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Louisville Predicted to Land Former 5-Star Recruit in College Basketball Transfer Portal

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Apr 10, 2026 11:10 AM ET

The Louisville Cardinals entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 6 seed in the East Region. Their run was cut short with a second-round loss to No. 3 Michigan State Spartans. Despite the disappointing end, it's the furthest the Cardinals have made it under second-year head coach Pat Kelsey.

With the offseason now underway, he and his staff are focused on the transfer portal. So far, Louisville is set to lose four players, with forward Sananda Fru, forward Khani Rooths, forward Mouhamed Camara and guard Spencer Legg all departing.

With the portal officially opening on Tuesday, the Cardinals have begun their due diligence. In fact, On3's Jamie Shaw logged an expert prediction on Friday for Louisville to land former Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad.

Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey.Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Coming out of high school in the 2023 cycle, Shelstad was a five-star recruit and the No. 24 player in the nation, per 247Sports Composite rankings. He chose Oregon over the Arizona State Sun Devils, Florida Gators, Houston Cougars and Kansas Jayhawks.

He appeared in just 12 games last season due to a hand injury. However, he still averaged 15.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. He also shot 39.1% from the field and 31.4% from the three-point line.

Over his entire three-year stint with Oregon, he appeared in 79 games and made 77 starts. Averaging 13.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3 assists in that time makes him one of the most productive and experienced players in the transfer portal.

However, looking for a change of scenery, he has one more year of eligibility. If Shaw's prediction is correct, then Shelstad could be the first portal addition Louisville makes this offseason.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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