Louisville basketball has quite the footprint in the NCAA transfer portal.
Two coaching changes in as many years will do that to you.
After zero members of Kenny Payne‘s final team chose to stick around for the start of the Pat Kelsey era, there are 20 former Cardinals scattered across the Division I ranks during the 2024-25 season. That number was 21 entering the campaign, but Fabio Basili, a guard who played at U of L from 2022-23, did not find a new home upon entering the portal for a second time following his sophomore year at UT Arlington.
How are all the rest of the guys doing? It’s a mixed bag. Some have found greener pastures; while others are adjusting to smaller roles. In total, six are scheduled to play against Louisville this season.
Here’s a rundown of all the familiar faces in new places:
(Note: Team records and player stats through Dec. 20.)
Skyy Clark (G, UCLA)
Time at U of L: One season (2023-24)
Current averages: 6.1 points on 38.7% shooting, 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals in 11 games (11 starts, 24.8 minutes per)
UCLA’s record: 10-1 (2-0 Big Ten)
Of note: After averaging 13.2 points per game as a sophomore at Louisville, Skyy Clark‘s scoring output has taken a hit as the Bruins’ starting point guard. But the Los Angeles native has significantly cut back on his turnovers (11) and is already more than halfway to surpassing his 2023-24 steals total (30) with 19 out of the gate. He’s on track to get his first taste of the NCAA Tournament, too.
Brad Colbert (G, Xavier)
Time at U of L: Two seasons (2020-22)
Current averages: 1.5 points on 33.3% shooting and an assist in two games (2.5 minutes per)
Xavier’s record: 8-4 (0-1 Big East)
Of note: Brad Colbert, who played in 13 games from 2022-24 as a walk-on for his hometown Musketeers, has hardly seen the court after receiving a scholarship to return for one final go-around as a graduate student. “A lot of times, (walk-ons) are the backbone of our practices and our team building and what allows us to improve as the year goes on,” coach Sean Miller said. “Nobody has done that in my time as a coach better than Brad.”
Matt Cross (F, SMU)
Time at U of L: One season (2021-22)
Current averages: 8.9 points on 46.3% shooting, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and a steal in 10 games (seven starts, 25.6 minutes per)
SMU’s record: 9-2 (1-0 ACC)
Of note: Matt Cross has brought the consistency he showcased the past two years at UMass to the Mustangs, his fourth team in five seasons. In mid-December, he was named ACC Player of the Week after going for 16 points and as many rebounds, tying a career high, in a win over LSU. Louisville visits SMU on Jan. 21 for a 9 p.m. tipoff at Moody Coliseum.
Dre Davis (G/F, Ole Miss)
Time at U of L: Two seasons (2020-22)
Current averages: 11.8 points on 45.6% shooting, five rebounds, 1.3 assists, a steal and a block in 10 games (10 starts, 26.2 minutes per)
Ole Miss‘ record: 10-1
Of note: Dre Davis had this to say about his time at Louisville after leading the Rebels to victory with 18 points in his return to the KFC Yum! Center for the SEC/ACC Challenge: “(There were) a lot of ups and downs throughout my two years here; that’s no secret. It was a tough two years, but I won’t take it for granted. I loved my experience here.”
Koron Davis (G, Louisiana)
Time at U of L: One season (2023-24)
Current averages: 8.7 points on 53.5% shooting and 1.7 rebounds in seven games (11.4 minutes per)
Louisiana’s record: 3-9 (1-0 Sun Belt)
Of note: After never officially logging a minute at Louisville, Koron Davis finished November with three double-digit scoring efforts off the bench for the Ragin’ Cajuns. But the junior college product from Gary, Indiana, hasn’t seen the court the past five games. His coach, Bob Marlin, was fired Dec. 19, less than halfway into his 15th season at the helm.
Dennis Evans (C, Grand Canyon)
Time at U of L: One season (2023-24)
Current averages: N/A
Grand Canyon’s record: 7-4
Of note: Dennis Evans, whose time at Louisville ended when he was ruled medically incapable of competing for the program indefinitely after being sidelined due to what was described only as a shoulder injury, has not appeared in a game for the Antelopes in 2024-25. Per The Arizona Republic, the former top-five center in the Class of 2023 is again dealing with a shoulder injury.
Kaleb Glenn (F, Florida Atlantic)
Time at U of L: One season (2023-24)
Current averages: 13.9 points on 60% shooting and 4.3 rebounds in 12 games (24.6 minutes per)
Florida Atlantic’s record: 7-5
Of note: Louisville native Kaleb Glenn is having the best sophomore year of any player in Payne’s final recruiting class. The former Male High School standout leads the Owls in scoring off the bench and dropped a career-high 27 points in a double-overtime loss to the coach who orchestrated his commitment to U of L, Chris Mack.
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (F, N.C. State)
Time at U of L: Two seasons (2022-24)
Current averages: Nine points on 52.1% shooting, 5.4 rebounds and an assist in 11 games (seven starts, 22.1 minutes per)
N.C. State’s record: 7-4 (1-0 ACC)
Of note: Brandon Huntley-Hatfield has gone from a 76.7% minute share during his final season at Louisville to 54.8% with the Wolfpack. That explains why, after notching eight of his 10 career double-doubles in 2023-24, the senior from Clarksville, Tennessee, has not yet done so at his new home. His best game to date was when he went for 13 points and eight rebounds in a loss to Purdue.
Mike James (G/F, N.C. State)
Time at U of L: Three seasons (2021-24)
Current averages: N/A
N.C. State’s record: 7-4 (1-0 ACC)
Of note: Unfortunately for Mike James, who missed his freshman season at Louisville due to a torn Achilles tendon, his fresh start with the Wolfpack has been delayed by a knee injury. As of mid-December, James was participating in individual workouts, but coach Kevin Keatts did not have a timetable for when the only player to start every game of Payne’s tenure would be cleared to make his debut.
Ty-Laur Johnson (G, Wake Forest)
Time at U of L: One season (2023-24)
Current averages: 2.9 points on 27.6% shooting, 1.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists in nine games (14.2 minutes per)
Wake Forest’s record: 9-3 (1-0 ACC)
Of note: Ty-Laur Johnson has not yet taken a step forward with the Demon Deacons after showing potential (albeit, in a much larger role) as a freshman at Louisville. He’s scored no more than seven points and dished out no more than four assists in a game to this point as a sophomore. Meanwhile, his 3-point shooting has gotten worse — from 19.4% in 2023-24 to 14.3% in 2024-25.
Danilo Jovanovich (F, Milwaukee)
Time at U of L: One season (2023-24)
Current averages: Four points on 80% shooting in two games (7.5 minutes per)
Milwaukee’s record: 8-4 (2-0 Horizon League)
Of note: Danilo Jovanovich has been used less as a junior with his hometown Panthers than he was at Louisville, where he failed to score in 12 of the 20 games he saw the court while averaging only 8.3 minutes of run. He did, however, tally a career-high eight points — a third of his sophomore-year production — during a Dec. 15 win over Akron.
Kamari Lands (G/F, Middle Tennessee)
Time at U of L: One season (2022-23)
Current averages: 8.8 points on 34.2% shooting, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 12 games (12 starts, 22.8 minutes per)
Middle Tennessee’s record: 9-3
Of note: Kamari Lands opted to move out of the power conference ranks after spending 2023-24 at Arizona State but has made himself right at home in the Blue Raiders’ starting lineup. The Indianapolis native has had five double-digit performances thus far as a junior, including a career-high 19 points in a loss to Murray State.
Hercy Miller (G, Southern Utah)
Time at U of L: Two seasons (2022-24)
Current averages: 7.7 points on 36.4% shooting, 2.6 rebounds and an assist in 11 games (one start, 15.3 minutes per)
Southern Utah’s record: 8-5
Of note: Hercy Miller, a former walk-on whose final year at Louisville was cut short by a hip injury, has had more double-digit scoring performances (four) through 11 games with the Thunderbirds, including a career-high 18 points during a win over FIU, than his previous three campaigns at the DI level combined. The son of rapper Master P was one of three Southern Utah players arrested in late November on accusations of stealing refrigerators from campus; but TMZ Sports has since reported that prosecutors have filed documents to dismiss the case.
Emmanuel Okorafor (F, Seton Hall)
Time at U of L: Two seasons (2022-24)
Current averages: 2.4 points on 43.5% shooting and 3.4 rebounds in nine games (four starts, 12.2 minutes per)
Seton Hall’s record: 5-7 (0-1 Big East)
Of note: After having a 10.7% minute share during his final season at Louisville, Emmanuel Okorafor has more than doubled his playing time at Seton Hall. The NBA Academy Africa product was two points shy of his first collegiate double-double in a Dec. 14 loss to Rutgers but at least tallied a career-high 10 rebounds.
Devin Ree (G/F, Louisiana Tech)
Time at U of L: One season (2022-23)
Current averages: 4.8 points on 46.3% shooting and 2.8 rebounds in 11 games (seven starts, 16.7 minutes per)
Louisiana Tech’s record: 10-2
Of note: In his second season with the Bulldogs, Devin Ree is one start away from tying the eight he made as a sophomore. He is seeing the court slightly more than that campaign, and his field-goal percentage has marginally improved, but he has not yet exceeded his 2023-24 production of 5.4 points per contest.
JJ Traynor (F, DePaul)
Time at U of L: Four seasons (2020-24)
Current averages: 7.7 points on 69.4% shooting and 4.6 rebounds in 11 games (20.1 minutes per)
DePaul’s record: 8-3 (0-2 Big East)
Of note: The early success of the Blue Demons, who went 3-29 in 2023-24, has been one of the best stories out of the gate this season. Bardstown native JJ Traynor, who was limited to only eight games during his final season at Louisville due to a shoulder injury he suffered while warming up before the Cards’ matchup against DePaul in Chicago, has been steady when he has come off the bench for first-year coach Chris Holtmann. His 87.1% 2-point clip ranks second in DI.
Roosevelt Wheeler (C, East Tennessee State)
Time at U of L: Two seasons (2021-23)
Current averages: 3.4 points on 57.1% shooting, 2.9 rebounds and a block in eight games (10.4 minutes per)
East Tennessee State’s record: 7-5
Of note: Roosevelt Wheeler, who transferred to the Buccaneers after a season at his hometown VCU, recently recorded a career-high nine points in 18 minutes — the most he’s played since Jan. 14, 2023 — in a win over Elon.
Tre White (G/F, Illinois)
Time at U of L: One season (2023-24)
Current averages: 9.1 points on 50% shooting and five rebounds in 10 games (10 starts, 20.3 minutes per)
Illinois’ record: 7-3 (1-1 Big Ten)
Of note: Tre White plays the fewest minutes of any Fighting Illini starter but has come up big on a couple of occasions so far; including a 23-point, eight-rebound performance in an 86-80 win over Wisconsin. His 123.1 offensive rating and 56% effective field-goal percentage are the best of his career.
Curtis Williams (G/F, Georgetown)
Time at U of L: One season (2023-24)
Current averages: Two points on 44.4% shooting and 1.6 rebounds in 10 games (6.8 minutes per)
Georgetown’s record: 9-2 (1-0 Big East)
Of note: He’s shooting the ball better as a sophomore, but Curtis Williams‘ smaller role with the Hoyas has his scoring output resembling his final 10 games as a freshman at Louisville, during which he averaged 2.2 points on a 5-for-36 clip. The Detroit native appears to be trending in the right direction, however, after chipping in 12 across 11 minutes off the bench to help Georgetown take down Creighton on Dec. 18.
Jae’Lyn Withers (F, North Carolina)
Time at U of L: Three seasons (2020-23)
Current averages: 6.1 points on 43.1% shooting and 4.6 rebounds in 11 games (seven starts, 19 minutes per)
North Carolina’s record: 6-5 (1-0 ACC)
Of note: Fresh off a trip to the Sweet 16 in his first NCAA Tournament appearance, Jae’Lyn Withers has taken on a slightly larger role with the Tar Heels to begin his final season of eligibility. He’s already started more games than he did in 2023-24, and his minute share has increased from 30.9% to 47.6%. Could it translate to the Charlotte, North Carolina, native surpassing his career-high 8.9 points per game as a redshirt junior at Louisville in 2022-23? We’ll see.
Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball transfer portal news: Latest on former players
