Kasean Pryor injury update: Louisville forward receives tough injury news

Louisville forward Kasean Pryor was off to a quick start to the season as the USF transfer was averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds per game through seven games. Unfortunately, Pryor suffered an injury in a loss to Oklahoma in the Battle 4 Atlantis Championship.

Louisville announced on Monday that Kasean Pryor suffered a torn ACL in that game and is set to miss the rest of the season.

“Obviously what we had feared about Kasean came true, came to fruition,” Louisville coach Pat Kelsey said in a press conference on Monday. “That’s just kind of the nature of the beast, and that’s sports. That’s life.

“It changes the complexion of our team, and obviously having a couple of other guys out… it’s some things that we have to adjust to quickly, because we have a very, very good, physical, tough, well-coached team in Ole Miss coming in tomorrow. So that’s one of the great things about sports and adversity. It’s a microcosm for life and our guys have an unbelievable mindset.”

Kasean Pryor started his career at Boise State, before transferring to USF ahead of the 2023-24 season. Last year with the Bulls he averaged 13 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He then entered the transfer portal and ended up at Louisville, playing for first-year head coach Pat Kelsey.

Pryor was fitting in great prior to the injury. He started three of the seven games he appeared in and had scored in double figures in back-to-back games prior to getting injured against Oklahoma.

Louisville is off to a 5-2 start to the season, but losing Kasean Pryor is tough. In addition to playing Ole Miss on Tuesday, the Cardinals also have an upcoming matchup against Duke on Sunday.

“A big part of the last 24-48 hours is having our guys just freshen their minds and bodies and recover physically, and at the same time pour ourselves into preparation for the Ole Miss game,” Pat Kelsey said. “We have a next-man-up mentality. … Everybody’s going to have to have that next-man-up, step up mentality in terms of changing their role to a certain extent, increasing their role to a certain extent.

“I believe so much in the guys in that locker room. The competitive character of the guys in that locker room.”