The first official member of Pat Kelsey’s first Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team is now known.
Reyne (pronounced “Rain”) Smith, the leading scorer for Kelsey’s College of Charleston Cougars this past season, has committed to Louisville. A 6’2 senior guard, Smith averaged 12.8 ppg in 2023-24. He shot 39.0 percent from behind the three-point line, and is a career 89.5 percent free-throw shooter.
Smith’s college career started off on a record-setting note. He hit 90 three-pointers in 2021-22, the most by a freshman in Charleston basketball history. He also led Kelsey’s first Cougar team in points (386), three-pointers (90), free throws (78), three-point percentage (37.5%), and free-throw percentage (92.9%).
Helping Charleston to the NCAA tournament in each of the last two seasons, Smith has earned all-conference honors as both a sophomore and junior.
Smith clearly has Kelsey’s full trust, and his understanding of what the head coach wants to do on both ends of the floor should be an invaluable asset in this transition period. Being one of the best pure shooters in the country will help a little bit too.
