© Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
Report: Louisville Forward/Center Emmanuel Okorafor Enters Transfer Portal
The sophomore is the tenth player to move on from the Cardinals following the end of their 2023-24 season.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The amount of players to depart the Louisville men's basketball program through the transfer portal has now reached double figures.
Sophomore forward/center Emmanuel Okorafor has entered his name into the transfer portal,according to On3's Jamie Shaw.
Okorafor is now the tenth Cardinal to enter the transfer portal this offseason. He joins Skyy Clark, Dennis Evans, Kaleb Glenn, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, Mike James, Danilo Jovanovich, J.J. Traynor, Tre White and Curtis Williams.
With Aidan McCool and Zan Payne graduating, plus Koron Davis being dismissed from the team midway through the season, Louisville is in line to return just two players from this past season: guard Ty-Laur Johnson and walk-on guard Hercy Miller.
While the 6-foot-9, 220-pound big man showed flashes of potential, he would up having a minimal overall impact during his time as a Cardinal. While he appeared in 20 of Louisville's 32 games this past season, he averaged only 7.0 minutes, 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. His best outing came when he scored eight points and logged six rebounds - both of which tied career-highs - in the season-opener against UMBC.
The Abia, Nigeria native and NBA Academy Africa product joined Louisville midway through the 2022-23 season. In five appearances off the bench that season, Okorafor averaged 4.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over 15.0 minutes played per game.
Across all four NBA Academies around the world, Okorafor was one of just 12 prospects chosen to participate in the Basketball Africa League's Elevate program in 2022. Playing for BC Espoir Fukash, he averaged 9.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists and 1.6 blocks across fives games, while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.
The influx of transfers following the end of Louisville's season is not a surprising development. The Cardinals finished their 2023-24 campaign with an overall record of just 8-24 and 3-17 in ACC play, resulting in the dismissal second-year head coach Kenny Payne on Mar. 13. UofL hired Charleston's Pat Kelsey to replace Payne last week.
(Photo of Emmanuel Okorafor: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)
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