Iowa Basketball Transfer PF Alvaro Folgueiras COMMITS to Pat Kelsey, Louisville!

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]And just like that, with comments around the Commonwealth have finally been silenced. There's only one with King in the Bluegrass today.

[00:00:12]>> [music] [music] >> WHAT'S COOKING? WELCOME BACK in once again to ESPN Louisville Plus. I'm Justin Sofer. Of course, got you covered all things cards, cats, bourbon in that bluegrass today. Well, once again, I don't even know when you're watching this, but if you did, I PUT OUT a video covering the latest update when it came to the quote-unquote whiffing that may have happened in the transfer portal when it comes to Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey and unfortunately not getting John Blackwell after Duke and played the Uno reverse card and they decided to keep him and not let him go take his visit. They were going to sink their claws in and not let him go down in Shaier's basement. That being said, sorry Mark Pope, you're on your own today. There is only one with King in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Jefferson County, the border is shut down because Pat Kelsey would not let today be that day for him when Alvaro Folgedas has committed to the University of Louisville and we have our starting lineup, the power forward for the University of Louisville, Alvaro Folgedas and I am very excited to see exactly what he will bring to this team.

[00:01:34]Obviously, a lot of us remember, you know what? Let me just go ahead and throw it up there. This is why we're all excited obviously and Pat Kelsey has to be excited as well. This is what the University of Louisville is getting out of Alvaro Folgedas and what he can bring and that is the excitement from this game against Florida and drains it just like that, knocking out the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and that is exactly who is coming to join Pat Kelsey, another guy who can shoot the three, shoot that deep ball and that's that's a good place to start.

[00:02:17]Additionally, he's got size, he's got length, he's got everything that we're kind of hoping for. Outside of missing out on I hate even trying to pronounce his name, the Saint Mary's kid, Amel Aluki or however you say his name.

[00:02:30]It is what it is. Arizona State, he's taking a visit and guess what? He ain't leaving Arizona State probably without committing his his his coach is going there. Why would he want to go anywhere else? And that's why that that I guess wooing process, that courtship by Pat Kelsey didn't continue on with him and that's why they went for Folgedas there. Uh Interesting story about the way this kind of you know how it how it went about. I mean, we're talking about probably about a week from today. Um we thought we had a commitment locked up.

[00:03:02]We thought it was all but signed, sealed and delivered and we sat for about a week out. We got through the weekend just wondering what was happening, what's going on? Was there somebody else that was potentially going to go to overtake the Cardinals and get him?

[00:03:15]And even the last 24 to 48 hours, BB and Big Blue Nation. Sorry, guys.

[00:03:22]I you know, I've had people making comments saying about little brother can get whoever they want, get get their mid player. Guess what?

[00:03:29]Right now, you better watch out. You better watch out because little brother little brother is quickly going to turn back into big cuz. Big cuz is over here taking your lunch money and as long as Mitch Barnhart AND UNTIL ANDY BESHEAR FIGURES OUT WHATEVER HE'S GOING TO DO there and whatever he's going to lay down there to try to get Barnhart out of there, as long as Mitch Barnhart is there and as long and then yes, I know he's retiring, but if he's going to have somebody who is just basically Mitch Barnhart Jr. that's going to come in, you're going to stick with Mark Pope for a little bit longer, maybe another year, maybe two years and we'll see how far he can let that thing devolve and fall into the dirt. But we don't really care about Big Blue Nation right now. We care about Louisville and who they're getting in Folgedas and why we're excited. They're stacking pieces. You started off with Bedonga, you got Shelstad with him, then you got Carter Knox bringing him and the Kenny Payne nonsense that comes with him, but in then now getting Folgedas.

[00:04:20]Of course, I can't leave out Adrian Wooley who recommitted or I guess said I ain't I ain't leaving. I ain't going anywhere.

[00:04:28]Now, you have um for all intents and purposes, your starting lineup. How are we feeling, Card Nation? Let me know your thoughts down below. I'm not done yet. We have a few things to go over.

[00:04:40]Our guy Eric Crawford, EC, who joins ESPN Louisville, definitely tunes in to Andy Sweeney and The Take Monday through Friday, noon to 3:00 p.m.

[00:04:50]each and every weekday. You can listen to him. He'll come on once a week usually. Sometimes right now with the transfer portal, maybe he'll come on more than that. But right now, he gives just basically a little bit of an update talking about the player that he has.

[00:05:05]He says 6'8. I've seen 6'10 other places, 6'8, 6'10, one of those. It's not 6'7. Sorry, kids. That being said, he came from Robert Morris originally transferring to Iowa.

[00:05:17]Back when he was in the Horizon League, he during 2024 through 2025, he averaged 14.1 points a game, 9.1 rebounds, shot 55% from the field and 40% from the three from three-point range. Last year with Iowa, of course, playing in the Big Ten, playing with better competition, averaged eight points per game. Let me make sure I get these down correctly there. He also had shot 33.3% from three range, 50% field goals and he played about 20 minutes per game also averaging about two assists and about a steal a game as well. So, really good player, a guy who's really going to be able to assist Bedonga a little bit with what he needs. Now, we had a little bit of that negative comment there from Sword and Pedro. Again, take it with a grain of salt. They are in Kansas. He is a Kansas guy talking about it, so he's going to talk down about Bedonga a little bit, but giving him that support, that big man who can really back him up where Louisville is going to need it, so that makes me feel good moving forward.

[00:06:23]Additionally, there have been some other things about maybe where we're going to look at right now and I'm just going to say this. I don't know how likely, though I have heard there are rumors that Louisville may pursue him, but it is Baylor's Tunde Yesufu. I'm sure I'm saying that terribly and I'm sure I'm I am butchering it, but rumor out there is that I think Jody Jody Demling may have confirmed this as well that Pat Kelsey plans to reach out looking to see about getting him. He averaged 17.8 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game last season and after that be another forward that but it also looks like he does have a do not contact tag. Could Louisville be the team or do or is there another team? Probably being that I haven't really heard anything before then.

[00:07:18]We'll see. But if he has a do not contact, maybe he's off the table.

[00:07:22]Maybe we'll see. That being said, Louisville's got their guy and got their man in Alvaro. This is a little bit of fun. I do want to say this.

[00:07:30]Can we can we finally get is Porcini's been cleansed? Is it finally he all the wrongs of the past have been righted?

[00:07:38]Everything has been corrected.

[00:07:41]You know, the Pitino mishaps, the the adultery, >> [laughter] >> the the the booth, everything that happened in said booth, they have all been christened. They have been cleaned, they have been cleared and Alvaro Monata or Bonata, I'm thinking about a freaking soccer player. Alvaro Folgedas comes in and rights the ship for Louisville and rights the big man room and now Louisville can focus on maybe some more shooters. The one thing I do want to say, the question I have left, Folgedas, he's he's he's a Spaniard.

[00:08:14]He's Spanish. I got a little Spanish blood in me.

[00:08:16]But where's >> [laughter] >> where's the white shooter? Where's where's the white shooter that that Pat Kelsey is going to live and die with?

[00:08:23]Just just is he in the market now? Is he out there? Can we focus on him now cuz I know what's going to happen, right? So, let me know your thoughts and [laughter] opinions in the comment section down below. Are you excited about the the final commitment? Finally, it's here of Folgedas. What are your thoughts and opinions in the comment section down below and who would you go after next?

[00:08:42]Let me know and we'll talk and have you covered every step of the way. Follow me at Justin Sofer on Twitter. Follow ESPN 680, 93.9 The Ville, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, all that good stuff. And guys, I'll see you all maybe tomorrow. Go Cards.