LOUISVILLE – Louisville has officially activated former NBA G League guard London Johnson, who will be available to play in the Cardinals’ home game on Saturday against Boston College, as confirmed by a statement released by the university at 10 a.m. The highly anticipated game will tip off at noon ET and will be broadcast on The CW Network.
Johnson, who committed to Louisville in October and has spent three seasons in the G League, was declared eligible by the NCAA after it determined he had not been compensated beyond actual expenses, as outlined in Bylaw 12.2.2.2.1. Although Johnson is 21 years old and was thus classified as a junior, he arrived on campus in mid-December, initially expected to redshirt this season. However, his participation this season would mean he would only have one remaining year of eligibility.
The decision to activate Johnson was prompted by an injury to Louisville’s freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who is projected to be a lottery pick but has missed the last five games due to a back injury. Louisville suffered three losses during that stretch, including back-to-back defeats against Stanford and Duke. Brown will not play against Boston College, as stated in the injury report released on Friday night, though Cardinals coach Pat Kelsey expressed optimism that Brown would return soon.
Kelsey now has the option to deploy Johnson in Saturday’s game against the Eagles. “If we need him, we’ll put him in there,” Kelsey said in an exclusive interview with Hoops HQ. “This is a crap shoot. I have no idea if he’s going to be able to give us one minute. He hasn’t played in a competitive game in a long, long time.”
Another injury concern for Louisville emerged when starting guard Ryan Conwell sustained a left knee injury during practice on Thursday. Although the injury is not deemed serious, Conwell missed practice on Friday and is considered a game-time decision. This situation underscores the urgent need for Kelsey to bolster his team’s backcourt depth.
Kelsey and Johnson had been discussing the activation for several days before finalizing the decision on Wednesday, allowing Johnson to participate in practice with the active players for the first time the following day. Johnson was receptive to the idea of competing this season, despite it meaning he would have to forfeit his redshirt eligibility. “It’s funny how fate works,” Kelsey remarked, noting that Johnson had expressed a desire to help the team as soon as he learned of Brown’s injury.
While Kelsey is confident Brown will return to the lineup eventually, he is cautious about rushing the freshman back. Brown participated in some light shooting during Friday’s practice but remained inactive overall. “He wants to be out there so stinking bad, and he’s going to be out there at some point,” Kelsey asserted. “But we’re just being real cautious with it.”
Johnson’s transition to Louisville mirrors a growing trend in college basketball, highlighted by recent signings of other G League players. Notably, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo expressed frustration over the sudden eligibility of players who have spent years in the G League. Kelsey, however, defends his choices, likening them to signing professional players from Europe and emphasizing the need to follow the established rules.
As a four-star recruit from Norcross, Georgia, Johnson had previously attracted attention from several major programs before signing a two-year contract with the NBA G League’s Ignite, a now-defunct initiative aimed at developing young talents. He played with the Ignite before being drafted into the G League, where he experienced a challenging journey, appearing in 76 games across several teams.
Amidst growing interest from fans eager to see Johnson play, Kelsey warns that it may take time for the guard to adjust back to competitive play. “This is freaking hard,” he said, acknowledging that Johnson hasn’t played in a while and needs time to regain his game shape. Nonetheless, Johnson is prepared to put in the effort necessary to contribute to his team effectively as he adapitates to the rigors of college basketball.