Reports: Louisville lands top portal targets Flory Bidunga, Jackson Shelstad

Field Level Media
13 Apr 2026, 00:49 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

Louisville landed simultaneous commitments from former Kansas center Flory Bidunga and ex-Oregon point guard Jackson Shelstad on Sunday as they concluded weekend visits, according to multiple media reports.

ESPN reported that Louisville offered the top portal players, who are represented by the same agency, as a package deal and was 'aggressive in laying out a vision for building (a) championship roster.'

Bidunga, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year who has been widely considered the best player in this year's transfer portal class, averaged 13.3 points, a team-high 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 35 games (34 starts) during his second season with the Jayhawks. The 6-foot-10, 235-pound leaper ranked fourth nationally in blocks per game.

Shelstad, ranked by ESPN as the No. 9 player in the portal and by On3 as the No. 17 portal player, has played the last three seasons at Oregon. In 2025-26, he averaged a career-high 15.6 points and a team-high 4.9 assists against 1.8 turnovers per game -- but did not play after Dec. 28 due to tendon and ligament damage in his right hand. In 2024-25, Shelstad earned third-team all-Big Ten honors for averaging 13.7 points per game and helping the Ducks claim a No. 5 NCAA Tournament seed.

The Cardinals made their second NCAA Tournament in as many years under Pat Kelsey this past season. But with a second-round exit after a loss to No. 3 seed Michigan State, Louisville remains in pursuit of its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2015.

--Field Level Media

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