Louisville big man Vangelis Zougris enters transfer portal
Vangelis Zougris will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Jon Chepkevich of Draft Express was first to report the news.
This marks the fourth Louisville player to leave the program, joining Mouhamed Camara, Sananda Fru, and Khani Rooths.
The 21-year-old Greek national team player is coming off his inaugural season in college basketball. Spending four seasons with Peristeri Athens in the Greek Basketball League, Zougris was an unranked recruit in the 2025 class.
Known for his big muscles and relentless motor, he was the Cardinals’ enforcer down low. Zougris stands at 6 feet 8 and 240 pounds, but plays like the biggest man on the floor. He appeared in 27 of 35 games and made 7 starts, all coming at the end of the season.
Head coach Pat Kelsey relied on his European big man when he needed some added toughness in the paint. Zougris was rarely the most polished and skilled player on the court, but he did the dirty work. Averaging 2.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and shooting 57% from the field, his stats don’t reflect his improvement in the latter half of the year. He never scored in double digits, but put up 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in the final four contests of the year.
The stats don’t stick out, but Zougris made a living on hustle plays and changing the landscape of a game with physicality.
Playing in a Greek league higher than Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zougris had solid expectations heading into the year. The loss of center James Scott made this offseason pickup something to get excited about. Playing in only 9.1 minutes per game in his lone season at Louisville, it is safe to say he did not fit the mold Kelsey is looking for.
Zougris is looking for a place to finish his senior season, while another glaring need has opened up for the Cardinals. Louisville only has a few scholarship players on the 2026/27 roster, but this coaching staff has done a great job in the past securing talent when needed.
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