The ACC looks deeper than it has in years, and that changes the conversation at the top. Duke still sits alone at No. 1, but the Blue Devils won’t have the same runway they’ve enjoyed the past two seasons.
That’s what makes this league projection so interesting. Duke has run the ACC lately, going 36-2 in conference play over the last two seasons while capturing both the regular-season and tournament titles. The next trip through league play figures to be more demanding, with more teams capable of stacking quality wins.
Even with that tougher road, Duke remains the clear standard. Jon Scheyer and his staff built what looks like the deepest roster in college basketball, blending continuity, high-end talent, and veteran experience.
The Blue Devils are bringing back four of their top six scorers from last year’s team that earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, while also adding John Blackwell from Wisconsin and Drew Scharnowski from Belmont. On top of that, Duke landed one of the country’s best high school classes.
This feels like the most championship-ready team Scheyer has had since taking over.
Virginia comes next, and there’s a real case that the Cavaliers can make a serious run. Ryan Odom had a terrific first season, and this group brings back four of its top six scorers from last year: Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory, and Johann Grunloh.
Elijah Gertrude is also back after averaging 1.7 points in 6.2 minutes last season. De Ridder led the team in scoring and rebounding at 15.6 points and 6.2 boards per game and earned First Team All-ACC honors, while Mallory is starting to look like one of the conference’s more intriguing breakout names.
Virginia also added Arkansas State transfer Christian Harmon, who posted 12.8 points and 2.5 assists per game last season while shooting 39.1% from the field. In a sport where continuity matters more than ever, the Hoos have plenty of it.
Miami is right in the mix, too, and Jai Lucas will make his return to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 1.
After flipping the program in Year 1, Lucas has the Hurricanes positioned to contend near the top of the league again. The biggest boost is Malik Reneau, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility and is back in Coral Gables after earning First Team All-ACC honors last season with 18.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Miami also returns Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen, two more of its top six scorers from a year ago. Add in transfers Acaden Lewis from Villanova, Somto Cyril from Georgia, and DeSean Goode from Robert Morris, and the Canes have plenty to work with.
Louisville might have the most talent of the bunch, but the uncertainty is impossible to ignore. Pat Kelsey once again assembled one of the nation’s best transfer portal hauls, and the Cardinals are bringing in the No. 2 overall transfer portal class, according to 247Sports.
That group includes Kansas transfer Flory Bidunga, Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad, Arkansas transfer Karter Knox, Iowa transfer Alvaro Folgueiras, and North Carolina fifth-year transfer Seth Trimble. Louisville also added 5-star big man Obinna Ezekie Jr.
Adrian Wooley is the only key rotation player back from last season, after averaging 8.7 points in 22.5 minutes. The talent is obvious, but this roster still has to prove it can click together.
North Carolina rounds out the top five, though the longer the offseason has gone on, the harder it’s been to feel great about this group. After Hubert Davis was fired, Michael Malone had to rebuild from scratch.
The Tar Heels added Terrence Brown from Utah, Matt Able from NC State, and Neoklis Avdalas from Virginia Tech, but the backcourt doesn’t look like a natural fit on paper. The frontcourt brings even more questions.
Sayon Keita is very raw but loaded with upside, and the same can be said for Alexandros Samodurov. Jarin Stevenson is the lone major returning rotation piece, and after South Dakota transfer Cameron Fens was ruled ineligible to play in games this season, that area feels thin.
Malone was a strong hire, and freshman Maximo Adams should help, but the fit in Chapel Hill is still hard to get fully behind.
In Other News...
Dukes Fast Start Is Fueling A Respect Debate Fans Hate
Dukes fast start has only intensified a familiar conversation around the program and its league: how much respect is enough, and who is willing to give it? After winning the ACC title a year ago, the Blue Devils have opened this season well enough to draw attention in the AFCA poll, a sign their momentum is being noticed somewhere, even if the broader national picture still feels stuck on the same old doubts about the conference.
The issue, as it so often is with ACC teams, comes down to proof. The leagues reputation has been battered by the perception of chaos at the top and inconsistency across the board, and Dukes next stretch will matter far more than its early glow. To force its way into the AP conversation, the Blue Devils likely need to do more than keep winning the games they should, with stronger conference opponents standing as the real test of whether this start turns into earned respect. [Read more 🡒]
Walker Eget Keeps Getting Overlooked As Duke Stays Unbeaten
Walker Eget has done his part to help Duke start 4-0, throwing for 721 yards with six touchdowns and just one interception through four games. Even with those numbers, he still seems to be slipping under the radar nationally, which is a little strange for a quarterback guiding an unbeaten team into the heart of ACC play.
The latest reminder came in ESPNs quarterback rankings, where Eget landed well down the list even as Duke keeps winning. The broader takeaway was familiar: the Blue Devils have leaned on a strong defense and the steady production of Nate Sheppard, and now the real question is whether Eget can show enough growth once the schedule stiffens and the pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Faces A Huge Weekend In One Key 2027 Recruiting Battle
Duke is spending a big weekend trying to keep its momentum rolling on the recruiting trail, with one of the Blue Devils top 2027 targets set for an official visit in Durham. The program has already made a strong impression in the chase for a prized wing, thanks in part to a recent in-home visit with Jon Scheyer, and the staff sees this stretch as an important step in building out its next wave of talent.
The battle is hardly settled, though. The prospect has also taken trips to LSU, Florida, UConn and North Carolina, so Duke is still working through a crowded field for a player it hopes can help anchor the frontcourt in future seasons. For a program that has kept recruiting pressure high under Scheyer, this is the kind of visit that can shape the rest of the race. [Read more 🡒]