Former Kansas University basketball center David Padgett has decided to transfer to the University of Louisville.

“Yes, he did,” Debbie Padgett, David’s mom, said late Saturday night, asked if her son had chosen the Kentucky school over runner-up UCLA.

Padgett had received permission to talk to North Carolina coach Roy Williams, who originally recruited Padgett to KU, last week. He ultimately decided to not visit the school in Chapel Hill, N.C., and UNC was not a finalist for Padgett.

“It was a tough decision, but in the end he felt really comfortable with Louisville and the coaching staff,” Debbie Padgett told rivals.com. “Rick Pitino has been wonderful and he can’t wait to come to Louisville. UCLA’s coaching staff was great too and the history of that program is so impressive.”

Padgett’s mother confirmed what had been reported by various recruiting gurus on Saturday night.

A source close to one of Padgett’s finalists confirmed Padgett called UCLA coach Ben Howland on Saturday, informing him the pick was Louisville.

Padgett, a 6-foot-11 center from Reno, Nev., played in 31 games as a freshman last season for the Jayhawks, with 19 starting assignments. He averaged 6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 19.2 minutes a game. He shot 53.1 percent from the field and blocked a team-best 43 shots — the second-most rejections by a KU freshman in school history.

But shortly after the season concluded, Padgett announced he would go to another program.

KU filled Padgett’s spot on the roster with C.J. Giles, a highly-regarded big man from Seattle.