It becomes increasingly rare for student-athletes to play for one program their entire collegiate careers. Seth Trimble played his first four years at UNC, then enjoyed a solid run through the NBA Summer League.
A federal court recently granted student-athletes a fifth year of eligibility, as long as they graduated high school in 2022. Trimble was included in that list, but as previously mentioned, he proved himself worthy of a permanent NBA roster spot.
Earlier Tuesday, Trimble announced his transfer to Louisville, giving one of North Carolina's greatest ACC rivals a major boost to its already-dangerous roster.
How much did Trimble transfer for? According to basketball analyst Jeff Goodman, Trimble's NIL transfer fee cost the Cardinals $3 million.
“I’m told that the number, whatever number you think it is for Seth Trimble, it’s higher than what you think. You want to guess? I was just told by a pretty good source. $3 million. I mean that’s insane at this point. Where is Louisville getting this money?”
“Per my sources, Seth Trimble went for around $3 million to go to Louisville.” - @GoodmanHoops
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) August 12, 2026
OFFSEASON UPDATE⬇️https://t.co/zGb9qLg2rj
Trimble deserves every bit of his bag, thanks to his breakout senior campaign in Chapel Hill. Across 24 appearances (all starts), the former Tar Heel captain averaged a career-best 14 points and three assists per game.
Trimble also delivered the greatest singular moment in UNC's 2025-26 campaign, nailing a buzzer-beater to complete a massive comeback against archrival Duke on February 7. After North Carolina's 71-68 victory, Trimble noted he'll remember that shot forever, regardless of how his basketball career progresses.
On paper, Louisville has a scary roster for its 2026-27 campaign, thanks to the likes of Trimble, Kansas transfer Flory Bidunga and Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstead. The Tar Heels have a great roster on paper, too, sporting the likes of returner Jarin Stevenson and portal addition Terrence Brown.
UNC will host and travel to Louisville this coming season, with dates and times still TBA. You can bet when the Tar Heels and Cardinals play each other, there'll be a combination of appreciation and chirping on the court.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Seth Trimble's NIL money cost for Louisville transfer revealed
