The Florida Gators defeated the Houston Cougars last night to win the 2025 National Championship. The Gators secured their third National Title since 2006, and media outlets are quickly turning to the 2025-26 season.
Louisville basketball is one of the early favorites to win the 2026 National Championship. The Cardinals have +1400 odds to win the title, the third-highest odds behind Houston and Duke. Head coach Pat Kelsey has had the best offseason, per 247Sports. The Cardinals brought in one 5-star prospect and two 4-star prospects from the portal. On top of that, Louisville secured a commitment from Mikel Brown Jr., a unanimous 5-star and a McDonald's All-American.
Louisville is poised to have one of the best rosters in the 2025-26 season. After the season concluded Monday night, nearly every news outlet put out its way-too-early rankings, and Louisville basketball is right where it belongs, except for one outlier.
Louisville basketball 2025-26 way-too-early rankings snub is a slap to the face
The majority of these news outlets expect the Cardinals to be at the top next season, as ESPN and Fox Sports rank Louisville the highest at No. 3. Fox Sports gives the Cardinals massive praise, stating that Louisville is the "champions of the transfer portal." At the same time, ESPN highlighted Louisville's offseason by highlighting the Cardinals' three additions from the portal and their commitment from Brown.
On3 and Sports Illustrated put the Cardinals at No. 5, as the majority submitted Louisville as a top-five team in their way-too-early rankings—all except one. A significant sports website, 247Sports, put out their way-too-early rankings, and they have the Cardinals not only outside their top five but also outside their top 10.
Louisville basketball gets the ultimate disrespect from 247Sports, which ranks the Cardinals No. 11 in its way-too-early rankings despite naming the Cardinals' offseason the best in the league. The article highlights Kelsey's additions this offseason and concludes by stating, "Louisville has everything it needs to be a dangerous contender."
While it is great to hear the author of this article, Isaac Trotter, think of the Cardinals as "dangerous contenders," it is also a massive slap in the face to put this explosive roster at No. 11. The Cardinals are set to have one of the best backcourts and one of the best 3-point teams in the nation.
Last year, Louisville shot a high volume of 3-pointers, and after adding three sharpshooters from the portal in Adrian Wooley, Isaac McKneely, and Ryan Conwell, this team is poised to be one of the best teams in 2025-26. Don't sleep on the Cardinals' frontcourt as well, as Louisville will bring in the 6-foot-11, 245-pound power forward from Germany, Sananda Fru. The Cardinals have only lost one player to the portal so far in Koren Johnson, and they are still waiting to hear from Kasean Pryor and J'Vonne Hadley.
This Cardinals roster is too good to be ranked as low as No. 11 in the nation, and it is clear that 247Sports is a massive outlier, as every other major news outlet has Kelsey and this elite roster ranked in the top five. It is ridiculous to think that every site and expert has Louisville ranked in their top five except one, and that one site drops the Cardinals outside the top 10.
Louisville will look to improve its roster as the transfer portal remains open until April 22. The Cardinals are also still waiting to hear from 5-star recruit Nate Ament. For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason, stay tuned.