LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — When Khani Rooths stepped back onto the court for his sophomore season, teammates noticed something right away — he looked taller.
Back for his sophomore season, Rooths is listed at 6-foot-10 on the roster.
“Yeah, I said I grew an inch. Probably around 6-9 last year,” Rooths said. “But I’ve been growing my whole life, so it’s normal to me. It just happens.”
But what grew even more than his height was his game.
Head coach Pat Kelsey wanted him to take on a bigger role this season.
“Honestly, it wasn’t too many conversations,” Rooths said. “It was more me putting my head down, getting to the business. Straight to work. And letting the results speak for themselves. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
Rooths said he worked on every part of his game.
“Everything. Ball handling, shooting, making reads, watching film, trying to see the game better… just improving my whole game all around,” he said. “Not trying to be good at one thing — trying to be better everywhere.”
All that improvement brought confidence.
Khani Rooths drives for a basket during Louisville's win over Florida State in the KFC Yum! Center.
“The biggest difference from year one to year two is comfortability,” Rooths said. “I’m a lot more confident and comfortable out there. And being able to be a leader — helping my teammates, helping Kill, the other guys — just taking that big step.”
Leadership, he said, has always felt natural.
“It’s just in me. I’m always a vocal leader. I try to lead by example, too,” Rooths said. “Since I was young, people just gravitated toward me. Even last year as a freshman, I was trying to lead however I could. That’s just who I am.”
And if there’s one area where that leadership shows up most, it’s defense.
Kelsey has called Rooths one of Louisville’s best defenders.
“Where I’m from, we're real gritty. Nobody wants somebody to get the one-up on them,” Rooths said. “I never want anybody to score on me at any time. Whatever I can do to stop that, I’m gonna do it. I take pride in it. And it feels good when you get that stop.”
Rooths grew up in Washington, D.C., in the basketball-heavy DMV, where toughness is a requirement.
“Growing up in D.C., it was ups and downs. Basketball freed my head,” he said. “And in the DMV, all the eyes on you. You start making a name for yourself… people expect things, and you either deliver or you don’t. That’s how it is.”
That DMV mentality still shows on the court.
“It’s different. We all got our own swag,” Rooths said. “But you can tell when someone’s from the DMV. With me, it’s my personality, how I talk, the grit. I don’t want nobody getting the one-up on me. That’s the mentality.”
Before basketball took over, Rooths played almost every sport — including one that surprised his teammates.
“Yeah, I did figure skating,” Rooths said, laughing. “The hockey team used to come on after us, and I told my mom I wanted to try it. But she started telling me all the injuries, and I was like, ‘Hold on.’ The teeth part really got me. I like my teeth too much.”
That path led Rooths to basketball and now to Louisville, where his growth — in every sense of the word — is becoming a key part of the Cardinals’ identity.
More Sports Coverage:
No. 22 Louisville women shut out No. 12 North Carolina in OT for 76-66 win in Tar Heels' ACC opener
CRAWFORD | Signs of life: Kentucky clamps down on Indiana for much-needed 72-60 win
Hoosier Heisman | Indiana's Fernando Mendoza wins college football's biggest prize
Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
