Duke Men Lead ACC Preseason Basketball Poll; UNC Fifth and NC State Eighth

DURHAM — Duke has been selected to finish first in the Atlantic Coast Conference's 2026-27 men's basketball preseason poll, while North Carolina was picked fifth and NC State eighth. The voting offers an early measure of expectations across the league as programs prepare for a season featuring both established contenders and several new coaching staffs.

Duke received 45 of 48 first-place votes and 861 points in the media poll. Virginia ranked second with 778 points, followed by Louisville at 758 and Miami at 753; each of those three teams received one first-place vote. North Carolina rounded out the top five with 658 points. Clemson, Florida State and NC State occupied the next three places, with the Wolfpack earning 502 points.

The Blue Devils were selected as preseason favorites for the third straight year and the 11th time in 14 seasons. Their strong position reflects sustained expectations for coach Jon Scheyer's program, but it does not eliminate the need to navigate a competitive conference schedule. The voting also illustrates the strength of Virginia, Louisville and Miami as potential challengers.

Duke guard John Blackwell and center Patrick Ngongba II were named to the preseason All-ACC first team. Freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje made the second team and was voted the league's Preseason Rookie of the Year, receiving 34 votes. The 7-foot-2 prospect arrives with international credentials, including recognition from youth basketball competitions. Those honors give Duke several prominent individual storylines entering November.

Virginia forward Thijs De Ridder was selected as the conference's Preseason Player of the Year with 30 votes. Blackwell finished second in that voting with 12. The individual results show that the league's team favorite does not automatically sweep the top individual awards.

For North Carolina, the fifth-place prediction sets expectations for the first season under coach Michael Malone. NC State begins a new chapter under Justin Gainey and was placed eighth. Wake Forest ranked 14th in the 18-team conference poll. The preseason order is a snapshot of voters' expectations, not a standings table; roster development, health and conference play will determine whether those projections hold.

The men's ACC season begins in early November, with league play scheduled for late December. The poll gives Triangle and Triad fans a clear early storyline: Duke starts as the team to catch, while UNC and NC State will have opportunities to move above their projected positions.