Chip Bremer
Now that the NBA Draft has passed and transfer portal activity has died down, it’s probably a good time to look at the ACC to see how all the offseason comings and goings have affected the conference’s hierarchy.
With its wealth of NIL funding, Duke has managed to compile another top-notch roster, but Louisville, Virginia, Miami and North Carolina are right there with their talent acquisitions, while others are rebuilding and hoping for more.
To hold everyone’s attention for the next several months (until the college hoops season gets started in November), here’s a “way-too-early” preview of the ACC for the coming season:
1. Duke. No other college program has the Blue Devils’ balance of returning talent, perfect-fit portal additions, and blue-chip freshmen recruits. Despite the loss of All-American Cam Boozer, Duke is set for another title run with high-scoring Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell and international sensation Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje joining the returning core of Caleb Foster, Dame Sarr, Cayden Boozer and Patrick Ngongba. When you add in the high school All-Americans joining the roster (led by top frosh Cameron Williams), it’s really an embarrassment of riches.
2. Virginia. If these rankings were judged solely on the basis of roster retention, the Cavaliers would top the list, as they are bringing back All-ACC forward Thijs de Ridder, along with center Johann Grunloh and guards Sam Lewis and Chance Mallory from a successful 2025-26 campaign. The frontcourt depth might be tested, but Coach Ryan Odom secured a pair of sharpshooters in transfers Christian Harmon and Jurian Dixon that will help Virginia keep pace with the conference leaders.
3. Louisville. Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey was one of the conference’s biggest spenders, as he had to replace nearly his entire roster from a year ago, but he reeled in some big-time transfers in center Flory Bidunga (Kansas), point guard Jackson Shelstad (Oregon) and wing Karter Knox (Arkansas) to keep Louisville in the upper echelon. Lone returnee Adrian Wooley should provide plenty of perimeter scoring, and the low-post skills of freshman center Obinna Ekezie Jr. will remind many of his father. Kelsey did well to restock the roster, making it one of the ACC’s deepest, if not the most talented.
4. Miami. The Hurricanes also did well to replenish their roster, plugging in point guard Acaden Lewis from Villanova and shot-blocking center Somto Cyril from Georgia. This team will rely heavily on returnees Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen, but the key may be who wins the starting power forward spot between dynamic freshman Caleb Gaskins and Robert Morris transfer DeSean Goode. These additions are enough to keep expectations sky high at Coral Gables.
5. UNC. Few in Chapel Hill know what to expect from new coach Mark Malone, but many are excited about the talent he’s recruited on short notice. The revamped Tar Heel’s lineup features an uber-talented backcourt led by transfers Terrence Brown (Utah), Neo Avdalas (Virginia Tech) and Matt Able (NC State). Malone also did well to fill the frontcourt spots next to returning forward Jarin Stevenson with a pair of high-caliber Europeans imports in 7-footer Sayon Keita and 6-11 Alex Samodurov. There’s also plenty of depth available to rival the conference leaders.
6. Virginia Tech. Despite losing Avdalas to a conference rival, there is still plenty of optimism in Blacksburg, thanks to the returning core of Ben Hammond, Amani Hansberry, and Tyler Johnson, which accounted for nearly 40% of their offensive production from a year ago. The backcourt will get a boost from transfers Isaiah Elohim (FAU) Jaylen Curry (Oklahoma State), while the center Miles Heide (San Diego State) will plug in the frontline to provide some rebounding help for Hansberry.
7. Clemson. Brad Brownell never fails to pull together a complete roster of high-character athletes that fits exactly into his style of play, and this season is no different. With only guard Ace Buckner and a handful of roll players returning, Brownell brought in wings Cole Certa (Notre Dame) and Liutauras Lelevicius (TCU) to shore up the perimeter, while David Fuchs (San Francisco) and Dylan Faulkner (Samford) will provide stability down low. The team could get an additional boost if guard Zac Foster recovers fully from his ACL surgery from a year ago.
8. Florida State. In Tallahassee, Luke Loucks delivered on his promise of a high-octane offense, and his recent transfer haul not only reinforces that promise but might also take it to the next level. The primary additions are explosive Missouri point guard Anthony Robinson and slashing Cincinnati forward Shon Abaev, but guards Kameron Taylor and AJ Swinton can put up points too. The frontcourt should be in good shape with freshman center Marcus Ponder and Colorado transfer Sebastian Rancik attacking the glass.
9. NC State. New coach Justin Gainey retained sharpshooter Paul McNeil and then filled lineup with proven transfers like Christian Hammond (Santa Clara), Preston Edmead (Hofstra), Eemeli Yalaho (Washington State) and Kyle Evans (UC Irvine). Slovenian forward Robert Jurkovic should add a significant low-post presence, while it will be interesting to watch how Maryland transfer guard Darius Adams complements the group with his scoring ability.
10. SMU. The Mustangs will surely miss the backcourt of Boopie Miller and Jaron Pierre, but the focus will shift to talented big man Jaden Toombs, who is expected to have a breakout sophomore campaign. Toombs will be supported by forward transfers Jaylin Stewart (UConn) and Nic Codie (Texas), but the key will be how well guards David Terrell (North Texas) and Rowan Brumbaugh (Tulane) work with Jermaine O’Neal in the backcourt.
11. Syracuse. The Gerry McNamara era is set to begin with one of the tallest backcourts in the conference with returnee Kiyan Anthony joined by transfers Garwey Dual (McNeese|), Gavin Doty (Siena) and Aiden Tobiason (Temple)—all of whom check in at 6’5 or taller. The Orange should also benefit from another year from star forward Sadiq White, who is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential.
12. Stanford. Gone is the scoring of NBA Draft pick Ebuka Okorie, but several pieces remain in place. including guard Julius Price and wing Aziz Olajuwon. They’ll be joined by talented Delaware transfer guard Christian Bliss and the center tandem of Aidan Cammann and Seattle transfer Austin Mauer, in what should be a surprisingly decent Cardinal lineup.
13. Boston College. Speaking of surprises, the Eagles could start their climb out of the ACC basement simply based on the hire of offensive mastermind Luke Murray. The former UConn assistant was able to reel in scoring guards Money Williams of Montana and Ernest Shelton of Merrimack, plus Australian Jacob Furphy to get things going. The frontcourt should also get a boost from transfers Brandon Benjamin (Fairfield), Colby Duggan (Charleston), and Luke Hunger (George Washington).
14. Pittsburgh. Jeff Capel probably has one more shot to make the Panthers relevant again, and he may have a decent group this time around. If he can get transfers Nait George (Syracuse), Jalil Bethea (Alabama) and Baye Ndongo (Georgia Tech) to return to what made them highly sought recruits a couple of years ago, there’s no telling how far this group can go.
15. Notre Dame. The Irish suffered some serious losses to the portal (Jalen Haralson, Markus Burton, Cole Certa), but Coach Micah Shrewsberry might have recovered enough to keep his team competitive. Gonzaga point Braeden Smith and Penn wing Ethan Roberts will join Braeden Shrewsberry to form a solid backcourt, but the frontcourt will need some help.
16. California. Mark Madsen’s Bears also suffered some serious attrition in the offseason, but he’s brought in a pair of Georgia transfers—point Jordan Ross and forward Jake Wilkins (son of Dominique)—to support big man Lee Dort in the quest to avoid the ACC basement.
17. Georgia Tech. New coach Scott Cross will have his work cut out for him with just a few serviceable holdovers, led by Kam Craft and Cole Kirouac, and some decent transfers in guard Colby Garland (San Jose State) and forward Jackson Fields (West Virginia), but not much else.
18. Wake Forest. When you have the conference’s smallest NIL pot and weakest collection of talent (save maybe Kansas transfer Jamari McDowell), the outlook is always bleak.