Cards excluded from ESPN's updated 'Way-Too-Early" Top 25 2020-21 rankings

Despite adding two top-tier graduate transfers, the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team still is not getting a whole lot of love as it pertains to next season.

In ESPN's second iteration of their "Way-Too-Early" Top 25 for the 2020-21 college basketball season, the Cards once again are exempt from the rankings.

It's not hard to understand why Louisville is not high on a lot of people's lists. Between graduation, the NBA and the transfer portal, the Cardinals are returning just 8 (or 5.2%) of their 155 starts from the 2019-20 season. Only David Johnson (4), Malik Williams (3) and Samuell Williamson (1) are the only players that started a game last season for Louisville that are returning.

However, head coach Chris Mack has done a good job at replacing the talent that he lost. Along with 2021 signees JJ Traynor (No. 1 player in KY - 247Sports) & D'Andre Davis (Top 100 prospect - 247Sports), Mack has also landed a pair of high quality grad transfers in reigning Big South Player of the Year Carlik Jones and 2019-20 Second Team All-WCC selection Charles Minlend, Jr.

Even so, many seem to have questions about Louisville's continuity heading into next season, resulting in very little offseason/preseason buzz surrounding the program despite the talent coming in to supplant the minutes lost.

If it's any consolation to Cards fans, Louisville was named among the "next in line" this time around as opposed to being completely left out of ESPN's first rendition of the "Way-Too-Early" Top 25.

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