Report: Louisville Guard/Forward Mike James to Enter Transfer Portal

The redshirt sophomore is the seventh player to move on from the Cardinals following the end of their 2023-24 season.

Louisville Cardinals guard Mike James (0) warms up ahead of their game on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024 / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Another starter for the Louisville men's basketball program is looking for a new home.

Redshirt sophomore guard/forward Mike James plans on entering his name into the transfer portal, according to On3's Joe Tipton.

“First off, I’d like to thank Louisville for these past few years,” James told On3. “I have grown as a player and a person thanks to my coaches and this community. I wouldn’t be the player I am without you all. I am forever grateful. With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal to explore other opportunities for my basketball career. Thank you Card Nation.”

James is the second regular starter from the 2023-24 season for the Cardinals to enter the transfer portal, following sophomore guard Skyy Clark, and the seventh overall. True freshman forwards Curtis Williams and Kaleb Glenn, true freshman center Dennis Evans, sophomore forward Danilo Jovanovich and senior forward J.J. Traynor all have entered the portal as well.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound wing joined Brandon Huntley-Hatfield as one of just two players to start all 32 games for Louisville this past season, and he was one of their top scorers.

Despite shooting just 39.6 percent from the field for the season, he finished third behind Clark and Huntley-Hatfield in points per game at 12.6, and had the second-most made three-pointers on the team at 36. He was also their third-leading rebounder at 5.0 per game, and dished out 1.5 assists per game.

The Orlando, Fla. native joined Louisville ahead of their 2021-22 season, but had to miss the entire year due to a preseason Achilles injury. During his first season in action last year, he was one of the top freshman in the ACC. James was Louisville's second-leading scorer at 10.1 points per game, good for the fourth-best mark in the conference among freshmen. He also secured 3.3 rebounds per game and shot 45.3 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.

(Photo of Mike James: Clare Grant - Courier Journal / USA TODAY)

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