Report: Louisville Forward Imani Lester Enters Transfer Portal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Another member of the Louisville women's basketball program is reportedly opting to continue her collegiate career elsewhere.

Freshman forward Imani Lester has entered her name into the transfer portal, according to the Associated Press' Mitchell Northam.

Lester is the fourth Cardinal to enter the portal during this academic year. Sophomore guard Payton Verhulst did so midway through the season back in early December, then freshman guards Jalyn Brown and Zyanna Walker both did so right before the NCAA Tournament.

The 6-foot-3 forward came to Louisville as a highly-touted prospect, ranked as the No. 57 overall player in the Class of 2022 according espnW HoopGurlz. However, Lester would not see the floor during her true freshman campaign. The Raleigh, N.C. native was the only player on Louisville's 15-person roster to not play a single minute during the 2022-23 season.

Head coach Jeff Walz and his staff are having to undergo a massive roster overhaul heading into next season. On top of the four portal defections, the program is graduating six seniors in Mykasa Robinson, Chrislyn Carr, Morgan Jones, Liz Dixon, Josie Williams and Norika Konno. Currently, Louisville is in line to have just five returners.

With no commitments in their 2023 high school recruiting class, Louisville will have to replace all of their departing players with additions via the transfer portal. So far, the Cardinals have landed a pair of transfers for next season in former Georgia Tech guard Eylia Love and former Cal guard Jayda Curry.

Louisville went 26-12 overall for the 2022-23 season, experiencing their first double-digit loss season since their 2011-12 campaign. Despite having a "down year" by their typically lofty standards, the Cardinals saved their best basketball for the postseason. They made the ACC Championship game as a No. 4 seed, then clinched their fifth-straight appearance in the Elite Eight before falling to national runner-up Iowa in the NCAA Tournament.

(Photo of Imani Lester, Jeff Walz via Twitter)

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