Frank Anselem-Ibe begins coaching journey with Louisville, Pat Kelsey

Mouhamed Camara took to the court inside California's Haas Pavilion roughly three hours before tipoff between Louisville basketball and the Golden Bears on Dec. 30. For the freshman forward out of NBA Academy Africa, who is redshirting the 2025-26 season, it was time to go to work — this is where a foundation is built.

His instructor? Graduate manager Frank Anselem-Ibe, a member of Pat Kelsey's inaugural Cardinals team who returned for another go-around to begin his coaching journey.

It's a grind, but the former UofL center said he's savoring every moment. That's no surprise, coming from someone Kelsey once described as not only "a process guy" but also "as good of a locker room guy as I've ever been around."

"That's what you're here for," Anselem-Ibe told The Courier Journal. "If they say, 'Oh, we've got to go put up shots tomorrow, 5 a.m.' — I'm going to be there. To me, it's just second nature at this point."

Anselem-Ibe finished his collegiate career with 119 appearances at the Division I level: 36 at Syracuse (2020-22), 60 at Georgia (2022-24) and 23 at Louisville (2024-25) — where he totaled eight points, 21 rebounds and five blocks across 83 minutes and was a member of the ACC's All-Academic Team.

"He's ready and willing; as soon as his name's called, he runs in the game and gives it everything he's got," Kelsey said last season. "He's very intentional in practice and process — locked in on scouting, goes a billion miles an hour in every drill or every practice."

Sounds like someone who would make a good coach down the line, right? Anselem-Ibe played for two recipients of the ACC Coach of the Year award, Kelsey and Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim, but said it wasn't until he got to the 502 that he began picturing himself in the profession long term.

"If there's anybody to learn from, it's (Kelsey)," he said. "Being around him for the last year and a half, seeing how he leads the team to achieve a common goal — he's someone I truly admire."

More than anything else, Kelsey says his program is striving to have the No. 1 culture in the country — a line he attributes to Hall of Famer Jay Wright. That takes everyone; no task is too small.

"As a player, you just show up and they tell you, 'This is the scouting report. This is what you have to do,'" Anselem-Ibe said. "... But from the outside perspective, there's a lot more that goes into it."

Hence, Kelsey's "Power of the Unit" mantra — the uncommon commitment to the person next to you, based on the most powerful force in the universe: love. What better way to cultivate that among players than to have them see it reflected among coaches?

"Loyalty is really important," Kelsey said when asked during a Jan. 8 episode of his radio show what he looks for in staff members. "Competence in your craft. Your ability to teach, your ability to move the needle and the hearts of the players you coach. Can you build relationships? Do you have a high work rate?"

Anselem-Ibe saw the loyalty Kelsey was talking about on display last summer. He had to undergo surgery to repair an injured finger at the end of the season and, after rehabbing it, was trying to figure out how to best approach completing the final requirements of his two-year master's program in sports administration at UofL.

That's when he was approached with the offer to be a graduate manager. The pitch, as Anselem-Ibe recalled, was pretty simple: Do you want to come back and help the team? Why not?

There were plenty of reasons to say no. Graduate managers have been tasked with everything from the aforementioned 5 a.m. shooting sessions to — as Kelsey revealed during a Nov. 6, 2024, episode of his radio show — driving the coach and his daughters to and from a Taylor Swift concert at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis so he could spend the commute watching film.

Anselem-Ibe didn't care before diving in headfirst and doesn't care now that he's in the thick of it. He's approaching each day with the mindset of, "Where do you need me? Just tell me what it is, and I'm going to get it done."

Anselem-Ibe is only the latest in a line of guys who have parlayed their time playing for Kelsey into a spot on his staff. There are three others at Louisville: assistant coach Jermaine Ukaegbu, graduate manager Kyle Zunic and creative director Tom Pupavac.

"That's the reason why we've had success in the past, I think — our connectedness as a staff," Ukaegbu said during a Jan. 8 appearance on Kelsey's radio show. "I think the players see that, as well, and they follow suit."

If I send you this just know IT’S THE REVIVLLE and we HERE!!! #GoCardspic.twitter.com/MHSmt24xzZ

— Frank Anselem - Ibe (@the2kfranky) January 22, 2025

Anselem-Ibe didn't just follow suit. He gave fans an inside look at the "Power of the Unit" in action with postgame posts to X, formerly Twitter, ranging from the aftermath of J'Vonne Hadley's Herculean performance vs. Clemson to a group selfie following a dominant trip to SMU and Kelsey's dance moves.

The posts haven't stopped since Anselem-Ibe made the move to the coaches' locker room. Highlights from his profile to this point of the 2025-26 campaign include Mikel Brown Jr. flexing the belt he was awarded as the Most Valuable Player of the Cards' first win over archrival Kentucky since 2020, Kobe Rodgers and his mother, Dorothy, celebrating a victorious Cincinnati homecoming and ... you guessed it ... more of Kelsey's dance moves.

And the winner is…Kobe’s homecoming ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/Em8EmkBoob

— Frank Anselem - Ibe (@the2kfranky) November 22, 2025

These moments are great to document for fans, but Anselem-Ibe is also leaving himself reminders of the culture he'll need to foster as he continues his journey through the coaching ranks. Year 2 of the Kelsey era very well could be his last at UofL before setting off on his own.

Fortunately for him, you're never really alone in this line of work. "It's about family," he said. "It's about connections."

Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Frank Anselem-Ibe on Pat Kelsey's Louisville basketball GA staff