Aly Khalifa made one of the most intriguing moves in college basketball when he rejected former head coach Mark Pope at Kentucky and transferred across enemy lines to Louisville during the offseason. The former BYU center underwent an insane body transformation over the last 10 months.
He worked closely with head strength coach Eli Foy and went from fat to jacked!
Khalifa, a former three-star college basketball recruit, played two years at Charlotte and one season in Provo. Pope tried to get him to join him in Lexington but he decided to play for Pat Kelsey instead.
He averaged about 24 minutes per game in each of the last three years and scored around eight points per game with 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists during that span. While those numbers don’t necessarily jump out off of the page, Khalifa started 26 games for Pope during the 2023/24 season and is most valuable as a creator. As one of the best passing bigs in the country, he sees things in a way that opens up the floor for his teammates and has the ability to knock down shots when called upon.
Khalifa has yet to debut for the Cardinals as he rehabs a knee injury. He and the staff decided that it is best for him to redshirt in 2024/25 with plans for a big year in 2025/26. It has been transformational. Literally.
Not only is Aly Khalifa getting healthy, his body looks completely different. The 6-foot-11 center arrived to campus in Louisville at 299 pounds. He checked in at 250 earlier this week! His arms are massive.
Don’t be surprised if Khalifa emerges as one of the best bigs in college basketball next season. Perhaps his biggest flaw was the inability to use his massive frame in a productive manner at the rim and on the glass. Slimming down and bulking up (the right way) is going to be a huge boost to his game.