Louisville adds experienced hands to player development roster
The University of Louisville announced this week that Carlos Dotson, a 29‑year‑old Maryland native, has been appointed to the Cardinals’ player development staff. The move comes as the program reshapes its coaching landscape following the exit of veteran guard Peyton Siva, who recently joined St. John’s under head coach Rick Pitino.
Dotson brings a blend of playing experience and coaching acumen to the role. After a collegiate career that spanned Anderson University, the College of Central Florida and Western Carolina — where he earned All‑Southern Conference first‑team honors — he transitioned into coaching, first as a graduate manager at Clemson in 2021 and later as an assistant at UCF before spending the 2025‑26 season in a similar capacity back at Clemson.
His professional résumé also includes stints as a player development coach for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Charlotte Hornets, giving him a perspective that bridges college and NBA environments. Louisville’s athletic director highlighted that Dotson’s appointment is designed to fill the gap left by Siva’s departure and to reinforce the team’s developmental pipeline.
The Cardinals also announced the hiring of associate head coaches John Andrzejek and Sean Dixon, who arrive from Campbell and Clemson respectively. Both bring fresh ideas to the program, while Charlie Champagne and Kyle Zunic will join Dotson as additional player development coaches for the upcoming 2025‑26 season.
Zunic’s path to Louisville is particularly noteworthy; the former Winthrop point guard played under Pat Kelsey from 2017 to 2021 before returning to the staff as a coach. His recent experience at Clemson, where he worked under Johnny Dawkins during the 2024‑25 campaign, adds depth to a coaching group that the university hopes will translate into sustained on‑court growth.
The moves reflect a broader strategy at Louisville to blend proven NBA connections with proven collegiate pedigrees, aiming to elevate the program’s talent development pipeline as the team prepares for the next competitive cycle.