Khani Rooths first high school recruit to commit to Louisville basketball under Pat Kelsey

Pat Kelsey's first high school commit as Louisville men's basketball head coach adds interior depth to the Cardinals' 2024-25 roster.

Khani Rooths, a consensus four-star forward who decommitted from Michigan in the wake of Juwan Howard's ouster, pledged to U of L on Wednesday.

The North Bethesda, Maryland, native stands 6 feet, 8 inches, weighs roughly 200 pounds and honed his craft at prep powerhouse IMG Academy. 247Sports considers him the eighth-best commit in program history.

Rooths told On3's Joe Tipton he "felt 100%" certain he wanted to play for Louisville and that Kelsey and his staff "would get the best out of me" after visiting this past weekend.

"I loved the way they play and felt like I would thrive in that way," he said. "Louisville being Louisville was the icing on the cake."

With his commitment, Rooths took the 11th of 13 scholarships at Kelsey's disposal. He joins an incoming class composed of 10 NCAA transfer portal additions.

Those who will see the court during the upcoming campaign are:

• Terrence Edwards Jr. (redshirt junior, guard/forward, James Madison)

• J'Vonne Hadley (senior, guard, Colorado)

• Chucky Hepburn (junior, guard, Wisconsin)

• Koren Johnson (sophomore, guard, Washington)

• Kasean Pryor (junior, forward, South Florida)

• James Scott (freshman, forward, Charleston)

• Reyne Smith (junior, guard, Charleston)

• Aboubacar Traore (junior, forward, Long Beach State)

Kelsey has also secured pledges from juniors Aly Khalifa (center, BYU) and Kobe Rodgers (guard, Charleston); but they plan to redshirt while rehabbing injuries.

Here's what to know about Rooths:

Where does Louisville basketball commit Khani Rooths stand in national recruiting rankings?

• 247Sports: Four stars (No. 7 position, No. 36 overall)

• ESPN: Four stars (No. 6 position, No. 40 overall)

• On3: Four stars (No. 9 position, No. 30 overall)

• Rivals: Four stars (N/A position, No. 35 overall)

How did Louisville basketball commit Khani Rooths play in high school?

When Rooths chose Michigan last fall over Florida State and Georgia, he became the Wolverines' highest-ranked recruit on the ESPN 100 since the 2021 cycle.

Here's how ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi assessed his game at the time:

Rooths shows fluid movement when attacking the basket and explosiveness near the rim. He brings a lot of versatility, contributing as a finisher, defender and scorer. He plays both inside and out with effectiveness. Defensively, Rooths will guard the ball with lateral ability and length, contest shots and rebound with the ability to take the ball and push it on the break. He is an alert defender and gets his share of deflections, steals and blocks. When Rooths is aggressive attacking the basket, he can score or get to the free throw line at a high rate; and while his perimeter skills are progressing, he is most comfortable and impactful inside the arc.

As a junior at IMG Academy, Rooths was part of a team that reached the semifinal round of the 2023 Chipotle Nationals. 247Sports' Eric Bossi said the forward was "more likely to blend in" on that talented squad but expanded his game last summer while averaging 15.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on Adidas' 3SSB circuit.

This past season, IMG Academy fell in the quarterfinal round of the Chipotle Nationals to the tournament's eventual runner-up, Paul VI High School. Rooths went for 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting and grabbed six boards in the loss.

Per The Circuit Hoops, he averaged 11.8 points on 56% shooting (9 for 27 from 3), 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists against 1.6 turnovers and 1.2 blocks across 26.7 minutes per contest during his senior campaign.

Khani Rooths highlights: Watch Louisville basketball commit

Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Khani Rooths commits to Louisville basketball, Pat Kelsey