I WILL NOT COACH FOR THE LOUISVILLE ANYMORE: LOUISVILLE NEW COACH DROPS A MESSAGE ON LEAVING AFTER NEXT MATCH DUE TO...

Despite his height, Aaron Judge receives a raw deal.

The University of Louisville basketball program is undergoing a complete overhaul.

Following two seasons with only 12 wins combined, Louisville relieved Kenny Payne of his duties as head coach on March 13, the day after Payne’s final game, a defeat against NC State in the ACC Tournament, culminating in an 8-24 record for the season. Payne departed his alma mater with a career record of 12-52.

Shortly after Payne’s departure, players from the current roster began entering the transfer portal. On March 18, the portal’s opening day, three players initiated the process, and by April 2, Ty-Laur Johnson’s entry into the portal marked the entire U of L roster’s transition.

“Our fan base is craving success for this program,” remarked U of L athletic director Josh Heird. “You know, it’s more than just coaching basketball. This basketball program is the heartbeat of this city. One of the most important aspects is finding someone who is deeply passionate about coaching this basketball program.”

Heird identified his choice on March 28, announcing former Charleston coach Pat Kelsey as Louisville’s new head coach.

“I was prepared when my name was called,” stated Kelsey last week regarding his appointment at U of L. “I’ve been striving for that interview my whole life; it’s the ultimate position, the pinnacle of my professional career.”

Kelsey swiftly began his tenure, securing two transfers from Charleston within the first four days on the job, and then, on April 3, acquiring Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Terrence Edwards from James Madison. Within a week, the program rose to No. 3 in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings under Kelsey’s leadership.

However, there is still much groundwork to cover.

Cardinal Authority will provide updates on all developments concerning Kelsey and his new team. Below, we outline the current roster, departures, portal entries, potential targets from the portal, and new additions, most of which are expected to be sourced from the transfer portal.

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END OF ELIGIBILITY
The only two players on Louisville’s roster who exhausted their eligibility were walk-ons Zan Payne and Aidan McCool.

F Zan Payne – Son of former U of L coach Kenny Payne, Zan spent four years at Kentucky before concluding his final two seasons at Louisville. He featured in 23 games, accruing five points and 14 rebounds during the 2022-23 season, and played 23 games, starting two, in the past season, finishing with 15 points and 31 rebounds.

G Aidan McCool – After two seasons at Maryland, McCool transferred to Louisville. He appeared in 15 games over two seasons for the Cardinals, with his senior night marking his only career start, scoring two points.

TRANSFER OUT
All 12 scholarship players who began the season on Louisville’s roster have expressed their intent to depart via the transfer portal.

Note: Any players in the portal may potentially return to Louisville.

G Ty-Laur Johnson – A true freshman, Johnson was the final scholarship player to enter the portal, filing his paperwork on April 2. Johnson featured in 30 games during the past season, averaging 8.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.

F Emmanuel Okorafor – A sophomore, Okorafor entered the portal on March 30. The 6-foot-9 Okorafor joined U of L from NBA Academy Africa during the 2022-23 season, appearing in five games as he acclimated to college basketball and the United States. In the past season, he played 20 games, averaging 2.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

F Brandon Huntley-Hatfield – Regarded by many as the team’s top player, Huntley-Hatfield entered the portal on March 27. He averaged 12.6 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 56.7 percent from the field across 32 games last season. A former transfer from Tennessee, Huntley-Hatfield earned All-ACC Third Team honors and ranked fifth in Most Improved Player voting among ACC players.

F Tre White – Returning from USC, White re-entered the portal on March 27. He appeared in 28 games for the Cardinals last season, averaging 12.6 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 45.7 percent from the field.

G Mike James – After three years at Louisville, James entered the portal on March 25. In 32 games last season, he averaged 12.6 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 34 percent from three-point range.

G Skyy Clark – A former transfer from Illinois, Clark entered the portal on March 24 and committed to UCLA on April 3. Clark featured in 29 games for the Cardinals last season, averaging 13.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 35 percent from three-point range. He notably scored 36 points in an ACC tournament game against NC State.

G Danilo Jovanovich – A former transfer from Miami, Jovanovich entered the portal on March 20. During his time at Louisville, Jovanovich played 20 games, starting five. He averaged 8.3 minutes per game, scoring 24 points and securing 11 rebounds.

C Dennis Evans – The tallest player in Louisville history, Evans entered the portal on March 19. Evans featured