To the uninitiated, it may look like Louisville Basketball fans boo Sananda Fru every time the 6-foot-11 German does something impressive on the court.
Her mother thought it was the first time she heard the KFC Yum! Center shouts her last name in unison, lengthening the vowel, on her television at home in Berlin. “I was like, ‘Why are they booing you?'” she later told him over the phone.
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Quite the contrary. The former star player of the basketball Bundesliga appears to be a model of consistency in this position. Pat Kelsey and the 11th-ranked Cardinals (9-1) – and in turn a fan favorite. Opposing teams should take note: The 22-year-old junior feels like he’s on a path of “constant improvement.”
“You can feel it,” Kelsey said. “You can see it in his attitude.”
Fru still has a lot to absorb as he continues to adapt to a new culture and brand of basketball. Concrete example: his lane violation with a teammate Mikel Brown Jr. at the free throw line with 48 seconds remaining in regulation UofL win against Indiana on December 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Back at home, Brown’s back two shots would have counted despite the big man getting into the paint early. Here, the Hoosiers lost the ball by 11 points. “Jimmy Naismith is rolling over in his grave right now,” Kelsey thought to the side.
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“We will have a little discussion about it,” the coach said afterward. “But come to think of it, it won’t really be a discussion – it’ll be me talking and him listening.”
This wasn’t the first time Fru received what Kelsey likes to describe as “aggressive advice.” He had an earful at halftime Cardinals win against Cincinnati on November 21 at the Heritage Bank Center when he entered the locker room with as many turnovers as points (two), a rebound and a block over 11 minutes of racing.
His response? Nine points at 3 against 3, three rebounds, another block and two steals 13 minutes after the break. He also cut his turnovers in half.
December 3, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (7) blocks a shot by Louisville Cardinals forward Sananda Fru (13) during the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 89-80. Mandatory credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
“I wouldn’t say I needed a boost,” Fru said Dec. 12 while reflecting on that game. “I’ll just say: The first half wasn’t me and I wasn’t happy with myself. Yes, coach kind of challenged us, but it needed a reaction from me. … It was my goal for the rest of the game and the other games to be more physical and fight more.”
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Mission accomplished – so far. In Louisville’s next two matchups against top-tier opponents, the win over the Hoosiers and a defeat on December 3 at then-No. 23ArkansasFru averaged 13 points on 10-of-12 shooting, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.5 steals and one assist (against three turnovers) over 29.5 minutes per game. It took a few days for Kelsey to recognize his strong performance in the team’s first loss of the season, but what he said about it spoke volumes.
“He’s the only guy I would say to in that Arkansas game — like, you know me: want some smoke,” the coach told reporters after the Cards beat IU. “He wanted that smoke; and he’s getting better and better.”
Fru set the tone at UofL 99-73 rout against rival Memphis on December 13 by scoring his team’s first five points: an alley-oop and an and-1 lay-up. He finished with 11 shots at 5-on-5, six rebounds, one assist (against two turnovers) and one block in 21 minutes.
Over his first 10 collegiate games, Fru averaged 10.6 points on a team-best 78.8% shooting (41-for-52). He also led Louisville in rebounds (6.2) and blocks (1.2) per game. By KenPom.comhe ranked 172nd nationally in block rate (5.6%), 86th in offensive rating (134.3), 17th in offensive rebound rate (16.9%), and seventh in 2-point percentage (79.6%). BartTorvik.com placed him fifth in field goal percentage (80.8%).
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All this is a far cry from his first appearance in the red and black jersey: one point (on the free throw line) and three rebounds in 18 minutes of play. a loss against Kansas on October 24. Kelsey highlighted his other contributions – two steals, two assists and a block – and went on to say that the big man had one of the best efficiency marks in the dress rehearsal, but that much was evident: “We need to get them involved more,” the coach said.
Four days later, guess how the Cards started their exhibition final against Bucknell? An alley-oop from Brown to Fru less than 20 seconds after winning the first tip.
Part of Fru’s improvement can be attributed to the fact that he became more comfortable playing against Division I talent. “Back home, I played a lot against older guys and stronger guys; and they relied mostly on their finesse and (their experience),” he said. “The big guys here are super fast, athletic and aggressive.”
Another part is simply stacking up reps as the hub of Kelsey’s fast-moving offense after functioning primarily as a pick-and-roll guy for Löwen Braunschweig. During one of their conversations, when Fru explained to him how rigid his old team’s plan was, he received simple advice: “Brother, you came to Louisville. You hoop. It will come.”
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“Coach wants me to have the ball in my hands, make decisions and be interactive,” Fru said. “It’s a big difference that I wasn’t used to.”
“We play by concepts and a certain structure, but it’s also about being able to play with confidence, to play freely, to play freely, to play aggressively, to play attack,” Kelsey added. “I think he’s getting more comfortable playing like that.”
November 26, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, United States; Louisville Cardinals forward Sananda Fru (13) shoots against NJIT Highlanders forward Jordan Rogers (3) during the first half at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images
No moment reflects that growth better than UofL’s fifth possession against Indiana. Fru caught a pass at the top of the arc and quickly faked a handoff to Brown before going down when his defender over-assisted the freshman point guard. No doubt, all instincts.
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Then, the flourish: When another Hoosier crashed on his wide-open path to the basket, he rose above him for a thunderous right-hand slam.
“Fruuuuu,” shouted Cards fans scattered throughout the neutral site crowd. This is no longer lost in translation.
“Usually at games I try not to focus on the fans,” Fru said. “Now, after a few baskets, I hear them. It’s a good thing, I would say. I like it, I appreciate the fans.”
Contact Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article was originally published in the Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball’s Sananda Fru replaces Pat Kelsey
