Report: Louisville in Final Two for Colorado Transfer J'Vonne Hadley

It's down to the Cardinals and Trojans for the former Buffaloes guard.

Mar 3, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard J'Vonne Hadley (1) / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Nearly four months after the Louisville and USC football programs faced off in the Holiday Bowl, their men's basketball programs are squaring off for a high impact transfer.

The Cardinals and Trojans are the last two programs in the running to land a commitment from Colorado transfer guard J'Vonne Hadley, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein. Hadley is set to visit UofL's campus tomorrow, and then formally decide his transfer destination on Tuesday, Apr. 16, according to Rothstein.

The 6-foot-6, 205-pound shooting guard played a key role in one of Colorado's best seasons in program history. Playing and starting all but one of the Buffaloes' 37 games, Hadley averaged 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while also shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 83.9 percent from the free-throw line. He was also 41.7 percent on threes, but took just 48 attempts.

The St. Paul, Minn. native helped Colorado go 26-11 overall on the 2023-24 season, which set a school record for most wins, and reach the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. In six games between the Pac-12 and NCAA Tournament, Hadley averaged 8.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Hadley spent his true freshman season at Northwestern before playing his last two seasons in Boulder. In 71 career games and 55 starts, Hadley has totaled 603 points, 359 rebounds, 118 assists and 66 steals.

Not long after the end of Louisville's disastrous 2023-24 campaign, one which resulted in the firing of second-year head coach Kenny Payne, the Cardinals' roster began to flip. In fact, all 12 of Louisville's scholarship players have entered the portal, with only walk-on guard Hercy Miller in line to return.

Fortunately, new head coach Pat Kelsey is already starting to work the portal. So far, Kelsey has landed three transfers since officially being named the new head coach on Mar. 28: guard Reyne Smith and center James Scott - both of whom are following Kelsey from Charleston - as well as former James Madison star and 2024 Sun Belt Player of the Year Terrence Edwards Jr.

(Photo of J'Vonne Hadley: Ron Chenoy - USA TODAY Sports)

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