Who’s at the top, bottom of league?
Life’s good in Durham. Duke basketball recently snagged a commitment from the top-ranked high school player in the nation – Cooper Flagg – and is set to begin the season as one of the favorites to win the national championship.
The Blue Devils are in good shape, North Carolina appears ready for a bounce-back season, Virginia remains consistent and Miami carried the ACC on its back in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Here’s a look at the power rankings entering the 2023-24 season.
1. Duke
Coach K made the right call. The Blue Devil machine doesn’t appear to be slowing down and K’s protege – Jon Scheyer – continues to recruit at an elite level. The current squad looks capable of putting a sixth national title banner in Cameron.
2. Miami
The Canes came to play in a down year for the league as Jim Larrañaga worked his magic with another Final Four appearance. Coach L will try to run it back with Nijel Pack and Norchad Omier. The U has become a consistent force on the court.
3. North Carolina
It was feast or famine in the Tar Heels’ first two seasons under Hubert Davis.
But the third-year coach got to pick his own team this year. RJ Davis and Armando Bacot (he’s still there?) are back to change things and Elliot Cadeau should help get the Heels on track.
4. Virginia
Tony Bennett has figured out the formula to stay among the top teams in the league. Slow and steady wins the race for the Hoos, who should once again be in contention with All-ACC player Reece Beekman leading the way.
5. Clemson
Tyler from Spartanburg isn’t happy with the football team, but he should be able to look forward to an NCAA Tournament appearance for Brad Brownell’s squad this season. PJ Hall and Joe Girard will help fans forget about football for a bit.
6. Wake Forest
This is the year Steve Forbes leads the Demon Deacons back to the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga transfer Hunter Sallis will be an All-ACC caliber player in the lineup with returning starters
Cam Hildreth and Andrew Carr. Wake showed its chops in an exhibition win against Alabama.
7. NC State
With eight new players, who knows how good the Wolfpack will be this season. The transfer portal has treated Kevin Keatts well in the past, but it’s not easy replacing four of your top six scorers. DJ Burns, “the mayor of Raleigh,” will be asked to do more this season.
7. Virginia Tech
The Hokies started strong and fizzled out last season, but they have two of the best guards in the league: Hunter Cattoor (he’s still there?) and Sean Pedulla. Mike Young’s bunch should at least be a bubble team.
9. Florida State
The Seminoles were ravaged by injuries and never got going in arguably Leonard Hamilton’s most disappointing season in Tallahassee. Maybe FSU football can share some of its good vibes with the basketball team to get things going in the right direction.
10. Syracuse
What’s wilder than Jim Boeheim losing his final game in Greensboro and stepping away after nearly 50 years with the Orange? Boeheim coming to the dark side as a media member for ESPN and Westwood One. Adrian Autry takes over with a pair of solid guards, but it’ll take time to adjust.
11. Pittsburgh
The Panthers had some of the best guards in the league last year. With those guys gone, Blake Hinson will be asked to carry a bigger load. Guards powered Pitt to several NCAA Tournament wins in 2023. Jeff Capel added more from the transfer portal. We’ll see if they can do the same this season.
12. Boston College
The Eagles haven’t soared to the NCAA Tournament since 2009. Coming off a fifth losing season in a row, Boston College will look to Quinten Post as the anchor for a team that hopes to turn things around under Earl Grant.
13. Georgia Tech
Damon Stoudamire has the pedigree as a coach and player to reinvigorate a program that won the ACC Tournament in 2021. Following successful stints at Pacific and with the NBA’s Boston Celtics, Stoudamire can bring the buzz back to Atlanta.
14. Notre Dame
Bad luck welcomed Micah Shrewsberry to South Bend. The Fighting Irish are the only team in the ACC that lost all five of their starters. Shrewsberry has proved his mettle as a coach, but Notre Dame faces a tough rebuild in his debut season.
15. Louisville
Syracuse lost to Le Moyne in 2009 and became a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, so exhibition games aren’t all that important. But Louisville looked awful last season and carried that into this season with an exhibition loss to Kentucky … Wesleyan.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.