Duke is the ACC favorite again, but Virginia’s Thijs De Ridder has the preseason spotlight

Duke is the ACC favorite again, but Virginia’s Thijs De Ridder has the preseason spotlight originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Duke is the clear favorite to win the 2026-27 ACC men’s basketball title, but the league’s preseason poll also delivered a strong endorsement of Virginia forward Thijs De Ridder.

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The Blue Devils received 45 of 48 first-place votes and 861 total points in the poll, announced by the conference Tuesday. Virginia finished second with 778 points, followed by Louisville, Miami and North Carolina. De Ridder was selected as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, while Duke freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje earned preseason rookie honors.

That sets up a compelling early storyline: Duke enters the year with the poll’s overwhelming support, while Virginia has the league’s top returning individual pick and a roster expected to challenge near the top.

Duke’s vote total reflects high expectations

Duke was picked to win the ACC for the third consecutive season and the 11th time in the last 14 years, according to the conference. Its 45 first-place votes made the Blue Devils the decisive choice, though Virginia, Louisville and Miami each received one first-place vote.

The preseason All-ACC first team features two Duke players: John Blackwell and Patrick Ngongba II. De Ridder was the only unanimous selection, with Louisville’s Flory Bidunga and Miami’s Shelton Henderson rounding out the first team.

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Duke’s combination of returning and new talent gives voters a clear reason for their confidence. But a preseason poll is a forecast, not a result. With the conference season not beginning until late December, teams will have weeks of nonconference games to prove whether the ranking matches their form.

MORE: Minnesota basketball could get a season-changing answer on Cade Tyson this week

De Ridder gets a chance to build on a big first season

De Ridder averaged 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds…

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Publish date : 2026-10-15 00:41:00

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