Duke Headlines Early ACC Top Five Rankings

The Duke basketball program has had a very eventful last few days of the NCAA Transfer Portal cycle, cementing its status as one of the nation’s premier contenders heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

Head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff are prioritizing complementing their elite young talent with key veterans rather than relying heavily on freshmen to produce. In a new era of college basketball, Scheyer and Co. are adapting.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) and UConn Huskies forward Jayden Ross (23) go for the ball in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

However, Duke isn’t the only ACC program that has put in work in the portal this offseason. The ACC sent eight teams to the 2026 NCAA Tournament, but the league compiled a mere 6-8 record, and Duke was the only team to make it out of the first weekend.

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The ACC looks much more dangerous heading into 2026-27. Let’s rank the top five teams as of now.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer shoots a ball during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

1. Duke

The Blue Devils have run the ACC over the past few seasons, compiling a 36-2 league record over the last two years and winning the last two ACC regular season and Tournament titles.

So far, Duke has brought back Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster, Sebastian Wilkins, and Patrick Ngongba for another season. The program also signed former Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski and former star Wisconsin guard John Blackwell.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) dribbles the ball against the St. John’s Red Storm in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA…

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Publish date : 2026-04-23 12:30:00

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