ACC Preseason Poll

[JasonEvans]

At Operation Basketball, the media voted and guess who is #1?

ACC Operation Basketball 2018-19 Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)

1. Duke (52) - 1709
2. Virginia (47) - 1699
3. North Carolina (20) - 1641
4. Syracuse (1) - 1268
5. Virginia Tech - 1187
6. Clemson (1) -1148
7. Florida State - 1127
8. NC State - 885
9. Notre Dame - 859
10. Miami - 816
11. Louisville - 735
12. Boston College - 568
13. Georgia Tech - 324
14. Wake Forest - 313
15. Pitt - 241

[JasonEvans]

Preseason all-ACC teams

First Team

Luke Maye, UNC (111 points)
Tyus Battle, Syr (86)
RJ Barrett, Duke (76)
Kyle Guy, Virginia (62)
Ky Bowman, BC (58)

Second Team

Zion Williamson, Duke (55)
De'Andre Hunter, Virginia (32)
Justin Robinson, Va Tech (29)
Ty Jerome, Virginia (17)
Marcquise Reed, Clemson (16)

ACC Preseason Player of the Year

Luke Maye, North Carolina (50)
RJ Barrett, Duke (22)
Zion Williamson, Duke (15)
Tyus Battle, Syracuse (11)
Ky Bowman, Boston College (7)
Kyle Guy, Virginia (5)
De'Andre Hunter, Virginia (4)
Ty Jerome, Virginia (2)
Justin Robinson, Virginia Tech (2)
Cam Reddish, Duke (1)
T.J. Gibbs, Notre Dame (1)
Jaylen Hoard, Wake Forest (1)

ACC Preseason Freshman of the Year

RJ Barrett, Duke (66)
Zion Williamson, Duke (43)
Cam Reddish, Duke (4)
Jaylen Hoard, Wake Forest (3)
Coby White, North Carolina (2)
Jalen Carey, Syracuse (1)
Nate Laszewski, Notre Dame (1)
Jairus Hamilton, Boston College (1)

-Jason "I think it was awful nice of the ACC to let Jaylen Hoard's mother have a vote in the Player of the Year race" Evans

[bullettoothtony]

Who would vote for North Carolina over Duke and Virginia?

I'm not saying they couldn't win the regular season but right now no way they're ahead of us and UVA.

[JasonEvans]

Who would vote for North Carolina over Duke and Virginia?

I'm not saying they couldn't win the regular season but right now no way they're ahead of us and UVA.

It isn't that outlandish of a vote, not by a long shot.

In Luke Maye, Cam Johnson, and Kenny Williams they return three double-digit scorers from a year ago. Those three will be men playing with boys in many contests as they are 21, 22, and 21. Manley and Brooks showed they are pretty solid big men in the ACC. Nassir Little will likely challenge RJ and Zion for the title of best freshman in the conference (how did Little get 0 votes for FOY?!?!?!). Coby White is going to be a solid backcourt player from day one.

The only real question mark for the Heels is at PG. Seventh Woods has had an underwhelming career but has shown flashes of real potential. It will be interesting to see if he or White get the starting nod but I would expect them to split time for the most part.

The Heels are experienced with All-ACC caliber players, deep up front, and have a pair of Mickie Dee freshmen... sounds like a very reasonable formula for winning the league.

-Jason "now excuse me while I go take a shower... gross!" Evans

[dukelifer]

It isn't that outlandish of a vote, not by a long shot.

In Luke Maye, Cam Johnson, and Kenny Williams they return three double-digit scorers from a year ago. Those three will be men playing with boys in many contests as they are 21, 22, and 21. Manley and Brooks showed they are pretty solid big men in the ACC. Nassir Little will likely challenge RJ and Zion for the title of best freshman in the conference (how did Little get 0 votes for FOY?!?!?!). Coby White is going to be a solid backcourt player from day one.

The only real question mark for the Heels is at PG. Seventh Woods has had an underwhelming career but has shown flashes of real potential. It will be interesting to see if he or White get the starting nod but I would expect them to split time for the most part.

The Heels are experienced with All-ACC caliber players, deep up front, and have a pair of Mickie Dee freshmen... sounds like a very reasonable formula for winning the league.

-Jason "now excuse me while I go take a shower... gross!" Evans

Yes- UNC has a lot of experience and talent. I see them as a possible regular season champion. I have not looked at their schedule- but that will play into it. Virginia D is always an issue and they will be hungry this year. Duke is so young and inexperienced - it will take a while to get rolling. Duke is the most dangerous team late in the season - but they will have their ups and downs. So I would give UVA the edge but UNC is right there and Duke is likely third with a chance to be a very good team by March.

[wobatus]

It isn't that outlandish of a vote, not by a long shot.

In Luke Maye, Cam Johnson, and Kenny Williams they return three double-digit scorers from a year ago. Those three will be men playing with boys in many contests as they are 21, 22, and 21. Manley and Brooks showed they are pretty solid big men in the ACC. Nassir Little will likely challenge RJ and Zion for the title of best freshman in the conference (how did Little get 0 votes for FOY?!?!?!). Coby White is going to be a solid backcourt player from day one.

The only real question mark for the Heels is at PG. Seventh Woods has had an underwhelming career but has shown flashes of real potential. It will be interesting to see if he or White get the starting nod but I would expect them to split time for the most part.

The Heels are experienced with All-ACC caliber players, deep up front, and have a pair of Mickie Dee freshmen... sounds like a very reasonable formula for winning the league.

-Jason "now excuse me while I go take a shower... gross!" Evans

It is a bit surprising Little got no ROY votes. He's supposedly a top 5 pick in most mocks for 2019. Maybe an opportunity question (as opposed to Laszewski, Hamilton and Hoard), but he should get plenty of playing time.

Kenpom has Duke, UNC and UVa 2, 3 and 4 in the country. Syracuse 8. Very tight.

[bullettoothtony]

Virginia returns three guys (all of whom are pre-season first and second team all-ACC picks) from a team that lost one conference game and won the ACC Tournament. That alone puts them ahead of Carolina.

And we have three of the top four projected picks in next year's NBA Draft. We're top heavy in terms of overall team talent, but that top heavy talent is obscene.

No way I'd pick Carolina over us or Virginia. And obviously most of the voters agree with me.

Nothing else to add, other than ^ you're right about Little not getting any votes. That's ridiculous.

[devildeac]

Who would vote for North Carolina over Duke and Virginia?

I'm not saying they couldn't win the regular season but right now no way they're ahead of us and UVA.

What Jason said above, plus I thought someone here posted that the acc commish provided them with a pretty favorable schedule this year, too .

[tbyers11]

It is a bit surprising Little got no ROY votes. He's supposedly a top 5 pick in most mocks for 2019. Maybe an opportunity question (as opposed to Laszewski, Hamilton and Hoard), but he should get plenty of playing time.

Kenpom has Duke, UNC and UVa 2, 3 and 4 in the country. Syracuse 8. Very tight.

Little wasn't nominated by UNC SID

@TheBenSwain

A reminder that Nas Little received 0 votes for All-ACC, Player of the Year or Rookie of the Year because his school did not nominate him #OperationHideNas

11:09 AM - 25 Oct 2018

[devildeac]

Little wasn't nominated by UNC SID

@TheBenSwain

A reminder that Nas Little received 0 votes for All-ACC, Player of the Year or Rookie of the Year because his school did not nominate him #OperationHideNas

11:09 AM - 25 Oct 2018

I guess ol roy is hoping to develop him over 2 years or more...

[DarkstarWahoo]

I, too, think that T.J. Gibbs will be the ACC POY, an opinion that is in no way insane.

[Wander]

We all know how this is going to go. Virginia will win the ACC regular season and then lose to Creighton or somebody similar in the second round.

[Troublemaker]

Yes- UNC has a lot of experience and talent. I see them as a possible regular season champion. I have not looked at their schedule- but that will play into it. Virginia D is always an issue and they will be hungry this year. Duke is so young and inexperienced - it will take a while to get rolling. Duke is the most dangerous team late in the season - but they will have their ups and downs. So I would give UVA the edge but UNC is right there and Duke is likely third with a chance to be a very good team by March.

UVA will be hungry for NCAA tournament success. The ACC regular season crown? That's old hat to them. Gun to my head, I'd pick UVA to finish first but if there were ever a season when they could suffer surprising regular season losses, this would be it. When the buzzer sounded on UMBC's upset in March, I seared into my brain, "Next season, UVA will be underrated in the postseason and probably overrated in the regular season." It's just human nature, and I can't wait to bet on them in the NCAA tourney.

The problem is picking a replacement for them at the top. UNC doesn't have a true PG this season, so there's no way I'm picking them first (although I do recall thinking their schedule is favorable). And Duke has to prove that we can overcome the swoon that we always seem to suffer at the beginning of the ACC slate. Hard to finish on top if you put yourself in an early hole.

[JasonEvans]

Little wasn't nominated by UNC SID

@TheBenSwain

A reminder that Nas Little received 0 votes for All-ACC, Player of the Year or Rookie of the Year because his school did not nominate him #OperationHideNas

11:09 AM - 25 Oct 2018

Wait... whaaaat? Since when do teams have to nominate guys for these awards? Are we assuming the media is too stupid to recognize who might be a significant freshman on each team? Why are we even having them vote if we figure they have no idea who the top freshmen may be?

This may be the stupidest thing I have ever heard about preseason award lists, which is a patently stupid thing anyway. I am guessing this is why Cam Reddish didn't get a single vote, Duke was probably only allowed to nominate 2 guys for the award.

And why would Carolina not bother to nominate Little? It isn't like the NBA is unaware of a guy who just won the Mickie Dee game MVP!!

-Jason "if I still was allowed to bet pies I'd be tempted to wager on whether the Heels start Little to start the season. He plays the same position as Cam Johnson and Roy loooooves to not start his freshman studs" Evans

[JasonEvans]

Virginia returns three guys (all of whom are pre-season first and second team all-ACC picks) from a team that lost one conference game and won the ACC Tournament. That alone puts them ahead of Carolina.

And we have three of the top four projected picks in next year's NBA Draft. We're top heavy in terms of overall team talent, but that top heavy talent is obscene.

No way I'd pick Carolina over us or Virginia. And obviously most of the voters agree with me.

To be clear, I was not saying I would pick Carolina #1. I was merely saying doing so is not some truly outrageous and indefensible thing to do. I largely agree with the percentage of votes:

Duke - 43% to win ACC Reg Season
Vir - 39% to win ACC Reg Season
UNC - 16% to win ACC Reg Season
Syracuse/Clemson - about 1% each
Rest of the ACC - no chance

[sagegrouse]

To be clear, I was not saying I would pick Carolina #1. I was merely saying doing so is not some truly outrageous and indefensible thing to do. I largely agree with the percentage of votes:

Duke - 43% to win ACC Reg Season
Vir - 39% to win ACC Reg Season
UNC - 16% to win ACC Reg Season
Syracuse/Clemson - about 1% each
Rest of the ACC - no chance

I wouldn't put Duke first. We have no proven college players on the roster. Except maybe Javin. Third or fourth is my guess. We could be better, but we could also be worse.

And that's why they play the games.

[WiJoe]

I wouldn't put Duke first. We have no proven college players on the roster. Except maybe Javin. Third or fourth is my guess. We could be better, but we could also be worse.

And that's why they play the games.

You are WAY too logical for this site. But then, you are SAGE.

[OldPhiKap]

My ballot would be:

1. UVA
2. UNC
3. Duke

But we will be the most dangerous team in March if healthy.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

It isn't that outlandish of a vote, not by a long shot.

The Heels are experienced with All-ACC caliber players, deep up front, and have a pair of Mickie Dee freshmen... sounds like a very reasonable formula for winning the league.

-Jason "now excuse me while I go take a shower... gross!" Evans

HAH, got a laugh out of your signature line there. These things always bring up a question that it seems so few ask or answer: do the voters in this poll A: think this is how the teams are now or B: this is how the teams will finish the ACC standings or C: this is how the teams will rank relative to each other at the end of the season?

This is more of a question with things like the pre season AP polls, where the pre season poll then becomes the basis of the first regular season poll.

A team like Duke with 4 frosh as the 4 best players...that's a team that can be great and a real national contender at the end of the season - but hard to think they are there now, and hard to think they'll get that way in time to win the ACC regular season...I think Duke has the best chance of any ACC team to win the Natty, but I don't think they have the best chance to win the ACC reg season. I think the cheats or UVa has that.

EDIT: I see now a good number of posters think Duke will not win the reg season, but will be the best team in March. Smart folks around here...

[duke4ever19]

I, too, think that T.J. Gibbs will be the ACC POY, an opinion that is in no way insane.

I think Kyle Guy is getting ready to go on an epic revenge/redemption tour this season.

He's got just the right amount JJ Redick arrogance circa 2004 in him and he's going to need it, because UVA will be on the receiving end of all kinds of creative chants.