"I was her third choice": Louisville HC Pat Kelsey wins hearts with a clever quip about his wife's choice in double entendre

Pat Kelsey won hearts in his inaugural press conference as Louisville's head coach on Thursday with a clever quip about his wife's choice, subtly hinting at his commitment to making the most of opportunities.

Despite not being the top pick on the school's list to replace Kenny Payne, Kelsey remains optimistic about his tenure at Louisville.

"You want to know if I can recruit? Meet my wife, Lisa. I just hope she doesn’t hit the transfer portal. Good news, I was her third choice, and that worked out really well so I feel really good," Kelsey said.

Payne was fired after the Cardinals' season ended with a 94-85 loss to NC State in the first round of the ACC tournament. The defeat wrapped up an underwhelming campaign where the team finished with an 8-24 record, and 3-17 in conference play.

While Louisville's absence from the NCAA Tournament limits Kelsey's immediate impact, his charismatic debut offers promise for the program's future.

Pat Kelsey's contract: How much will the HC earn at Louisville?

As per multiple reports, Kelsey signed a five-year deal with the Cardinals that will keep him as the team's coach until 2029. He will earn a whopping $2.3 million annual salary and could get an extension if he guides Louisville into the NCAA Tournament in the next three seasons.

Here's a list of bonuses that Kelsey could receive if he meets targets at Louisville:

• If he wins the ACC's Coach of the Year award: $25,000
• If he receives a national Coach of the Year award from The Associated Press, the Atlanta Tipoff Club or the National Association of Basketball Coaches: $50,000
• If Louisville earns at least a share of the ACC's regular-season title: $50,000
• If Louisville wins the ACC Tournament: $50,000
• If Louisville receives an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament: $50,000
• If Louisville advances to the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32: $100,000
• If Louisville reaches the Sweet 16: $150,000
• If Louisville reaches the Elite Eight: $200,000
• If Louisville reaches the Final Four: $250,000
• If Louisville wins the national championship: $500,000

A look at Pat Kelsey's coaching record

Former Charleston HC Pat Kelsey

Pat Kelsey worked as an assistant coach at Elder High School, Wake Forest and as an associate head coach at Xavier before getting his first head coaching job at Winthrop in 2012.

Kelsey led the Eagles to four Big South regular season titles and three Big South Tournament championships across nine years with the team. At Winthrop, Kelsey amassed a record of 186-95, securing multiple conference titles.

In 2021, Kelsey took charge of Charleston and guided the team to two CAA regular season titles and two CAA Tournament championships. He also won the CAA Coach of the Year award in 2024. He finished with a 75-27 record at Charleston across three seasons.

Kelsey has a 262-122 overall record as a coach. However, he is yet to win a game in the NCAA Tournament, despite reaching the postseason twice each with Winthrop and Charleston.

It will be interesting to see how Kelsey fares at Louisville.