The NCAA transfer portal closed at midnight Wednesday, and Louisville has found itself among the biggest winners of college basketball's free agency period to this point.
Still, Pat Kelsey and the members of his coaching staff have a good bit of work to do as they flesh out the Cardinals' 2026-27 roster.
At the time of publication, UofL had just enough scholarship players on board to field a six-man rotation — with walk-on Will Hanke, a rising sophomore, serving as a seventh option off the bench. And, of its five portal entrants from the 2025-26 roster, all but Mouhamed Camara and Kasean Pryor had committed to other programs.
The portal closing does not mean commitments are off the table. Players who entered before Wednesday's deadline can take their time finding a new home. They can also withdraw their names, but programs are not obligated to hold scholarships/roster spots.
Here's a look at where Louisville's roster of scholarship players stands at this juncture of the offseason:
Flory Bidunga, the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, shot to the very top of most portal rankings when he announced his departure from Kansas and will likely hold on to that position when it's all said and done.
The 6-10, 235-pound Congolese forward picked Louisville (reportedly, over the likes of Duke, Michigan and St. John's) after wrapping up a visit to campus April 12.
Across 31.6 minutes per game (34 starts) as a sophomore in 2025-26, Bidunga was the only Division I player to average more than 13 points (13.3 on 64% shooting), 8.5 rebounds (nine) and 2.5 blocks (2.6).
When Bidunga entered the portal, he also announced his intentions to test the NBA draft waters. The early entry withdrawal deadline for players who wish to return to the collegiate ranks is 11:59 p.m. May 27.
Some, like 247Sports scouting director Adam Finkelstein, believe Bidunga has done enough to hear his name called in the first round this year.
"I think he's a first-round NBA draft pick. In fact, I've got him at No. 29 on our big board," Finkelstein said during an April 8 appearance on CBS Sports HQ. "But here's the thing: That equated this year to about a $2.3 million slot; and he's going to get a whole lot more in the portal. … He's going to be as dominant of a center as there is if he stays in the college game next year."
Alvaro Folgueiras, a key cog in Iowa's first Elite Eight run since 1987, committed to Louisville on April 21.
The 6-10 junior forward from Spain appeared in all 37 games (one start) for an average of 20 minutes during his lone season with the Hawkeyes. He finished third on the team in scoring with 8.4 points on 50% shooting (33% from 3-point range) while also chipping in 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists (against 1.2 turnovers).
Folgueiras shined on the NCAA Tournament stage. He went for 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting during a victory over Nebraska that sent Iowa to the Elite Eight. Before that, he came up with the decisive basket in the Hawkeyes' second-round upset of No. 1-seeded Florida: a 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining in regulation that gave him 14 points on the evening.
Those were two of his 16 games breaking double digits. Iowa had a 15-1 record in those games.
Per BartTorvik.com, Folgueiras was one of two Division I players who, across 50% or more of their team's available minutes during the 2025-26 season, posted an offensive rating of 120 or better, a defensive box plus-minus of +3 or better, a defensive rebounding rate of 18% or better and an assist rate of 20% or better.
The other player? Duke freshman phenom Cameron Boozer, the reigning Naismith Trophy winner.
According to his bio on Iowa Athletics' official website, Folgueiras' nickname is "El Pulpo Fol," which translates to "The Octopus." Prior to joining the Hawkeyes, he spent two seasons at Robert Morris — earning Horizon League Player of the Year honors as a sophomore in 2024-25 after averaging 14.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals.
Having not entered the portal, former NBA G League guard London Johnson, who arrived at Louisville in December and redshirted the remainder of the 2025-26 season, is locked into making his collegiate debut with the Cards next fall.
That almost happened in January, when the 6-3, 175-pound native of Norcross, Georgia, was listed as available for a win over Boston College. But he didn't see the court; and, three days later, Kelsey announced Johnson would be sticking with his original plan.