Standing 7-foot-5, Gabe Dynes jumps off the page before he ever steps on the floor. He’s the tallest player on Louisville’s 2026-27 roster, and the Cardinals are bringing him in after stops at USC and Youngstown State, with the Independence, Kentucky, native now set for a homecoming in Year 3 of the Pat Kelsey era.
Kelsey wasn’t exactly subtle about Dynes’ size when he spoke to reporters in June. “I always joke when I talk about tall people; I always say, 'That team has a 9-foot-4 guy,'" Kelsey told reporters in June. "He's, literally, almost 9-foot-4 - it seems like."
Dynes committed to Louisville in April after spending the 2025-26 season at USC. Before that, he played two seasons at Youngstown State, where his game started to turn heads after a sophomore year that put him third nationally with 3.1 blocks per game, 104 total. He also chipped in 6.9 points on 72.3% shooting and 5.8 rebounds in 21.6 minutes a night for the Penguins.
His path started long before that, though. Dynes came out of Simon Kenton High School as an unranked prospect, then finished his senior year with the No. 2 field-goal percentage in Kentucky at 74% - 179 made shots on 242 attempts.
At USC, Dynes’ role was much smaller, but the efficiency stayed loud. He played in 30 of 32 games, started six, and averaged 12 minutes for the Trojans.
His final line: 2.9 points on 41-for-52 shooting, 2.3 rebounds and one block per game, with 31 total blocks. That ranked third on a team that, according to KenPom.com, posted the nation’s No. 9 block rate at 14.9%.
His best night for USC came in his first start, a Dec. 21 win over UC Santa Cruz. Dynes put up 16 points on 8-for-10 shooting, grabbed five rebounds and blocked four shots in 22 minutes. When Eric Musselman put him in the starting five, Dynes averaged 7.2 points on 80% shooting, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 20.3 minutes.
The Trojans finished 18-14 in 2025-26 and closed Year 2 under Musselman on an eight-game losing streak.
Dynes’ offensive profile is exactly what you’d expect from a 7-5 center. BartTorvik.com says dunks accounted for 22 of his 41 made field goals and 25 of his 52 attempts at USC.
CBBAnalytics.com says all but five of his shots with the Trojans came from within 4½ feet of the basket. He wasn’t as prolific a shot-blocker last season as he was at Youngstown State, but five of his nine multi-block games came against Big Ten opponents.
When Louisville introduced him as a signee in June, Kelsey laid out what the staff sees in him: “Gabe has a unique combination of size, basketball IQ and mobility. The combination of intelligence and length makes him a great defender around the rim and a major asset to our team.
On the offensive end, we look forward to seeing his growth and development in our system. He runs the floor exceptionally well in transition; and his capability as a lob threat constantly puts pressure on opposing defenses.
We're excited to have him join the squad.”
There are also clear areas where Dynes has room to grow. His USC rebounding numbers - 34 offensive boards and 36 defensive boards - were modest for a player his size, and CBB Analytics says he produced only 17 second-chance points. His minutes were limited, but he still failed to collect more than two rebounds in 12 of the 23 games in which he played at least five minutes.
Turnovers were another issue. Dynes posted a 26.1% turnover rate, which ranked in the fifth percentile nationally in 2025-26.
He’s one of five players at 6-9 or taller who signed with Kelsey this offseason, and it’s tough to project a huge role for him at Louisville when the depth chart at center looks so crowded. Flory Bidunga, the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, is set to anchor the frontcourt. Obinna Ekezie Jr., a 7-2 freshman and the top center in the Class of 2026 on the 247Sports Composite, is waiting behind him, though he was limited this summer while recovering from shoulder surgery.
If Ekezie needs time to catch up, Dynes could open the season as Bidunga’s top backup. There’s also a path for him to share the floor with the 6-9 former Kansas forward if Kelsey uses Bidunga at the 4 in relief of Alvaro Folgueiras, the 6-10 transfer from Iowa.
Still, Louisville’s best version in 2026-27 likely runs through steady minutes for Bidunga and a larger role for Ekezie. Both bring the rim protection Dynes can offer, only with more versatility attached.
For Dynes, the job is simple: fit in, protect the paint and make his chances matter. He gave Louisville a preview of that in a 49-point exhibition win at the Baha Mar Hoops Summer League in July, finishing with six points, nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals in 14 minutes. If that translates, it’s the kind of production that can help when the opponent isn’t nearly as big.
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