The University of Louisville men’s basketball program and head coach Pat Kelsey have announced the signing of transfer Koren Johnson to the 2024-25 roster.
The 6-foot-2 guard, whose first name is pronounced “CORE-in,” joins Louisville after two standout seasons at Washington, where he earned the title of 2024 Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year as a sophomore. Johnson will have two years of eligibility remaining.
“Koren is an electric athlete,” said Kelsey. “A natural scorer, he also has the ability to alter the game in a flash with his defensive instincts. He can take over a game on any given night and can do so in a variety of ways. Highly respected by the coaches of the Pac-12, he was deservedly named conference 6th Man of the Year.”
Johnson averaged 11.1 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game in the 2023-24 season. He kicked off the season with a 25-point performance against Bellarmine and finished strong with impressive numbers over the final stretch.
In the last eight games of the season, Johnson averaged 18.5 points and 4.0 assists per game, while making 22 of 42 three-pointers (52.3%). He scored a career-high 30 points in a win over Stanford on February 15, sinking 6 of 10 shots from beyond the arc.
Overall, Johnson shot 37.3% from three-point range last season, tallied 83 assists with just 42 turnovers, and grabbed 38 steals. His 344 points scored were the most by a Washington bench player since 2002.
As a freshman, the Seattle native averaged 6.8 points and 1.8 assists in 29 appearances.
Ranked as the No. 25 point guard in the nation by ESPN coming out of high school, Johnson was also the top recruit in Washington. He played for Garfield High School, where he led the team to the 2020 Class 3A state championship. During the COVID-shortened 2021 season, he averaged 28 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game.
With his dynamic scoring ability and defensive prowess, Johnson is set to make a significant impact on the Cardinals as they prepare for the upcoming season.
