Louisville Places an East Carolina Transfer in the Top Six Johnson, Brandon

Throughout his collegiate career, the former Pirates forward was a solid rebounder and scorer.

LOUISVILLE, KY: Another significant portal potential is being considered for the men’s basketball team at Louisville.

The Cardinals were among the six teams that former East Carolina forward Brandon Johnson listed as his primary transfer destinations on Tuesday. Miami, Virginia Tech, NC State, Mississippi State, and Pitt are among the other contenders for his pledge.

Johnson wasn’t the reason East Carolina finished the 2023–24 season with a record of 15–18, though. With a team-high 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals, and 14.0 points per game, the 6-foot-8, 210-pound power forward participated in 31 of the Pirates’ 33 games and started all of them.

Johnson is a proficient three-point shooter for a big man, making 36.5 percent of his long-range attempts. In addition, he excels at defensive rebounding; his 6.13 defensive rebounds per game put him 57th in Division 1. When both were combined, Johnson scored 11 double-doubles, ranking 44th in Division 1.

Before spending three seasons as an ECU player, the Raleigh, North Carolina native played his true freshman year at Brunswick Community College. Johnson has scored 969 points, pulled down 681 rebounds, disheveled 131 assists, 94 steals, and 54 blocks in 93 games with the Pirates, including 68 starts.

The Cardinals’ squad started to change soon after the terrible 2023–24 season came to an end, leading to the dismissal of second-year head coach Kenny Payne. There are currently 11 Louisville athletes in line with no scholarship returners after they accessed the site.

Thankfully, Pat Kelsey, the new head coach, has already begun to use the gateway. Since formally taking over as the new head coach on March 28, Kelsey has signed two players, guard Reyne Smith and center James Scott, both of whom are coming from Charleston.

Terrance Edwards Jr. of James Madison and Toledo’s Dante Maddox Jr., who recently cracked the top eight, will also be hosted by UofL.

(Brian Johnson photo courtesy of William Purnell of USA TODAY Sports)