Wednesday afternoon Cardinal news and notes

—Louisville has three players in the top 100 (and the No. 10 overall class) in 247 Sports’ final transfer portal rankings for 2023.

—U of L commit T.J. Robinson was a standout during the EYBL’s regular season, which recently wrapped.

—Emmanuel Okorafor takes you inside the first hours of the 2023-24 U of L men’s basketball team’s arrival on campus.

—Ron Holland, the No. 1 ranked player in the hoops class of 2023, has signed with the G League Ignite. Holland had been committed to Texas before last month.

—Notable college hoops names announcing today that they are out of the NBA Draft and returning to school:

Josiah Jordan-James (Tennessee)
Tristen Newton (UConn)
Adem Bona (UCLA)
Cliff Omoruyi (Rutgers)
Jaden Akins (Michigan State)
A.J. Hoggard (Michigan State)
Nae’Qwan Tomlin (Kansas State)
Lamont Butler (San Diego State)
Tristan Da Silva (Colorado)
Jahvon Quinerly (Alabama)

This is at around 2 p.m. Plenty more names will announce whether they’re staying or going before the midnight deadline tonight.

—The CJ’s Caleb Wiegandt has an interactive breakdown of every Louisville reference made in Jack Harlow’s full catalogue of music.

—Kim Mulkey’s love and concern for her players really shines through in this video.

—Chowder and Champions wonders if New England may have gotten “the steal of the decade” in Malik Cunningham.

—Brandon Clay of 247 Sports ranks Jeff Walz’s 2023 transfer portal class as the fifth-best in women’s college basketball.

—Russ Smith highlights from his latest stint in Italy:

—Racing Louisville hits the road tonight to face the Chicago Red Stars in the team’s second second UKG NWSL Challenge Cup match of the year. Here’s a preview.

—The LEO looks back at forgotten former Louisville restaurants.

—Nick Saban is politicking again.

—What a photo:

—U of L QB commit Deuce Adams joins the Cardinal Authority podcast.

—Ballard basketball standout Gabe Sisk — the 7th Region Player of the Year for 2022-23 — has signed with East Tennessee State.

—Jets fans are divided on the future of former Cardinal star Mekhi Becton.

—WHAS looks at the top local headlines of the week so far.

—Bruce Feldman of The Athletic has a good read on the fall of Syracuse football.

—Louisville native has some pipes.

—Former North Carolina hoops standout Caleb Love is headed to Arizona.

—After 52 years of serving Louisville, Dee’s home goods store is closing.

—Eastern Kentucky has extended the contract of men’s basketball coach A.W. Hamilton through the 2026-27 season.

—Future Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz walked it off last night at Slugger Field for the Louisville Bats, who have now won six of their last seven.

Catch him in the Derby City while you can, because he’s not going to be here a whole lot longer.

—Akoy Agau’s Derby City Distillers franchise hopes to one day become an NBA G League team.

—C.L. Brown writes about the dangers of a 9-game SEC conference schedule potentially ending the Battle for the Governor’s Cup.

—Catch that Oakland A’s excitement before the team leaves town.

—Hard hitting stuff here on the art of the NBA nap.

—And finally, after the most disappointing season of his Louisville tenure to date, expect Dan McDonnell to use the transfer portal this offseason more than he has.