Louisville Officially Announces Addition of Center James Scott

Scott is the second newcomer to be officially signed by the Cardinals.

Mar 21, 2024; Spokane, WA, USA; Charleston Cougars forward James Scott (23) / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program has officially signed former College of Charleston center James Scott, the program announced Tuesday.

Scott is the second of 13 newcomers for the 2024-25 season to be officially announced by the Cardinals, following guard Reyne Scott. He was also the second commitment for new head coach Pat Kelsey following his hiring on Mar. 28.

“James Scott reminds me of a young Marcus Camby,” Kelsey said in a statement. “He’s earned a reputation as one of the premier lob-threats in the NCAA. James played last season as the third youngest player in the country but has a level of maturity that exceeds his age. On the defensive end, he’s extremely versatile and can guard every position. One of my favorite aspects of his game is his extremely underrated passing ability. His basketball IQ is exceptional, and his future is extraordinarily bright.”

The 6-foot-11, 210-pound big man was a regular rotational contributor for the Cougars this past season. Playing in all 35 games while making four starts, Scott averaged 5.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in just 16.1 minutes per game, while also leading the team in field goal percentage at an astounding 79.2 percent. He cracked double figures in scoring six times, was twice named the CAA Rookie of the Week, and earned a spot on the CAA All-Rookie Team.

Scott's play during his freshman campaign has already drawn the attention of some NBA scouts. In a story by the Post & Courier back in March, an anonymous scout raved about Scott, saying that “his length, his athleticism, his footwork are exactly what NBA teams are looking for nowadays."

The Fayetteville, N.C. was regarded as a three-star prospect coming out of high school. Scott ranked as the No. 7 player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 38 center in the Class of 2023, according to 247Sports' in-house rankings.

Not long after the end of Louisville's disastrous 2023-24 campaign, one which resulted in the firing of second-year head coach Kenny Payne, the Cardinals' roster began to flip. All 12 of Louisville's scholarship players entered the portal, with only walk-on guard Aidan McCool in line to return.

Fortunately, Kelsey has done a fantastic job of roster construction since his hiring, bringing in 12 Division I transfers and one high school prospect. Their transfer portal class ranks No. 1 in the nation, according to On3.

(Photo of James Scott: James Snook - USA TODAY Sports)

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