College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 7 Louisville Cardinals

Top-25 College Basketball: Louisville Projected Roster & Outlook

In this series, we'll be taking a closer look at RotoWire's preseason college basketball top-25, with an in-depth roster analysis and projected rotation for the 2025-26 season for each team. Today's feature will be the Louisville Cardinals.

7. Louisville

Coach Pat Kelsey took Louisville from 8-24 to 27-8 in just one year at the program. Louisville made a big investment into NIL, and it resulted in 14 players joining in the 2024 transfer portal cycle.

While they will lose their top three scorers from last season in Terrence Edwards Jr. (16.7 PPG), Chucky Hepburn (16.4 PPG) and Reyne Smith (13.1 PPG), there should be a pretty seamless transition into next season after adding Ryan Conwell (16.5 PPG), Isaac McKneely (14.4 PPG) and Adrian Wooley (18.8 PPG) into the backcourt. 

Coach Kelsey also added a 5-star recruit in Mikel Brown, who will be the perfect point man to have with all of these great shooters around him. 

J'Vonne Hadley will also return for his final season of eligibility after starting every game last season for the Cardinals. 

Kasean Pryor got off to a brilliant start last season before tearing his ACL after just seven games, and he is expected to start at center. Aly Khalifa is another giant in the middle who is capable of starting if Louisville needs to ease Pryor in. 

This is will be one of the most dynamic offenses in the country next season who have a ton of different proven options to go to. 

Check out how injuries are affecting the status of other players & teams on RotoWire's college basketball injury report.

2025-26 Louisville Basketball Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Mikel Brown (No. 8 in ESPN 100)

SG: Isaac McKneely (14.4 PPG, 3.2 3PM at Virginia)

SF: Ryan Conwell (16.5 PPG, 2.9 3PM at Xavier)

PF: J'Vonne Hadley (12.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG)

C: Kasean Pryor (12.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG)

Key Reserves: Adrian Wooley (18.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.6 APG at Kennesaw State), Aly Khalifa (Redshirted), Sananda Fru (4-star Freshman), Kobe Rodgers (Redshirted), Khani Rooths (3.3 PPG)

Following another active transfer portal period, RotoWire's college basketball depth charts are updated with the latest in roster movement.

2025-26 Full Preseason College Basketball Top-25

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7. Louisville Cardinals
8. Michigan Wolverines
9. BYU Cougars
10. UConn Huskies
11. Texas Tech Red Raiders
12. Auburn Tigers
13. Arkansas Razorbacks
14. UCLA Bruins
15. Alabama Crimson Tide
16. Iowa State Cyclones
17. Arizona Wildcats
18. Michigan State Spartans
19. Gonzaga Bulldogs
20. Kansas Jayhawks
21. Tennessee Volunteers
22. North Carolina Tar Heels
23. Oregon Ducks
24. Illinois Fighting Illini
25. Wisconsin Badgers