Louisville basketball: Three centers who could fill remaining roster spot

Hayden Koval – Central Arkansas

Junior

As we’ve done all offseason, exploring what to do with an open roster spot means examining all options. While Hayden Koval isn’t a graduate-transfer, meaning his eligibility for 2019-20 would be based on action from the NCAA, he very well could be the most talented player in the portal that you haven’t heard of.

Playing for Central Arkansas of the Southland conference, Koval blossomed into one of the conference’s best big men as a sophomore and junior, starting in all but three games and nearly averaging a double-double in points & rebounds. while leading the conference in blocked shots.

While playing for a team like Central Arkansas instantly comes with questions about talent level, the stats for Koval in 2019-20 were gaudy. The 7’0 center scored in double-digits on 20 different occasions, recorded six double-doubles (first on the team), blocked two or more shots in a game 25 different times, cemented himself in the history book as the program’s third-leading shot blocker in program history, and finished with six games in which he recorded three or more assists including a career-high eight against California Baptist.

Did I also mention that he can shoot three’s? This past season Koval showcased a new element of his game knocking down a career-high 31 three-pointers, doing so at a 33 percent clip.

That led to Koval putting his name in the transfer portal, where he will now look for a new program to spend his final year of eligibility. The only catch with Koval is that he won’t be able to graduate and play right away – instead, he’ll be forced to sit a year before playing one final season.

Louisville needs immediate help, which makes Koval a longshot. However, the NCAA is expected to vote on allowing a one-time transfer without restrictions that could change things for everyone who has “sit out” transfers committed or on their board, which could be a big deal. That is not expected to go into place until 2021-22, but the NCAA never does anything as its supposed to and who knows if that could change.

Koval has received a ton of interest and is reportedly deciding between Gonzaga and UNC Greensboro, but if things don’t work out with Haarms or Markusson who knows if Louisville may express interest.

At the five spot Koval has a ton of abilities that we simply haven’t seen on a Louisville big in quite some time. Not only is Koval 7’0, but he’s a premier shot blocker,  has the ability to score inside and out, is a strong rebounding on both the offensive and defensive glass, and has the ability to pass at an elite level for a big man.

It’s unlikely that Mack pursues a sit-out transfer, but you never know what could happen.