Fansided

5 overrated NCAA basketball teams that won’t be as good as you think next season

By Joe Weidenburner

Jay Wright of Villanova (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Jay Wright of Villanova (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Louisville basketball starting lineup
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

5. Most overrated NCAA basketball teams: Louisville – FanSided Rank – No. 25

Credit to my esteemed colleague who indicated this pick might be the most controversial on his rankings list. I believe that was an astute observation. The 2020-2021 Cardinals team has some hefty shoes to fill from the previous iteration.

Last year’s Cardinals were efficient on both ends of the floor, ranking in the top-30 in both adjusted offensive and adjusted defensive efficiencies according to KenPom. They were led by an All-America player in Jordan Nwora supported by an experienced team full of seniors in Fresh Kimble, Steven Enoch, Ryan McMahon and Dwayne Sutton. All of those players have left Louisville, and that is quite frankly a lot of talent and a lot of minutes to replace.

The incoming recruiting class for Chris Mack ranks 32nd according to the 247Sports composite rankings, with 4-star commitments in D’Andre Davis and JJ Traynor, but it lacks a truly dynamic impact player. The impact of this class took a significant hit with the decision of Jay Scrubb, the 2019-2020 NJCAA Region 24 Player of the Year, to forego his commitment to Louisville and pursue his dreams of playing professional basketball.

Certainly, the transfer additions of Carlik Jones and Charles Minlend will bring some needed experience to a young roster, but it falls far short of replacing the big numbers and big minutes that’s gone out the door.

This is a team that has a tough hill to climb in the always competitive ACC, and there is just too much firepower and experience to replace to consider the Cardinals worthy of inclusion in the top-25 as of today.