2023 5-Star Trentyn Flowers to Leave Louisville and Join NBL

The University of Louisville’s basketball program received shocking news today when 2023 5-star signee Trentyn Flowers announced he is leaving the program to play for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League in Australia. “Those that know me know my biggest dream has always been to play in the NBA,” Flowers states. “Recently, I have been blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime – to play professional basketball in Australia.”

Flowers is joining the 36ers as a part of the NBL’s Next Stars program. He goes on to state that leaving the Cardinals program was not easy, saying it was also a dream of his. He continues by saying, “While my time in Louisville has been short, it has been an amazing experience and I can’t thank you all enough.”

The NBL has recently become a steady pipeline of talent for the NBA, with young stars like LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey coming from the league. Flowers, a 6-8 guard/forward from Combine Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina, is now the latest American high-school prospect to join the Next Stars program. He is joined this year by fellow 5-star AJ Johnson who is a former Texas commit, along with being a former Louisville prospect. Johnson was reportedly supposed to visit Louisville in 2022, but never made it to campus.

Flowers was originally in the class of 2024 before reclassifying when he committed to Louisville on March 17, 2023. He signed his letter of intent on April 12 and worked with the team all throughout the summer before announcing his departure today. Flowers is a natural scorer and plays like a big guard. His role for Louisville was suspected to be huge as he was projected to be one of the Cardinals’ leading scorers.

“For someone who is 6’8, he has great vision and great poise,” said 36ers head coach CJ Burton. “Trentyn has the ability to play the game at an elite level and I can see him having a similar impact as Josh Giddey and LaMelo Ball.” That is very high praise from his new head coach. Time will tell just how successful Flowers can and will be.

Perhaps the most shocked from this decision is Cardinals head coach Kenny Payne. “Earlier today, Trentyn and his family informed me of his decision to pursue a professional career overseas. We’re certainly disappointed in his decision and the timing,” Payne said in a press release. “We fully believe in the University of Louisville’s ability to help student athletes reach their goals, including to play at the highest levels of professional basketball – and we’re confident that Trentyn could have achieved his dreams by making Louisville his home. However, we wish Trentyn and his family well in all of their future endeavors.”

Louisville won just four games in the 2022-23 season which did not satisfy Payne, the players, and especially not Cardinals fans. After a good offseason, which included a top five overall class that accounts for freshmen and transfers, things were looking up for the Cardinals. However, after Flowers departure, the future is a little more cloudy than it was just 24 hours ago.

Payne has a lot of work to do in his second season to improve the morale around the program, and now with only a couple months left until the season he now has another roster spot to try to fill. Louisville still has plenty of talent coming in and staying from last season, and the record this year should still be an improvement. Still, Flowers leaving is a huge blow.

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