There are plenty of stars in ACC basketball in the 2026-27 season. Get to know them here!
1. Patrick Ngongba, Duke
2025-26 stats: 10.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 BPG, 60.6 FG%
Could this be a dominant season for the Duke star and big man? Ngongba already performed well on both sides in the shadow of Cameron Boozer, but now he becomes the frontcourt star of the Blue Devils (alongside five-star Cameron Williams). Plus, he only played about 20 minutes per game last year, so those per-40 numbers are much better. When you’re the best player on the best team in the conference, you earn the title of top preseason player heading into the season.
2. Flory Bidunga, Louisville
2025-26 stats: 13.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 2.6 BPG, 64.0 FG% (Kansas)
Bidunga and Ngongba are seriously both 1a candidates, but Louisville’s roster is so loaded that it might not seem that way all the time. When it comes down to it, Louisville boasts the top defensive big man in the conference. And on a talented team like the Cardinals, it could free him up for even more slams inside and defensive chances in the paint.
3. John Blackwell, Duke
2025-26 stats: 19.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 38.9 3P% (Wisconsin)
Blackwell is clearly Duke’s go-to option on offense, after holding that role for the last two seasons at Wisconsin. Only now, he gets to share the floor with a better all-around roster and arguably the best big man in the conference. The question is what will Blackwell’s usage be? He took over 12 shots per game in 2024-25 and nearly 14 per game last year. Efficiency has never been a problem, but it will be interesting to see how Blackwell’s game changes, if at all, with potentially fewer shot attempts.
4. Chance Mallory, Virginia
2025-26 stats: 9.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.6 SPG
Mallory erupted onto the scene as a freshman and now returns to UVA, along with most of last year’s top players. He’s easily one of the top candidates in the country to have a breakout sophomore season, which puts him in the top five on this list. The only thing going against Mallory is his 5-10 stature, but if he can play through that disadvantage, ACC basketball teams will have a tough time trying to stop him with a year of experience under his belt.
5. Thijs De Ridder, Virginia
2025-26 stats: 15.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 50.8 FG%
Right back to Virginia, number five on our preseason ACC basketball top players list is Thijs De Ridder. Another sophomore, it’s tough to say he’s “rising,” considering his outstanding numbers as a freshman. De Ridder is efficient, crucial on the glass, and forms such a deadly duo with Mallory. The only reason Mallory gets the edge here is because he’s got the ball in his hands and has the potential to be even more dynamic. But De Ridder is clearly one of the top scorers in all of ACC basketball.
6. Paul McNeil Jr., NC State
2025-26 stats: 13.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 42.7 3P%
Speaking of scorers, I’m willing to bet McNeil Jr. leads the ACC in points per game in 2026-27. He made huge strides as a sophomore and is arguably the top three-point shooter in the conference as well. Plus, with a new-look Wolfpack roster, McNeil should have the greenest green light in the league. Will that translate to a winning season? I’m not sure, in year one without Will Wade. But McNeil Jr. will certainly have the conference shaking.
7. Amani Hansberry, Virginia Tech
2025-26 stats: 14.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.5 SPG, 35.4 3P%
Hansberry is set to be the top returning player on a Virginia Tech basketball team with lots of upside. He’s a two-way forward with a three-point shot, which is one of the best overall skill sets you can have as a college hoops player. Virginia Tech has an intriguing roster, and Hansberry is right at the top of it.
8. Johann Grunloh, Virginia
2025-26 stats: 7.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.6 APG, 2.2 BPG, 53.3 FG%
Many people might stop at Mallory and De Ridder and forget about the Cavaliers’ big shot blocker, Johann Grunloh. With 4.2 blocks per 40 minutes, he might be the most feared defensive player in the league, especially since he has a great team around him. Virginia’s got a lot to like heading into this season, with three of the best 10 players in ACC basketball.
9. Somto Cyril, Miami (Fla)
2025-26 stats: 9.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 2.2 BPG, 75.9 FG% (Georgia)
Speaking of defensive bigs, Cyril proved he was one of the best in the country in two years at Georgia. Now he’s in the ACC with Miami and should have that same effect. But there’s a notion that Jai Lucas could help develop his offense even more and turn Cyril into a true two-way big man.
10. Acaden Lewis, Miami (Fla)
2025-26 stats: 12.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.9 SPG (Villanova)
The Jai Lucas effect may also be big for Acaden Lewis, who had a fantastic freshman year at Villanova. Lewis proved his scoring attributes, but averaging 5.3 APG in the Big East as a freshman is unheard of. Plus, with almost two takeaways per game, he can truly do it on both ends. Miami is a dark horse to win the league thanks to transfer additions in Lewis and Cyril.
11. Shelton Henderson, Miami (Fla)
2025-26 stats: 13.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 56.7 FG%
Sticking with Miami, Henderson just misses the top 10, but that shouldn’t be any indictment of him as a player. He also put together a fabulous freshman season and may wind up leading the Hurricanes in scoring after playing in the shadows of Tre Donaldson and Malik Reneau. The only reason he’s below Lewis and Cyril on this list is because of their defensive dominance, but this is really a true “Big Three,” of equal proportions for the Canes.
12. Cameron Williams, Duke
247Sports Composite No. 4 ranked recruit
One of the top-ranked recruits heading into this season, Williams is another one of those uniquely gifted big men who can shoot like a forward and has much better handles than almost anyone else his size. He should fit in nicely next to Ngongba, who will handle more of the inside duties, and it creates a matchup nightmare for any team that will go against Duke this season. Obviously, Williams has a ton of potential, and if he lives up to the hype, he will be much higher on this list as the season rolls along.
13. Cayden Boozer, Duke
2025-26 stats: 7.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 50.0 FG%
Cameron Boozer had one of the best freshman seasons of all time, but Cayden’s wasn’t nearly as memorable until the end, when he committed the game-sealing turnover in Duke’s March Madness loss to UConn. But he’s back with hopes of having a much better overall season and earning the respect back from Duke’s fanbase. And honestly, he was still a key part of last season’s team while shooting 50% from the floor, so there’s no reason why he can’t go for something like a 12/4/3 split.
14. Ven-Allen Lubin, NC State
2025-26 stats: 13.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 66.8 FG%
Lubin may not be able to play because of eligibility rules, but if he can, he’ll give the Pack one of the most experienced big men in the conference. He may not be much more than a big body down low for buckets and boards, but sometimes that’s all you need to separate yourself from most of the pack.
15. Ben Hammond, Virginia Tech
2025-26 stats: 13.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 43.1 3P%
Hansberry will have most of the team’s attention as a dominant big man, but Hammond will be a ball-handling menace. He can control the offense and is right up there as one of the top three-point snipers in ACC basketball. VTech’s certainly got a top duo in the league.
16. Jaden Toombs, SMU
2025-26 stats: 8.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 56.8 FG%
Our first SMU player on this list is Jaden Toombs, who put together a solid and somewhat underrated freshman season. Last season he played in the shadow of both Samet Yigitoglu and Corey Washington, but now, he’s expected to be the top rebounder and scoring big man for SMU. Plus, in the last three games of the season, Toombs averaged 16.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. That has to have SMU fans excited about his future.
17. Neoklis Avdalas, North Carolina
2025-26 stats: 12.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.6 APG (Virginia Tech)
Avdalas may be the trickiest player to figure out on this ACC basketball preseason list. On one hand, he proved to be a deadly scorer. While not every game matched his 33-point outburst against Providence in VTech’s second game of the season, he continued to be a reliable scorer who also knew how to lead an offense. Taking his talents to UNC, the thought is that Michael Malone could develop a player who already showed a lot of NBA potential as a freshman. The outlook is very, very bright, but he was somewhat inefficient, which is a cause for concern.
18. Nick Townsend, Stanford
2025-26 stats: 16.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 51.1 FG%, 46.3 3P% (Yale)
Can the Yale transfer still be as effective in the ACC? Obviously, things will get tougher for Townsend, but he was flat-out DOMINANT with the Bulldogs and figures to not just be a key piece of the Cardinal, but maybe even their top guy. He’s a do-it-all forward who might be one of the best passers in the nation at his size. And with his effectiveness both inside and out, he’s a tough guard, even in a Power 5 conference.
19. Baye Ndongo, Pitt
2025-26 stats: 11.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.0 BPG, 55.6 FG% (Georgia Tech)
I’m so unsure what the verdict on Ndongo is. He dazzled as a freshman, averaging 12.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, numbers went up only slightly, but the potential still showed. However, his junior year was met with more criticism – numbers dropped, and his outside game hasn’t expanded as much as people initially thought it would. Now, after those three years at Georgia Tech, he heads to Pitt, staying in the ACC, but in a different system. The expectation is for a much better senior year, but maybe that potential just will never be fully reached?
20. Anthony Robinson II, Florida State
2025-26 stats: 8.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.6 SPG (Missouri)
Robinson enjoyed a few good seasons with Missouri, but will finish off his collegiate career at FSU. He’s about as steady as it comes – a point guard who will score when absolutely needed, but will also direct traffic and make an impact on defense. But his best trait might be a unique flow for the game, as he loves to both slow things down and change pace. He’s shown some flashes of being a good three-point shooter, but can make an impact without that, which is almost like a breath of fresh air in college basketball in 2026.
21. Jackson Shelstad, Louisville
2025-26 stats: 15.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.4 SPG (Oregon)
Sometimes the biggest ability is availability, and unfortunately Shelstad hasn’t provided much of that. After a breakout freshman season at Oregon, he only played in 12 games in an injury-filled junior year. When healthy, Shelstad is a top 15 player in the ACC and one of the best shot-makers out there. But on this Louisville roster, he likely won’t be asked to do as much and will have to play more of a part in their rotation instead of being the guy. It may be a humbling experience, but it also could bring out the best.
22. Dame Sarr, Duke
2025-26 stats: 6.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.0 SPG
Sarr is the fourth Blue Devil to crack this list, after putting up very solid numbers in his first year in town. With Ngongba, Williams, and Boozer getting most of the praise, Sarr could be a very underrated player this season. He chipped in a lot last season and was definitely overshadowed by the rest of the talent on the roster. However, he still started 30 games and now heads into a sophomore season with that year of experience under his belt and a lot more potential to go out there and get his own. But will the addition of Blackwell once again make it tough for Sarr to make his talent known?
23. Gavin Doty, Syracuse
2025-26 stats: 18.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.3 SPG (Siena)
Gerry McNamara took a few Siena players along with him to Syracuse, and Doty was the biggest prize. He had one of the top seasons of any sophomore mid-major player last year and nearly put the Saints on his back, falling just short of an upset of 1-seed Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That’s just one game, so it’s tough to see how well he’d perform in a full slate of ACC play. If you need more reason to believe he’ll be fine, he dropped 25 points and 8 boards against St. Bonaventure and went for 16 and 6 against Indiana. With better talent around him, Doty should be primed to once again be a go-to option, just in Orange.
24. Rowan Brumbaugh, SMU
2025-26 stats: 19.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, 36.0 3P% (Tulane)
Rowan Brumbaugh has had one of the most intriguing seasons of any college basketball player as of late. He was a top 100 recruit and went to Texas, redshirting and never playing a game for the Longhorns. Then he transferred to Georgetown, actually having a fine season, posting a line of 8.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. But then he transferred to Tulane, where he shined each of the last two seasons, turning into one of the most gifted scorers in the American. But will that click on his fourth school in five years?
25. Garwey Dual, Syracuse
2025-26 stats: 8.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.6 SPG (McNeese)
Dual is on his fourth school in four years, starting at Providence, going to Seton Hall, and playing at McNeese last season. He’s improved a bit but has always brought the same type of game – a tough guard who can score inside, slow things down, make stops defensively, and run point in a unique way. Think Kadary Richmond, but with even less of an outside game. For Syracuse, that might be a welcome sight. A few seasons ago, the Orange had a small guard in Jaquan Carlos, and it just didn’t work out at all. Dual resembles the build of guards in the great Syracuse teams of the past – big. Talent may not be as much, but those abilities could be exactly what they need to have a successful season.