Elite '24 SF Carter Bryant Down to Louisville and Arizona

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - One of the top prospects in the Class of 2024 is just one step away from potentially joining the Louisville men's basketball program.

Newport Coast (Calif.) Sage Hill small forward Carter Bryant trimmed his list of top schools to just two finalists on Monday, with the Cardinals still in the running. The only school now standing in Louisville's way for Bryant's commitment is Arizona.

“Louisville has a LEGENDARY coaching staff! What they have all accomplished individually and collectively is going to be hard to find anywhere around the country, Bryant said in a statement to On3. "I think what that coaching staff and the support of city brings a feeling that is hard to get at a lot of colleges. This year doesn’t represent what that program is capable of but down the line it is a program that could very well become a powerhouse in the ACC.”

Early on, Bryant was established as one of Louisville's top targets in the cycle. Last summer, assistant coach Nolan Smith watched him at the Section Seven showcase in Phoenix, and all four coaches on staff got to see him at the NBPA Top 100 Camp in Orlando. Head coach Kenny Payne also conducted an in-person visit last September, and Bryant took an official visit to campus this past November.

There's a reason why Louisville has poured so much effort into recruiting Bryant. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound wing ranks as the top player in the state of California, the top small forward in the class and No. 4 prospect in the nation according to 247Sports' in-house rankings.

With a 247Sports Composite rating of 0.9950, Bryant would be Louisville's third-highest rated commitment in the modern recruiting era should he give them his verbal pledge. Only Samardo Samuels’ 0.9987 rating in the Class of 2008 and Sebastian Telfair's 0.9974 rating in the Class of 2004 are higher.

Despite a horrid 4-28 season in Payne's first year at the helm, Louisville has made tremendous strides on the recruiting trail since their season ended last Tuesday. Five-star 2023 center Dennis Evans committed to the Cardinals this past Sunday, they are set to host former Illinois guard Skyy Clark for a visit on Tuesday, and UofL is seen as the presumptive leader for 2024 five-star wing Trentyn Flowers - who is set to commit this Friday and could potentially reclassify to 2023.

Louisville currently sports just one commitment in the 2024 cycle, coming in the form of Montclair (N.J.) Immaculate Conception point guard T.J. Robinson.

(Photo of Carter Bryant: Matt Szabo - Los Angeles Times)

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