Louisville men’s basketball program, despite its 4-28 record this season, is starting its offseason with a significant recruiting win. Riverside (Calif.) Hillcrest center, Dennis Evans, who was once committed to Minnesota and is considered one of the top prospects in the Class of 2023, has announced that he will now be playing for the Cardinals.
Evans had initially given his verbal commitment to Minnesota last October and signed with them during the early signing period in November. However, he later requested to be released from his National Letter of Intent on Feb. 24. He had offers from several other schools, including Kansas, Texas, TCU, and Florida State, before ultimately committing to Louisville after an official visit this past weekend.
This is a much-needed boost for Cardinals head coach Kenny Payne, as they have missed out on several top targets in the 2023 cycle, such as D.J. Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw, A.J. Johnson, and George Washington III, despite having commitments from top-70 wings Kaleb Glenn and Curtis Williams Jr. and JUCO guard Koron Davis.
The addition of Evans to their recruiting class could potentially turn the tide in Louisville’s favor, especially with the transfer portal set to open on Monday, and Class of 2024 five-star small forward Trentyn Flowers, another Cardinals target, set to commit on Friday.
Despite center not being the team’s most significant need, Evans is an exceptional addition to their recruiting class. He is a 7-foot-1, 210-pound big man and is ranked as high as the No. 11 prospect in the nation by Rivals. With a 7-foot-7 wingspan and 9-foot-8 standing reach, Evans is an excellent rim protector. He averaged 14.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.9 blocks per game during his senior season for Hillcrest.
Evans’ commitment is the latest roster management development following the end of Louisville’s season. Last Friday, all three members of the Cardinals’ 2022 recruiting class, Kamari Lands, Devin Ree, and Fabio Basili, entered the transfer portal.
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