Louisville basketball’s push for 5-star point guard Reese Alston is starting to feel real, but the race is far from over.
On3 Sports’ Jamie Shaw has Louisville out in front for the 2027 standout and continues to project the Cardinals to land him. Shaw said earlier this week that he has a “Medium” level of confidence in that pick, which is enough to get Louisville fans buzzing about what could be a huge addition to the class. The Cardinals already have a 4-star pledge from Louisville native Ferlandes Wright, and the idea of pairing Wright with Alston is exactly the kind of recruiting win that gets attention fast.
Still, Alston is one of the premier players in the 2027 cycle, and that means plenty of heavy hitters are circling. He’s picked up more than 36 offers, per 247Sports, with programs like Purdue, Florida State, Houston, Illinois, Kansas, Texas and USC all involved. Even so, the real pressure points in this race appear to be LSU, Tennessee and Kentucky.
LSU has been in the mix for a while, and Will Wade’s move from North Carolina State to Baton Rouge has only sharpened the Tigers’ focus on making a quick impression with Alston. Kentucky entered the race in late July, and the Wildcats already have 5-star Ryan Hampton, a top-15 overall recruit in the 2027 class, in the fold. Mark Pope and his staff are now trying to add Alston alongside him.
Tennessee is the newest program making noise. Shaw recently said the Volunteers are the latest team to jump in and push for Alston, and Louisville has felt Tennessee’s recruiting strength before, including when the Vols landed Nate Ament in 2025.
Alston’s profile matches the buzz. The 6-foot-3 point guard is ranked as high as No. 6 overall and No. 3 at his position. He averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game, and he earned a spot on the MaxPreps Junior All-American First Team.
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