There are many good stories in the NCAA tournament. None is more surprising than the University of Louisville. A program that had won 12 games over the past two seasons and was picked to finish ninth in the Atlantic Coast Conference has returned to March Madness for the first time since 2019. No.8-seed Louisville (27-7) will take on No.9 Creighton (24-10) Thursday afternoon at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
To help us understand how first-year coach Pat Kelsey revived the program with help from the transfer portal, we recently caught up with Bob Valvano. Along with his work with ESPN, Valvano is an analyst for the Cardinal Sports Network. We asked him about the Cardinals’ turnaround and their matchup with Creighton.
Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Awful Announcing: Could even the most optimistic Louisville fan have dreamed of this?
Bob Valvano: “That’s a bad question because fans can be borderline delusional. I don’t mean to be cruel, but (some) people were saying ‘I think this team is going to go to the second weekend. I was like, ‘That’s asking a lot. … I think that most fans are thrilled with how the year’s gone, for a lot of reasons. Not only did the win totals. It’s one of the most improved teams in college basketball history. (With) the way they play, they just bring a joy to the game.”
How has Pat Kelsey done it?
“Pat Kelsey and his staff have been together a long time, so they are all on the same page. They did an incredible job of vetting these players. They called their high school principals and their high school coaches and professors. They wanted to know who these kids were, and they did a good job of finding kids of the same mindset that they were confident would buy into what they were selling, and they did. They’re unselfish. They like each other. They like to pass the ball. They’re willing defenders. They play very hard, and for that reason, the fans not only love the results, but they love the way they play.”
Could anyone have done a better job considering Kelsey was not the first choice?
“They tried at some guys, and it looked like they might get Dusty May, and God knows, look what he’s done. So, he was great. Looked like they were maybe going to go after Josh Schertz, and he did a good job at Saint Louis. They’re in the NIT. I don’t think anybody walking the planet could have done better than Kelsey, not only in the number of games they’ve won, but, as I said, in the kinds of kids he has brought in here. Not only did you have to try and win here, you had to win the trust and affection of the fans back because they were soured by what went on here the last couple of years. He did that because this is an easy group to like. They’re very approachable. They’re great with the community.”
How optimistic was Kelsey coming into the season?
“He’s coached a lot of winning teams, so I think he was confident they would be a good team. I’m not sure how good. He is a guy who lives in the moment. You talk about the cliché, taking them one game at a time. He lives it, so I think he thought they would be good. I’m not sure he spent a lot of time worrying about how good. They were going to try and get better every day and let the wins come as they did.”
Three-point shooter Reyne Smith (ankle) is returning after missing two weeks. How important is he?
“He was at the ACC tournament. He came out for warm-ups, and he tried it a little bit, and then he went right back to the locker room, but he didn’t have a boot on. He wasn’t walking with a pronounced limp, so I felt if that was the last game of the year, he probably would have tried it, but knowing the NCAA tournament was coming up, I think they thought it was wiser to sit him out. They’re a much better team when he plays. Not only are they short on bodies, and it gives them at least another guy in a rotation, but he has such range that it stretches the defense. It opens things up for the guys who are their primary drivers, Terrence Edwards Jr., Chucky Hepburn, and J’Vonne Hadley.”
How hurt is this Louisville team?
‘They’ve never had the whole roster together, going back to Koren Johnson. Kasean Pryor got hurt. Reyne Smith is hurt. Aboubacar Traore got hurt. He finally came back, and then Noah Waterman had surgery on his hand. They’ve hardly ever had anybody completely healthy all year. James Scott gets his face busted. It’s just unbelievable. They just continually have had injury after injury.”
James Scott Special: ACC Tournament Edition
— ACC Men’s Basketball (@accmbb) March 13, 2025
🔨 @LouisvilleMBB pic.twitter.com/crp63Z7ILG
How does Louisville match up against Creighton?
“It’s going to be tough. I certainly don’t think that they can’t win. Creighton, they don’t foul you. Louisville, they outscore their opponents by like five points a game from the free-throw line. They’re going to have a hard time drawing Creighton into fouls. I did a game earlier in the year at UConn. UConn shot five free throws the whole game. They also have a great shot blocker in Ryan Kalkbrenner. So, if they’re not going to foul you, and you’re looking over your shoulder at Kalkbrenner, what kind of productivity are you going to get going to the basket? I’m not saying they won’t, but they’re going to have to get some productivity from doing that. It’s not gonna be easy.”
Do you have a prediction?
“I try to stay out of the prediction business. I think it’ll be a close game. That’s as much as I’m going to say. If Louisville plays and shoots the ball well, they have a good chance. If they don’t, Creighton could steamroll them because they’re big, strong, and very good. They have a win over St. John’s. I did the game where they beat UConn at UConn. They have some eyebrow-raising losses, but they’re very good. But again, all year long, this Louisville team has done things to surprise you.”
I’m saddened to hear of the passing of my friend Junior Bridgeman. I had the privilege of playing against him, and I’ll never forget how he had one of the sweetest jump shots in the NBA. But it was his character, his kindness, and his gentle soul that truly left a lasting… pic.twitter.com/i3xa3fgWuu
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) March 11, 2025
Any updates on the status of the Jim Valvano movie?
“No, that’s a good darn question. I don’t know what happened with that. There were two people who contacted me about it, and one was seemingly going to get off the ground. I guess Ray Romano was involved in it. I don’t know if he still is, but that’s the last I heard. So, I have no update on that at all.”
Businessman and former Louisville player Junior Bridgeman died suddenly last week. Could you share your thoughts on him?
“He’s everything that I admired. He was a very, very good player in the NBA. He was a great player at Louisville. And then he went on (to) put together a life after sports that was magnificent. He was an incredibly successful businessman. He was so involved in the community….
“It’s such a big loss. He quite literally leaves a hole that nobody can fill. He’s one of a kind. He is going to be sorely, sorely missed.”
