Pat Kelsey confirms former G-Leaguer won’t play for Louisville Cardinals this season

Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball will move forward without former NBA G League guard London Johnson this season, as head coach Pat Kelsey confirmed on Tuesday night that the program has reverted to its original redshirt plan.

The clarification came after a confusing sequence of events surrounding Johnson’s availability, which surfaced just days earlier when Louisville announced the 6-foot-3 guard would be “dressed and available” against Boston College. Despite that announcement, Johnson did not see the floor against the Eagles or later in Louisville’s 79-70 loss to No. 16 Virginia, prompting questions about his status.

Speaking after the Virginia loss, Kelsey acknowledged missteps in how the situation was communicated publicly and took responsibility for the confusion.

“Had those initial conversations with London, like I said I take responsibility, like how it was handled when the statement was put out,” Kelsey said, via 35KYSports. “The fact of the matter is, when we sat down with him initially, we had really good conversations and I think London thought, hey, this could be a good thing.”

Johnson, who spent the last three seasons in the G League and arrived on campus in mid-December, was originally expected to redshirt the year to adjust to the college game. However, Louisville’s recent lack of depth, particularly at point guard, accelerated internal discussions about possibly activating him midseason.

Kelsey explained that those talks included Johnson’s representation and family, but emphasized how demanding the situation became for a player jumping levels halfway through the year.

“Talk to to his people agent, talk to his agent. It looked like he was moving in the right direction,” Kelsey said. “I think what we’ve all got to remember, too, is that’s a lot to ask of that young man. There’s a lot of things that go into it. He only has two years of eligibility. We’re already halfway through the season. He has a whole lot of ground to make up before he can really go out there and be a productive player for us.”

As Louisville prepared for the Boston College game, Johnson began ramping up toward potential game action, but the realities of eligibility and long-term development ultimately guided the final decision.

“I think as we were building into it, and he was starting to get ready for the Boston College game…And, and I get it 100%. There’s, there’s, a lot of implications that kind of like go along with a decision like that with only having two years of eligibility,” Kelsey added.

BREAKING

London Johnson will redshirt once again. After Louisville’s loss to Virginia, Pat Kelsey confirmed that following conversations with London, his agent, and his family, the decision was made to hold him out this season. Kelsey said London had a change of heart… pic.twitter.com/FyqecBrIMj

— 35KYSports (@35KYSportsMedia) January 14, 2026

Johnson, 21, has two remaining seasons after appearing in 21 G League games this year. Louisville will now prioritize getting him fully acclimated for next season, betting that patience will better position both player and program.

The post Pat Kelsey confirms former G-Leaguer won’t play for Louisville Cardinals this season appeared first on ClutchPoints.