LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Louisville men’s basketball program is finally on the board in the Class of 2026.
London Johnson, a point guard who most recently spent time in the NBA G-League, announced Monday that he has committed to the Cardinals.
The 6-foot-3, 181-pound guard is “expected to arrive in Louisville mid-year and will sit out for the rest of the season, and be eligible next year,” according to The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman. He will then have two years of eligibility to play.
Johnson has spent the last three seasons in the G-League, splitting time between the Maine Red Claws – the affiliate for the Boston Celtics – and Cleveland Charge – the affiliate for the Cleveland Cavaliers – this past season. In 21 games and three starts, he put up 3.1 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.
A native of Norcross, Ga., Johnson was four-star recruiting coming out of high school, regarded at the No. 46 prospect in the Class of 2022, per the 247Sports Composite. Despite holding offers from Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and then Louisville head coach Chris Mack, Johnson decided to go the professional route.
Johnson’s first two seasons at the professional level were spent with the G-League Ignite, and he saw a good amount of success here. During the 2022-23 season, he averaged 10.5 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds across 30 games and 14 starts. The next season, he put up 10.6 points, 4.9 assists and 2.2 boards in 25 games and eight starts. He’s shot 42.8 percent from the floor and 32.8 percent on threes during his time in the G-League.
Historically, once a player has made the jump to the pro level, they exhaust any and all collegiate eligibility they have left. However, last month, the NCAA’s ruled that Thierry Darlan, who also had previously played in the G-League, was eligible to play D1 hoops at Santa Clara this upcoming season.
Johnson is not the only G-League player Louisville has actively recruited. Earlier this month, Abdullah Ahmed, a 21-year-old center who played the last two seasons for the Westchester Knicks, announced that Louisville was one of six schools that had offered him.
In over a year-and-a-half on the job, Kelsey and Co. have shown a willingness to build their roster by any means necessary. For instance, of the seven newcomers for the 2025-26 season, one is a traditional high school prospect, three are from the transfer portal, and the other three are from overseas.
Louisville is coming off of a successful year one under head coach Kelsey. The Cardinals went 27-8 overall, winning more games than over the previous three seasons combined, resulting in Kelsey winning ACC Coach of the Year. UofL made their return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 – although it resulted in a first round exit to Creighton.
More Cardinals Stories
(Photo via Jared Anderson – Louisville Cardinals On SI)
You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:
Facebook – @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter/X – @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram – @louisvilleonsi
You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X and @mattmcgavic.bsky.social on Bluesky
