Colorado State men’s basketball head coach Larry Eustachy announced Monday morning that former Louisville forward Chane Behanan has transferred to CSU and will be eligible for the second half of the 2014-15 season.

Behanan has already enrolled in online classes at the university and will continue his rehabilitation with former NBA head coach John Lucas in Houston this spring.

After a stellar high school career at Bowling Green (Kentucky) High School, where he was a 2011 McDonalds All-America selection as well as a second-team Parade Magazine All-American, Behanan chose Louisville over elite programs like North Carolina, Ohio State, and Kentucky. He was rated among the top-25 prospects in the 2011 class by ESPN, Rivals, Scout.com, and USA Today.

“Chane is one of the most talented players in the country, and he will be a key addition to our program next season,” Eustachy said.

In three seasons at Louisville, Behanan started 74 of the 91 games he played in, averaging 9.4 points and 6.8 rebounds and earning NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team honors last season. After scoring 10 points and nine rebounds in a national semifinal win over Wichita State, Behanan posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds in the Cardinals’ National Championship victory over Michigan.

After being dismissed from the Cardinals’ program in December 2013, Behanan immediately moved to Houston to begin working with Lucas, who runs a rehabilitation center for college and professional athletes. He will be eligible in December 2014 and complete his college eligibility in the spring of 2015 with the Rams.

“I have decided to enroll at Colorado State to continue my education and basketball career,” Behanan said in a statement released by the CSU athletic department. “I am taking online classes this spring while continuing my recovery. I am truly excited to be a part of the CSU basketball family.”

Behanan joins a loaded 2014 recruiting class that includes junior college transfers Gian Luis Clavell and Daniel Mulamba as well as Rangeview High School guard Jeremiah Paige. Those four players will be eligible along with Division I transfers John Gillon, Stanton Kidd, and Dantiel Daniels.

With Behanan’s commitment, the Rams now have 15 players eligible for only 13 scholarship, so expect some shakeup between now and then including possible transfers by current players.

Men’s Basketball Beat Reporter Keegan Pope can be reached at sports@collegian.com and on Twitter @kpopecollegian.