Louisville Forward Aboubacar Traore to Miss 'Multiple Weeks' with Broken Arm

The transfer from Long Beach State started the Cardinals' first two games of the season.

Louisville Cardinals forward Aboubacar Traore (25) looks to pass around Spalding University's Caden Bradford (0) at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. / Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program is going to be without a key player for an extended period of time.

Prior to their tip-off against Bellarmine, the Cardinals announced that forward Aboubacar 'Kader' Traore will miss "multiple weeks" due to a broken left arm suffered earlier this week. Louisville also announced that Koren Johnson will not play against the Knights due to a shoulder injury.

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound wing started Louisville's first two games of the season. In 37 combined minutes played vs. Morehead State and Tennessee, Traore shot 1-of-6 from the field and went 1-of-2 from the free throw line for three points, grabbed 10 rebounds, tallied four assists and blocked three shots.

Joining Louisville from Long Beach State this past offseason, Traore was one of the best players in the Big West Conference last season. Playing in all 36 games with 31 starts, he put up 12.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, a team-best 4.5 assists, a team-best 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, while also shooting 51.7 percent from the floor.

Not only did Traore earn First-Team All-Big West honors last season, he was also named the conference's Best Hustle Player. He also won the Big West Tournament MVP after averaging 13.0 points and 10.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game to help the Beach win the conference tournament and clinch their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2012.

A native of Côte D’Ivoire in West Africa, Traore has had a productive three-year career at Long Beach State. In 101 appearances and 88 games, he has totaled 1,033 points, 853 rebounds and 318 assists.

Tip-off against the Knights is set for 7:00 p.m. EST.

(Photo of Aboubacar Traore: Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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