Louisville basketball is having a huge recruiting weekend, as the Cardinals are hosting three transfers who rank among the top 70 in the portal rankings. Two of those three are ranked inside the top 10: Louisville and Pat Kelsey will host 4-star transfer Jackson Shelstad, the No. 8 overall transfer, and the No. 1 overall transfer, Flory Bidunga.
Players in the Transfer portal that the Louisville Cardinals have reached out to
The Cards will have both transfers on campus first this offseason, and Louisville reportedly is feeling confident they can earn both commitments before either transfer leaves the campus. Thursday, Louisville fans got a huge update surrounding Shelstad as 247Sports logged a Crystal Ball prediction favoring Louisville, and now just moments ago, On3 Sports updated its prediction for the No. 1 transfer, and Louisville is the dominant favorite.
On3 prediction sends Louisville into pole position for elite 5-star transfer
It was reported earlier this week that Louisville, Duke, St. John’s, and Michigan were the top contending teams for Bidunga, but after Michigan landed the Tennessee transfer big man yesterday, On3 Sports now gives Louisville a 100 percent chance of earning Bidunga’s commitment.
Bidunga and Shelstad share the same agent, and so when it was reported that Louisville would get both on campus at the same time, Louisville fans were dreaming this could be a package deal. And now, as On3 Sports reports, Louisville has reportedly extended an offer to Bidunga, Louisville is the heavy favorite for both Bidunga and Shelstad.
If Louisville does earn both former 5-star recruits' commitments, the Cards immediately become ACC Title contenders again and maybe NCAA Title contenders as well. Kelsey would still need to add depth, and some shooters around the two big-time transfers, but the star power in the backcourt and frontcourt would be there.
Bidunga is the dominant center Louisville fans have been begging for. The former 5-star recruit out of high school is now a unanimous 5-star transfer and ranked as high as No. 1 overall in the portal and No. 1 among centers.
He is an elite big man who can back his defender down at 6-foot-9, 215 pounds, averaging 13.3 points while shooting 64 percent from the field last season and scoring 20 or more points five times. He is also that dominant rim protector with elite paint presence that Louisville has desperately needed. He averaged 9.0 rebounds last season and earned 13 double-doubles, while he also ranked inside the top five for most total blocks (91) and blocks per game (2.6).
This is a massive update for Louisville as the 5-star transfer is on campus, and it appears tohe Cardinals are now the clear frontrunners and Kelsey is one step closer to working some major Transfer Portal magic.
Related: Louisville’s projected lineup if it lands Flory Bidunga would put Cards in ACC Title hunt
For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.