2026 C Josh Irving schedules Louisville visit after landing offer
Pasadena’s (Cal.) Josh Irving will take an official visit to Louisville from September 19-21, according to his agent, Harrison Gaines.
Cards head coach Pat Kelsey offered the class of 2026, 6-foot-11 center, a scholarship a couple of weeks ago after a strong showing on the Puma circuit this summer.
Irving entered On3’s top-100 in January, earning a No. 58 ranking, but has soared since. He’s now the No. 44 prospect in the class of 2026 and the No. 6 center in the nation.
Louisville isn’t the only program the four-star will visit this fall. With the U of L visit being scheduled, Irving will also take trips to San Diego State, SMU, Kansas, Texas A&M, Kansas, Kentucky, and USC.
According to Rivals’ Jamie Shaw, USC has done a nice job building a relationship with Irving thus far, but the recent Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisville offers entice the center. Those three trips should be paid close attention to.
Irving will visit Kansas (Sep. 12-14) and Kentucky (Oct. 10-12) with Louisville sandwiched in between.
The class of 2026 prospect is open to committing late in the recruiting cycle, and with his rise in the rankings over the past seven months, he likely picks up a few more big-name offers.
Along with his steady climb in the rankings, Irving has continued to polish his skills as a rim-running two-way big man. He is steady as a lob threat and solid in protecting the rim at a meaty 200 pounds. His touch around the rim is good, and he has a good feel for the pick-and-roll. Stretching the floor is a work in progress, but his jump shot from outside the paint isn’t broken by any means. He’ll need to improve his strength and physicality once he gets to the college level, but as a rising senior, there’s time for the No. 6-ranked center in the class to develop.
Irving would be a great fit for the Cardinals and Kelsey’s scheme. He runs the floor, protects the rim, and is a massive target for lobs. The Cards’ big-man rotation and development are something to monitor under Kelsey. Centers may never be the focal point of the offense, but must be able to initiate offense with guards, enforce defensively, and rebound at a high level. The Pasadena native seems to check all the boxes.
Louisville basketball will have several key visits this fall, ahead of the 2025-26 season, including one with Cole Cloer in August. As of now, the Cards do not have any commitments in the 2026 class.
