirmed on Thursday night via social media that he has landed a scholarship offer from Louisville. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound four-star prospect is the first public offer for a prospect in the high school ranks by Kelsey.
Mandaquit is a native of Honolulu, Hawaii, who has a bunch of USA Basketball experience and was solid in his season at Utah Prep in Herriman, Utah. He is ranked as the No. 54 player overall by 247Sports in the ’25 class and checks in at No. 49 in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Last summer, Mandaquit helped Team USA to the gold medal in the FIBA Americas U16 Championship. He was also a member of the USA Men’s U16 national team.
Louisville is the ninth offer on the board for Mandaquit, including Tennessee, Washington State, Hawaii, Utah, Utah State, San Diego State, and Santa Clara. He has had interest from Arizona, LSU, and UCLA among others.
247Sports national analyst Travis Branham called Mandaquit one of the biggest stock-risers during the early part of the high school season in the ’25 class.
“There haven’t been many major developments in the 2025 class that I have seen thus far but one guy I think will get a bump while more notably seeing a big uptick in his recruitment is JJ Mandaquit. We already have him roughly Top 50 but the recruitment hasn’t lived up to it but it is starting to after how he played at USA Basketball and the Border League. He’s proven himself to be one of the best floor generals in the class while also being a threat as a scorer, particularly in ball screens. The upside isn’t too exciting with Mandaquit, but he continues to prove how reliable and trustworthy he is on the ball to be a four-year player at the high major level.”
Awaiting the NFL Draft, Jamari Thrash providing insight to Louisville’s wide receivers
Jamari Thrash had 63 catches for 858 yards and six touchdowns for the Cardinals in 2023
Michael McCammon
MICHAEL MCCAMMON
Apr 12th, 1:01 AM
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The work at wide receiver during Louisville’s spring practice is more focused on promoting competition and development rather than figuring out how the depth chart and rotations for the season that awaits this fall.
UofL wide receivers coach Garrick McGee described the four weeks of spring practice as a time to get better.
“We just want to get one day better,” McGee said. “It’s how our program is set up. Just want to get a little bit better today and try to win the day. That’s it. And that’s all we want to see it. We want to see them take every practice serious.”
Getting better comes from consistent on-field practice along with a focus to detail in the team meeting room. McGee has directed the group through positional drills, one-on-one competitions, and game-like situations since spring work began March 19.
McGee has bolstered the off field learning by welcoming former UofL wide receiver Jamari Thrash into the position group’s meetings to share insight and knowledge. Prepping for the upcoming NFL Draft, Thrash has shared his experience from the Senior Bowl, NFL Combine, pro day and more with the team’s current collection of receivers.
“Thrash is in the meeting room a lot nowadays,” McGee said, adding that “when he first got back from the combine, he was able to come in there and tell them what it’s like to be at the combine and the questions that he gets asked.”
Jamari Thrash (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Thrash, who spent four seasons at Georgia State prior to transferring to Louisville, became a real-life example in the value of following the instructions from Jeff Brohm and his staff.
“He was able to say that, ‘you know, some of those questions, man, I really did learn in this room,'” McGee continued. “That the way this offense is set up, the certain formations that we run are the same exact terms that these NFL guys were looking for and he was able to say that to the group.
“When they were asking him questions about coverage, he was able to say the way they’re teaching it here is exactly what they were wanting me to say at the combine. So just really good, just good kid and he’s good to be around.”
In his one season at Louisville, Trash had a career high with 63 receptions. He totaled 858 yards and six touchdowns. During his five-year college career, Thrash finished with 2,610 yards and 18 touchdowns on 167 receptions.
Louisville has produced many NFL wide receivers, including Deion Branch, Mark Clayton, Harry Douglas, and Ernest Givins, plus active players Tutu Atwell, Dez Fitzpatrick and DeVante Parker.
Many NFL mock drafts project Thrash as a fourth-round pick. The NFL Draft will be held April 25-27 in Detroit, Michigan.
