Jeff Borzello of ESPN has unveiled his updated preseason college basketball Top 25 rankings following players’ final decisions to either remain in the NBA Draft or return to college.
While the ACC has been underwhelming in recent seasons, a few programs within the conference are positioned to make a splash in 2025–26, with four teams earning spots in Borzello’s latest rankings.
No. 7 – Louisville
Louisville leads the ACC contingent after a remarkable turnaround in Pat Kelsey’s first year as head coach. Kelsey revived a once-struggling program—coming off two dismal seasons—and guided the Cardinals back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, also capturing the ACC title.
Heading into 2025–26, Louisville is viewed as a national contender. The Cardinals return key veterans Kasean Pryor and J’Vonne Hadley, while adding one of the country’s top transfer classes, including Adrian Wooley (18.8 PPG at Kennesaw State), sharpshooter Isaac McKneely (42.1% from three at Virginia), and Ryan Conwell (16.5 PPG at Xavier). Louisville also welcomes five-star guard Mikel Brown Jr., ranked the No. 1 point guard in the 2025 class by the 247Sports Composite.
No. 12 – Duke
Duke slipped from No. 6 to No. 12 after Cedric Coward chose to remain in the NBA Draft, but the Blue Devils still boast a stacked roster. Head coach Jon Scheyer returns key pieces in Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, and Maliq Brown, and brings in the No. 1 overall recruiting class, featuring five-star talents Cameron Boozer, Dame Sarr, and Nik Khamenia.
While Duke didn’t make significant moves in the transfer portal, the talent level remains elite. Experience may be a concern, but with Scheyer’s track record for developing young players, this Blue Devils team still has the potential to contend nationally.
No. 24 – NC State
NC State joins the rankings thanks to the addition of Darrion Williams, who withdrew from the NBA Draft to return to college after a strong season at Texas Tech. New head coach Will Wade has reloaded the roster through the transfer portal, landing proven contributors like Tre Holloman (9.1 PPG at Michigan State), Terrance Arceneaux (6.5 PPG at Houston), and Ven-Allen Lubin (8.7 PPG at North Carolina). Notably, Lubin made history as the first player ever to transfer directly from UNC to NC State.
While the team’s chemistry remains a question given the influx of new faces, Wade’s aggressive portal strategy has certainly reignited excitement in Raleigh.
No. 25 – North Carolina
Hubert Davis enters a critical season at UNC, with pressure mounting after an inconsistent tenure in Chapel Hill. Reportedly backed by a $14 million NIL war chest this offseason, Davis had every resource to reshape the Tar Heels’ roster.
UNC added several solid transfers, including Henri Veesaar (9.4 PPG at Arizona), Kyan Evans (44.6% 3PT at Colorado State), and Jarin Stevenson (5.4 PPG at Alabama). However, the team failed to land a true headline-grabbing addition, and the losses of RJ Davis, Ian Jackson, Drake Powell, and Elliot Cadeau leave a major void. Seth Trimble is the only returning key piece from last season’s core.
With high stakes and lofty expectations, UNC is a program to watch closely as the 2025–26 season approaches.
Conference Breakdown
The SEC and Big 12 each placed six teams in the Top 25, leading all conferences. The Big Ten followed with five, the ACC had four, the Big East claimed three spots, and Gonzaga represented the WCC as the lone mid-major entry.
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