Louisville’s Ty-Laur Johnson Misses Huge Chunk of Game Due to Tights Fiasco

Louisville has seen more than its fair share of dubious history under coach Kenny Payne.

In 2023, the Cardinals accomplished a pair of ignominious feats: their worst record since 1941 (4–28), and their worst-ever conference record (2–18).

Now, Louisville has almost assuredly become the first team to have a player sit out nearly half a game for tights-related reasons.

It happened Wednesday, as the Cardinals rallied past Bellarmine for a 73–68 victory. Freshman guard Ty-Laur Johnson scored eight important points for Louisville, but he missed almost the entire first half.

“He didn’t know if he wanted to play,” Payne said. “We didn’t have the tights that he wanted, that we’ve never had for him, and he decided, ‘I don’t feel like I can go.’ That’s what young people do.”

Johnson played 2 1/2 minutes in the first half and took two shots, missing both.

“He figured it out in the second half. He accepted the fact that we didn’t have the tights that we’ve never had for him, and he played. And he played well,” Payne said, later chalking up the incident to “a new generation of young people.”

Johnson is averaging 8.9 points and 3.7 assists in his first seven games with the Cardinals (4–3).