Will J’Vonne Hadley return from concussion protocol to play for Louisville basketball against archrival Kentucky tonight at the KFC Yum! Center? Here’s what we know:
Coach Pat Kelsey on Monday was unsure but optimistic about Hadley’s status for the No. 12 Cardinals (2-0) against Mark Pope‘s No. 8 Wildcats (2-0). “We’ll see,” he said. “He’s still being evaluated, but we’re hopeful.”
Hadley sat out of U of L’s win over Jackson State on Nov. 6. Afterward, Kelsey said the 6-foot-7 guard got hit in the head during the team’s season-opening victory over South Carolina State on Nov. 3.
“It was like a day later or so; he just wasn’t feeling really well, and they got him checked out and there were some things they were a little concerned about,” the coach added. “We’re just being very cautious with it.
“It’s a long season, and obviously those are things you don’t want to mess with. So we (were) just kind of being careful with him tonight.”
Hadley, a sixth-year returner, was the only member of Kelsey’s inaugural roster to start every game of the 2024-25 season. The St. Paul, Minnesota, native averaged 12.2 points on 51.8% shooting (38.1% from 3) and led Louisville in rebounding with 7.3 per contest. His 82.3% minute share, per KenPom.com, was second only to Chucky Hepburn‘s (84.1%) for the largest on the team.
Hadley scored 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds across 22 minutes in the 2025-26 opener against South Carolina State. He also logged two assists and a steal.
In the Cards’ 93-85 loss to UK last December at Rupp Arena, Hadley contributed 10 points on 4-for-11 shooting, six rebounds, an assist and a steal in 38 minutes. He is one of four players on Kelsey’s Year 2 roster who were elected captains by their teammates, joining Ryan Conwell, Aly Khalifa and Kobe Rodgers.
U of L trails 40-17 in the all-time series against the Cats. It’s lost three in a row dating back to the 2022-23 season and eight of the past 10 matchups dating back to 2014-15. Both of its victories during that stretch came at the Yum! Center (2016-17 and 2020-21).
This story will be updated.
Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: J’Vonne Hadley injury update ahead of UK vs Louisville basketball
