The Louisville Cardinals became the biggest winner of the transfer portal in men’s college basketball with a 1-2 punch that could immediate vault them into position as one of the top teams in the country for the 2026-2027 season.
Flory Bidunga was by far the top player available in the transfer portal, and he chose Louisville over Duke, Michigan, and St. John’s on Sunday. Bidunga also declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, so it’s possible he never steps foot on campus, but it feels more likely than not that he ends up with the Cardinals. The bouncy 6’10 big man is coming off a terrific sophomore year at Kansas where he emerged as one of the country’s best rim protectors as well a terrifying lob threat and dominant presence on the offensive glass. Bidunga is considered a fringe first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but he would likely get significantly more money from Louisville than at his draft slot.
Louisville also landed a commitment from former Oregon point guard Jackson Shelstad on Sunday. Shelstad only played 12 games last season with a hand injury, but he looked like one of the better lead guards in the country last time he played a full season as a sophomore. The 6-foot guard ripped 38 percent of his threes in his last full season in 2024-25, and he seemed to be making a big leap as a playmaker before the injury. Shelstad is reportedly applying for a medical redshirt, so it’s possible he’ll have two years of college elibility left.
Bidunga and Shelstad’s commitments were framed as a packaged deal by ESPN. The Cardinals were also one of the biggest winners of last year’s transfer portal, but still couldn’t win a game in the NCAA tournament as star freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr. was limited with a back injury. Louisville is expected to return Adrian Wooley, who could also be in for a breakout junior season.
Cards head coach Pat Kelsey hit a grand slam in the transfer portal. With Duke lacking a star on the level of Cooper Flagg or Cameron Boozer next season, and North Carolina just starting to rebuild with new coach Mike Malone, it’s possible Louisville just became the preseason favorites in the ACC as long as Bidunga doesn’t jump to the draft.
