Louisville forward Jae'Lyn Withers makes decision on future with Cardinals
New Louisville head men’s basketball coach Kenny Payne received more good news on Friday, as forward Jae’Lyn Withers announced a return to the Cardinals for the 2022-2023 season. He posted the announcement on his Twitter page.
“I’m back, watch yours,” Withers wrote in the post, which was accompanied by a graphic.
Withers, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound big, averaged 5.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for Louisville last season while shooting 41% from the field. His best game of the year for the Cardinals came in a loss to Notre Dame on Feb. 9, as Withers scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds.
A former On3 Consensus four-star recruit out of the 2019 class, Withers committed to Louisville over offers from Florida, Texas, Virginia and Arizona, among many others.
Withers is the fourth Louisville player to announce a return to the Cardinals for next season, joining forward Sydney Curry, guard/forward Mike James and guard El Ellis.
Cardinals have returners, but also some key departures
Dre Davis – who was a sophomore guard for Louisville last season – has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Matt Zenitz. Davis averaged 7.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game for the Cardinals in 2021-2022 and joins four of his former teammates in the portal.
Davis leaves Louisville after playing in 50 total games and making 40 starts in two seasons for former Cardinals’ head coach Chris Mack, who was fired back in January. Davis’ best game from this past season came in a loss to Miami on Feb. 16, as he scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Davis is the fifth Louisville player to make the decision to enter their name into the NCAA Transfer Portal following the firing of Mack and hiring of new head coach Kenny Payne. He joins Noah Locke, Samuell Williamson, Matt Cross and Gabe Wiznitzer as former Cardinals’ players that are now looking for new schools to play at in 2022-2023.