Louisville’s bench took another hit before the 2026-27 season could really get rolling.
Just before the Cardinals tipped off their opener, they learned that De’Shayne Montgomery will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a foot injury. That comes on the heels of another setback for Louisville, which already had Gabe Dyne ruled out for at least four months with a shoulder injury.
Montgomery was one of the most important additions Pat Kelsey brought in this offseason. Louisville added 11 players overall, including eight transfers, and the buzz around the portal haul centered on names like Flory Bidunga, Jackson Shelstad, and Karter Knox. But Montgomery had a case to be part of that same conversation.
The 6-foot-4 shooting guard arrived from Dayton and was ranked as high as No. 129 overall and No. 11 among combo guards in the Transfer Portal. He’s now on his fourth college team after stops at Mount St. Mary’s, Georgia, and Dayton.
Kelsey didn’t hide what Louisville is losing while Montgomery recovers.
“He is a really good player,” Kelsey said of Montgomery after the Cardinals' 84-70 win over Chattanooga. “Other guys have to step up.
Next-man-up mentality. Other guys have, and they will.”
Montgomery had already shown why Louisville was excited about him. In all three exhibition games, he scored at least 10 points, including a 20-point outing in the Cardinals’ first exhibition win in the Bahamas, where he led the team in scoring. He brings athleticism, shooting, and a defensive edge that makes him more than just another transfer body.
His three-point track record backs that up. He made 83 threes as a freshman while shooting 41.2% from deep, then added 71 more last season at Dayton, where he hit 33.5% from beyond the arc.
He also brings pressure on the other end. Montgomery averaged 1.7 steals per game as a freshman, 1.1 as a sophomore, and a career-best 2.1 last season.
That combination made him a clear X-factor off the bench for Kelsey. Now Louisville will have to wait to see him in a regular-season game, with the hope that he can be back healthy and at 100% in December or 2027.
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Louisvilles Opening Win Showed Why Fans Should Stay Cautious
Louisvilles season opener against Chattanooga offered plenty to like, especially in the first half when the Cardinals looked sharp, shared the ball well and built a 21-point lead by halftime. Five players reached double figures, a sign of balance that should play well as the schedule gets tougher, and the 84-70 finish gave the home crowd an early glimpse of what this group can be when its clicking.
Even so, the second half was a reminder not to read too much into one good night. Louisvilles shooting dropped off after the break, and the 10 turnovers left enough slippage to keep the performance from feeling completely polished. For a team with bigger goals ahead, the opener was encouraging, but it also showed theres still work to do before the Cardinals can call this version of themselves finished. [Read more 🡒]