Louisville Cardinals Targeting Top Transfers from Kansas, Oregon

The Cardinals hope to land commitments from Flory Bidunga and Jackson Shelstad in the same recruiting visit.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:57am

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The Louisville Cardinals are bringing in two high-profile transfers, Flory Bidunga from Kansas and Jackson Shelstad from Oregon, for an official visit this Friday. The team is hoping to land commitments from both players as they look to bolster their roster and improve on their 6-seed NCAA Tournament appearance this past season.

Why it matters

Landing these two transfers would be a major coup for Louisville, as both Bidunga and Shelstad are among the top players in the transfer portal. Bidunga is an elite defensive center who could shore up the Cardinals' frontcourt, while Shelstad is a talented guard who could step in and start right away if current starter Mikel Brown leaves for the NBA.

The details

Bidunga, a center from Kansas, and Shelstad, a 6-foot guard from Oregon, will be visiting Louisville together on Friday as part of their transfer portal process. Bidunga averaged 10.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game last season, while Shelstad put up 15.6 points and 4.9 assists per contest for the Ducks. Louisville is hoping the joint visit will help the two players build chemistry and potentially commit to the Cardinals together.

  • Bidunga and Shelstad will be visiting Louisville on Friday, April 11, 2026.

The players

Flory Bidunga

A center from Kansas who is one of the top defensive players in the transfer portal, averaging 10.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game last season.

Jackson Shelstad

A 6-foot guard from Oregon who averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 assists per game last season, and could step in as the starting point guard for Louisville if Mikel Brown leaves for the NBA.

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What they’re saying

“Louisville bringing them both to town shows a focus on landing impact players in the portal to lead to growth in the season ahead.”

— Jeff Goodman, College basketball insider

What’s next

Louisville will host Bidunga and Shelstad for their official visit on Friday, April 11, 2026, where the team will look to secure commitments from both players.

The takeaway

Louisville's pursuit of Bidunga and Shelstad highlights the importance of the transfer portal in today's college basketball landscape. Landing these two high-profile transfers could be a game-changer for the Cardinals as they look to improve on their 6-seed NCAA Tournament appearance and return to national prominence.