Three Former Cards on 2025-26 NBA Opening Day Rosters

The Louisville men's basketball program has a decent presence heading into the 2025-26 NBA season.

Oct 14, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) stands on the court in the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The National Basketball Association has officially returned. Just four months after the Oklahoma City Thunder were able to clinch the 2025 NBA Finals, the season-opener for the 2025-26 season is finally here.

With Opening Night taking place last night and the rest of the Association scheduled to begin play today, three former Louisville men's basketball players are on final 2025-26 rosters across the league following training camp: guards Chucky Hepburn, Donovan Mitchell and Terry Rozier.

Two other former Cards are starting the season with an affiliate team in the NBA G-League, and could find themselves on active rosters at some point this season. Guard David Johnson is with the Memphis Hustle (affiliate of the Memphis Grizzlies), while forward/center Malik Williams is with the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami Heat).

Heading into his ninth year in the NBA and fourth with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mitchell put together his sixth-straight NBA All-Star season last year. Playing and starting in 71 games during the regular season, Mitchell averaged 24.0 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game, while putting up a 44.3/36.8/82.3 shooting split. He became just the second former Cardinal to be named to the All-NBA First Team.

Rozier is heading into his 11th season in the association, but his second full season with the Miami Heat after being traded by the Charlotte Hornets in the middle of the 2023-24 season. Caught up in a sporting betting investigation, Rozier saw his production take a hit for the second straight season. Despite playing 64 games and starting 23, he averaged just 10.6 points, 2.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds, while shooting 39.1 percent from the field and 29.5 percent on three-point attempts.

Hepburn signed a two-way deal with the Raptors after going undrafted following the 2025 NBA Draft, but impressed during the Summer League and preseason. Starting all but one game in his lone season at Louisville, he averaged 16.4 points, 5.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game - all of which were career-highs. He shot 43.2 percent from the field, 32.8 percent on three-point attempts, and 84.4 percent at the free throw line.

(Photo of Donovan Mitchell: David Richard - Imagn Images)

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