Louisville adds 7’5 USC transfer Gabe Dynes
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 21: USC Trojans center Gabe Dynes (45) looks on before the college basketball game between the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans on February 21, 2026 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Pat Kelsey’s commitment to getting bigger in 2026-27 took another (very) sizable step forward Saturday with the commitment of 7’5 USC transfer center Gabe Dynes. Dynes, a Kentucky native who played his high school basketball at Simon Kenton in Independence, picked U of L over Kentucky.
Before transferring to USC, Dynes spent two seasons at Youngstown State, where he was a Horizon League All-Defensive team selection each year. With the Trojans, Dynes struggled to crack Eric Musselman’s primary rotation, but still averaged a block per game despite playing just 11. 1 minutes per contest.
Dynes is limited offensively … but he’s 7’5 and actually moves very well for his size. He can catch the ball and dunk. So there’s that.
With Flory Budunga being a master of defending effectively without fouling, Louisville likely won’t need Dynes to play any larger of a role than the one he did at USC. He also gives Kelsey the opportunity to play him extra minutes against the few teams on U of L’s schedule that will have a 7-foot plus center, the type of player that frustrated Bidunga at times last season. Balloon Glow weekend recruiting remains undefeated.