The transfer portal is open, and Pat Kelsey and Louisville are in the mix with some of the best players available. The time is now for the Louisville Cardinals, who are set to bring in their second-highest recruit of all time, Mikel Brown Jr.
The Cardinals are coming off an impressive 27-win season and plan to bring back solid rotational players to play alongside Brown. Teams will have a month to target players in this portal, which is open until April 22. Louisville looks to try to secure its first-ever ACC title and steal the crown from the Duke Blue Devils.
Louisville is set to spend around $8-$10 million on players in the transfer portal to close the gap between Duke and the Cardinals.
5 Win-now players Louisville basketball must target in transfer portal
The NCAA Tournament is entering the Sweet 16, which allows the Cardinals to get a jump on some key players as these elite teams are focused on the present rather than the future.
The Cards are set to apply the heat in this transfer portal market and try to land some massive deals to elevate Louisville to a National Championship contender. Louisville needs to address its shooting concerns, depth, and the defense. So, we'll discuss five attainable players who would immediately impact Louisville and help them become National Championship contenders next season.
5. Jacari White
Jacari White is an elite guard transfer from North Dakota State. He won't be one of the top-ranked players in the portal, but his ability to score and shoot the ball at a great split is why Louisville must target this special guard.
White is a dominant scorer and would be a great veteran leader on this team next year. He could play alongside Mikel Brown Jr. White averaged 17.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.7 steals while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 39.8 percent from downtown. He made nearly three threes a game last season and splashed 88 from beyond the arc.
He made a name for himself in his sophomore campaign, shooting 45.5 percent from downtown on 145 attempts. He has also shot the ball from beyond the arc at an exceptional rate of 40.6 percent. The lethal shooter from North Dakota State would be a great veteran guard next to Brown and make this backcourt elite.
Last season, he scored 20 points or more in 13 games and 30 points or more in three games, including his career-high 32 points against South Dakota. White is an elite scorer who can drive to the rim, catch and shoot, or create his shot. He would be a valuable piece to Pat Kelsey's roster, and the Cardinals need to reach out to him immediately.