The Louisville basketball program received crushing news Wednesday morning as the fan favorite and high-flying center James Scott has officially entered his name into the transfer portal.
The Cardinals' fan base was heartbroken after hearing this news. Scott was among the most electrifying players last season as he secured 79 dunks, the third most in a single season in Louisville history. The Cardinals will now look to the transfer portal to find a Scott replacement and improve their depth at the forward or center position.
The head coach of the Louisville Cardinals has brought in three players from the portal and has now lost two players from last season. The Cardinals' backcourt is stacked and all set, but their frontcourt must try to find that electrifying scorer or 7-footer from the portal that the Cardinals need.
Related: Louisville nation crushed after losing 4-star center to the transfer portal
5 Win-now players Louisville basketball must land after James Scott enters portal
The transfer portal officially closed yesterday evening, meaning that Louisville should know, for the most part, who is coming back. Hadley and Pryor have already announced their return, and after Scott's exit, it seems safe to assume the Cardinals roster is nearly finalized.
Louisville must now aggressively pursue the transfer portal and find an elite forward or center to come off the bench and help improve their depth in these two positions. So, here are five win-now players Louisville basketball must contact after James Scott exits
5. Aaron Bradshaw
The Cardinals must go after the former 5-star recruit and now Ohio State transfer Aaron Bradshaw. Kelsey and his Cardinals currently do not have a player over 7 feet, and Bradshaw is exactly what the Cardinals need after Scott entered the transfer portal.
The former 5-star recruit was ranked as high as the No. 5 overall player in the class of 2023, the No. 1 center, and the No. 1 player out of New Jersey. He is now the sixth-best power forward available in this transfer portal and is ranked as a 4-star transfer.
The 7-foot-1, 215-pound forward initially committed to the Kentucky Wildcats, but after getting 14 minutes per game and only averaging 4 points per game, he entered the portal and went to Ohio State. However, he now enters the portal again after averaging 6.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks, while shooting 49 percent from the field for the Buckeyes.
He played in just 22 games and started in only five. However, his potential and ceiling are worth considering, as the Cardinals need someone with height who can replace Scott's rim protection and dunking ability. Bradshaw would fit perfectly in Scott's position from last year and be a massive player who would come off the bench.
Related: Players in the NCAA transfer portal that the Louisville Cardinals have reached out to