The Louisville Cardinals are entering the 2025-26 season with a massive target on their back, as they are emerging as one of the best teams in the nation. Louisville basketball has been picked to win the ACC by a couple of experts now, but Mark Packer went as far as the Cards' are the team to beat.
The reason Louisville is expected to be this good and why experts are so confident in Pat Kelsey's squad is that they were able to dominate the transfer portal. The Cardinals added three elite guards from the transfer portal, and in ESPN's latest rankings for the portal, Louisville is ranked where they should be.
The ranking doesn't just show that the Cardinals transfer portal additions are elite and one of the best transfer classes in the nation, but it also indicates that Louisville has what it takes this year to take down their in-state rival, the Kentucky Wildcats.
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Pat Kelsey just reignited fierce Louisville-Kentucky rivalry and it's here to stay
Jeff Borzello of ESPN recently released his way-too-early Top 25 after programs learned who is declaring for the NBA Draft and who has withdrawn. Borzello has Louisville ranked higher than most experts, placing them at No. 7, which makes it clear that the team's transfer portal additions have well-positioned Louisville for success next season.
In his most recent rankings, Louisville sits at No. 4 due to its three additions from the portal. The Cardinals' ranking is perfect here, as it makes the most sense that they are in the top five. Louisville's three additions are ranked as high as No.3 in the nation, and On3 Sports has their overall rating as No. 1 at 96.00. Ahead of the Cardinals in Borzello's rankings are St. John's, Kentucky, and Michigan.
"Pat Kelsey's incoming transfer class isn't as deep as some of the other teams on this list, but all three are from the top 35 -- and all bring much-needed perimeter shotmaking ability. Conwell was a third-team All-Big East pick who shot better than 41% from 3; Wooley was first-team All-Conference USA and shot 42.2% from 3; and McKneely was one of the best shooters in the ACC last season, knocking down better than 42% from deep. Two of the three will likely start alongside freshman Mikel Brown in an elite backcourt."Jeff Borzello
Louisville being ranked No. 4 and Kentucky being ranked No. 2 is a clear indication that this rivalry is poised to gain a massive spark. The Cards' have lost three straight to Kentucky and only won two of the last 10 meetings, but the Cardinals faithful have complete faith in Kelsey and believe this year is the year they end this drought.
The Cardinals and Wildcats have one of the best rivalries in all of sports, and with both programs landing significant additions from the portal and the 2025 class, the game on Nov. 11 is set to be a blockbuster showdown.
While Louisville's transfer class isn't a lengthy list of players, all three are ranked in the top 25 of the 247Sports rankings. The Cardinals and Wildcats transfer class is the blueprint for the future of this rivalry, and Kelsey just sparked it with his ability to recruit.
The Cardinals have Nov. 11 circled on their calendar, and they want that game more than any other. Louisville has been waiting for a coach to flip the history, and Kelsey is just the man to do it. These rankings show he can recruit with the best of the best and that Kelsey is ready to beat the blue and white.
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For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.