Louisville basketball just got a shocking update surrounding the Cardinals' backcourt. The Cardinals added several newcomers this year, including many to the backcourt. The Cardinals' backcourt was supposed to be extremely deep, as Kelsey added former 5-star Jackson Shelstad, 4-star transfer De'Shayne Montgomery, UNC transfer Seth Trimble, and had two key players returning in Adrian Wooley and London Johnson.
Well, apparently major changes are coming to the backcourt. On3 Sports' Joe Tipton just reported the Cardinals dismissed Johnson, “due to a violation of team rules.”
Louisville guard London Johnson has been dismissed due to a violation of team rules, per release.https://t.co/2nMXdjT0pT https://t.co/3KGii6D2j9
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) August 21, 2026
London Johnson dismissed from Louisville
Johnson is a former NBA G League player who committed to the Cardinals in 2025. It nearly broke the entire college basketball world, as Johnson was one of the first former NBA G League players to commit to college sports.
Michigan State’s Tom Izzo ripped it apart, stating, “To me, it's ridiculous. To me, it's embarrassing."
Now, Johnson is no longer on the Cardinals roster for the 2026-26 season, as Louisville stated, "We wish him the best in his future endeavors," in their statement.
The former NBA G League point guard was a top-50 overall recruit out of Georgia. He ranked No. 46 overall, No. 8 among combo guards, and was the top recruit from Georgia. He earned over 17 offers, including from Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Xavier, and others, but ultimately chose to bypass college and go pro.
Then, after playing for the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers G League teams, he decided to return to college after the NCAA granted him eligibility. Johnson started in 21 games and averaged 3.1 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game.
Johnson started for Kelsey and Louisville in their exhibition game in the Bahamas in July. The 6-foot-3 guard scored 13 points while adding seven rebounds and two steals in 21 minutes. Now, the Cards will be without Johnson in this upcoming season, and Wooley, Shelstad, and Montgomery will have to step up in his absence.
This is a shocking and tough blow for the Cardinals' backcourt depth. Johnson was a veteran piece for Louisville, who brought experience and toughness. Now, Louisville will have to go this season without Johnson, and hopefully the Cardinals' guards can stay healthy, and this one won't come back to hurt Louisville even more.
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