Louisville Basketball: Flory Bidunga, Jackson Shelstad Earn Preseason All-ACC Honors

Louisville men’s basketball is entering the 2026-27 season with two players earning recognition among the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top performers. Junior forward Flory Bidunga was named to the Preseason All-ACC First Team, while senior guard Jackson Shelstad secured a spot on the Second Team.

Photo: Louisville Athletics

The ACC announced its preseason selections on Oct. 13, with Louisville also picked to finish third in the conference standings. The Cardinals received 758 points and one first-place vote in the preseason poll, positioning them among the league’s projected contenders.

Louisville was one of four ACC programs with multiple representatives across the two five-player All-ACC teams, joining Duke, Virginia and Miami.

Flory Bidunga Headlines Louisville’s Preseason Selections

Bidunga enters the season as one of the ACC’s most anticipated defensive players after earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors last season.

The 6-foot-10 forward from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, led the Big 12 in both total blocks with 91 and blocks per game at 2.6 during the 2025-26 campaign. Those totals ranked fourth and fifth nationally, respectively.

Bidunga also made his presence felt offensively, averaging 13.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting 64% from the field. His shooting percentage led the Big 12 and ranked 10th nationally.

He recorded four games with at least 20 points and finished the season with 13 double-doubles. His production earned him All-Big 12 First Team and All-Defensive Team recognition, along with finalist status for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.

Bidunga also appeared on the late-season watch lists for both the Naismith Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

His defensive development began during his freshman season at Kansas, when he set a program record for field goal percentage by a freshman at 69.8%. He led the Jayhawks with 54 blocks and averaged 1.6 blocks per game, the third-highest mark in the Big 12.

With his combination of rim protection, rebounding and efficient scoring, Bidunga gives Louisville a major presence in the frontcourt heading into ACC competition.

Jackson Shelstad Brings Scoring and Playmaking to the Cardinals

Shelstad joins Louisville for the 2026-27 season after three years at Oregon, where he started 77 of 79 career games.

The 6-foot-1 guard from West Linn, Oregon, averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game across 12 appearances during the 2025-26 season. He scored at least 20 points in five games and recorded four or more assists in nine contests.

Shelstad also established himself as a productive scorer during his sophomore campaign, earning Third Team All-Big Ten honors after averaging 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

He reached double figures in 25 games that season and made multiple three-pointers in 21 contests, demonstrating his ability to stretch defenses while contributing as a playmaker.

One of his most memorable performances came in Oregon’s 2025 NCAA Tournament Round of 32 matchup against Arizona. Shelstad scored 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting, marking the second-highest scoring total of his career at that point.

During his freshman season in 2023-24, Shelstad earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team and Pac-12 All-Tournament Team honors. He averaged 12.8 points, 2.8 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game while helping Oregon post a 1.36 assist-to-turnover ratio, the third-best mark in the conference.

His experience and ability to contribute as both a scorer and facilitator add another dimension to Louisville’s backcourt.

Louisville Picked Third in ACC Preseason Poll

The Cardinals received 758 points in the ACC preseason poll, finishing behind Duke and Virginia among the conference’s 18 programs.

Duke topped the standings with 861 points and 45 first-place votes. Virginia followed with 778 points and one first-place vote, while Miami finished fourth with 753 points and one first-place vote.

North Carolina rounded out the top five with 658 points, followed by Clemson, Florida State and NC State.

Louisville’s third-place projection reflects the expectations surrounding a roster featuring two preseason All-ACC selections. Bidunga’s interior defense and scoring, combined with Shelstad’s backcourt experience, give the Cardinals two established players to build around.

Virginia’s Thijs De Ridder was named Preseason ACC Player of the Year after receiving 30 votes. Duke’s John Blackwell finished second with 12 votes, while Bidunga received three votes.

Duke’s Joaquim Boumjte Boumjte was selected Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year with 34 votes.

Cardinals Prepare for Exhibition Against Kansas

Louisville’s first public exhibition game is scheduled for Oct. 21 against Kansas. The matchup will air on ESPNU at 7 p.m. ET, giving fans an early opportunity to see the Cardinals ahead of the regular season.

With Bidunga earning first-team recognition and Shelstad securing a second-team selection, Louisville enters the new campaign with high expectations as it looks to compete near the top of the ACC.

Source: University of Louisville Athletics.