Seth Trimble Commitment Solidifies Louisville As NCAA Title Contender

Aug 13, 2026 04:15 AM - 1 hour ago 1

In Las Vegas past month, Seth Trimble played for the Washington Wizards successful the NBA Summer League, averaging 10.8 points successful 23.3 minutes per game. It was seemingly the commencement of his master career. But now, Trimble is returning to college, acknowledgment to a caller tribunal ruling.

On Wednesday, Trimble committed to Louisville, according to an ESPN report. Trimble, who played 4 years astatine North Carolina, tin now compete for a 5th twelvemonth aft a U.S. territory tribunal judge successful Ohio connected July 31 granted a preliminary injunction that gave athletes from the precocious schoolhouse people of 2022 an other year. That coincides pinch a caller NCAA norm that took effect this period allowing athletes 5 years of eligibility successful a five-year model starting erstwhile they participate college.

The NCAA has appealed the judge’s ruling. Still, barring a change, Trimble will beryllium eligible to play this season, giving Louisville a changeable astatine the nationalist championship.

After coming disconnected the chair successful his first 2 seasons astatine North Carolina, Trimble started 18 games for the Tar Heels successful the 2024-25 play and each 24 games he appeared successful past play erstwhile he averaged a career-high 14 points per crippled and changeable 47.1% from the field. He entered the transportation portal pursuing the season, allowing him to caput to different schoolhouse if he could get different twelvemonth of eligibility. He wasn’t selected successful June’s NBA draught and didn’t motion a master contract, though he played for the Wizards successful the summertime league. Trimble came disconnected the chair successful the team’s first 3 games earlier starting the last 2 games.

At Louisville, Trimble should commencement and subordinate a programme that has invested heavy during the offseason. The Cardinals person the No. 1 transportation portal people successful the nation, per 247Sports, including erstwhile Kansas guardant Flory Bidunga, the apical classed transportation who averaged 13.3 points, 9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks for the Jayhawks arsenic a sophomore past season.

Louisville’s different transfers see defender Jackson Shelstad, a three-year starter astatine Oregon who averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals successful 12 games past season; guardant Alvaro Folgueiras, who averaged 8.4 points and 3.6 rebounds astatine Iowa; defender Karter Knox, who averaged 8.1 points and 4.5 rebounds astatine Arkansas; defender De’Shayne Montgomery, who averaged 13.4 points astatine Dayton; and halfway Gabe Dynes, who averaged 2.9 points per crippled astatine USC.

The Cardinals signed 2 apical precocious schoolhouse players, arsenic well, successful halfway Obinna Ekezie Jr. and guardant Boyuan Zhang, who were No. 15 and No. 54, respectively, successful the precocious schoolhouse people of 2026 rankings, per the 247Sports Composite. They besides person London Johnson, a defender who played 3 seasons successful the NBA G-League earlier enrolling astatine Louisville successful December but sitting retired the season.

Louisville went 24-11 past play and 11-7 successful the Atlantic Coast Conference, bully for sixth successful the league. The Cardinals precocious to the NCAA tourney arsenic a No. 6 seed, wherever they mislaid to Michigan State successful the 2nd round, a disappointing ending considering Louisville was 11th successful the preseason Associated Press poll.

This year, the Cardinals should ace the apical 10 of the preseason polls moreover though they only return 1 contributor successful defender Adrian Wooley, who averaged 8.7 points successful 22.4 minutes per crippled past season.

After firing coach Rick Pitino successful 2017, Louisville had a unsmooth seven-year agelong that included nary NCAA tourney appearances, coach Chris Mack departing nether unit successful January successful 2022 and coach Kenny Payne going 12-52 successful 2 seasons earlier getting fired. But since Pat Kelsey took complete as coach successful 2024, the Cardinals have turned things around, making the NCAAs the past 2 seasons.

Now, Louisville is looking to return the adjacent step. Since advancing to the Elite Eight successful 2015, the Cardinals person only won 2 NCAA tourney games and ne'er made it past the 2nd round. This coming season, the expectations will beryllium high. The Cardinals will subordinate Duke and Virginia arsenic the apt apical 3 teams successful the ACC. More than that, Louisville will beryllium picked among the favorites to make the Final Four for the first clip since 2013 and only the 4th clip successful 40 years. The Cardinals will person plentifulness of pressure, but they person a roster and coaching unit talented capable to make Louisville a nationalist powerfulness erstwhile again.