The University of Louisville men’s basketball program and head coach Pat Kelsey announced Wednesday the addition of transfer Aly Khalifa to the 2024-25 roster.
Khalifa’s Journey and Skills
The 6-foot-11 center, pronounced AH-lee kuh-LEAF-uh, joins the Cardinals after playing last season at BYU and two seasons at Charlotte prior to that. Khalifa intends to redshirt the upcoming season as he recovers from a knee injury.
“Aly is one of the best passing big men in all of basketball,” said Kelsey. “His assist-to-turnover ratio is astonishingly positive. He plays the game with a level of intelligence and creativity that is rare to see. He’s a high IQ player that has been well-coached throughout his basketball career. Aly’s unselfishness and passion for helping others extends off the court as well. He has a fantastic heart and a great way about him.”
Performance at BYU
Khalifa started in 26 of 29 games he appeared in for BYU last season, averaging 5.7 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. The Cougars had a successful season, winning 23 games and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Khalifa also demonstrated his shooting ability, hitting 31.5% from 3-point range with 29 makes.
His impressive assist-to-turnover ratio, with 115 assists against just 32 turnovers, ranked him first in the Big 12 and sixth in the nation, leading all centers. He set a new BYU single-season record for assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.6-to-1. Khalifa had standout performances, including a season-high 21 points and seven rebounds against No. 25 Texas Tech and a game with 14 points, seven boards, and seven assists in a victory over No. 11 Baylor.
Early Career at Charlotte
Before transferring to BYU, Khalifa spent his first two collegiate seasons at Charlotte. As a sophomore, he started all 34 games for the 49ers, averaging 11.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. Over his three-year career, Khalifa has accumulated 315 assists against just 142 turnovers and has proven to be a consistent shooter from beyond the arc, with a career 35% 3-point shooting percentage (97 of 275).
Awards and International Experience
Khalifa was named the 2022 Conference USA Freshman of the Year after averaging 7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists as a rookie. The Alexandria, Egypt, native played his prep ball at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia. He represented Egypt at the 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup, where he averaged 12.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Looking Ahead
With his addition, Louisville aims to bolster its roster with Khalifa’s exceptional passing skills, high basketball IQ, and versatility. As he redshirts and recovers, Khalifa’s future contributions on and off the court will be highly anticipated by the Cardinals’ faithful.
