Duke Blue Devils Favored to Win ACC Again; Williams Named MVP

BREAKING: The No. 6 ranked Duke Blue Devils have been officially selected to defend their title as Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champions, as confirmed during ACC media days in Charlotte, N.C. Despite the loss of standout player Cooper Flagg and four others to the NBA draft, Duke’s dominance remains strong. In a surprising twist, N.C. State senior forward Darrion Williams has been named the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year.

Duke garnered an impressive 34 out of 49 first-place votes from a panel of media experts, solidifying their position as frontrunners. Close behind, No. 11 Louisville, which showcased a remarkable rebound under first-year coach Pat Kelsey, secured 15 first-place votes and is projected to finish second in the standings. The top five teams included North Carolina and Virginia.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer expressed confidence in his team’s potential, stating, “I’ve seen great hunger, which is what gives me great confidence for this team.” He acknowledged the need for experience but emphasized the importance of skill sets that complement each other.

Meanwhile, Williams, who averaged 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds last season, edged out Duke’s Cameron Boozer by a narrow margin of four votes to claim the Preseason Player of the Year honor, receiving a total of 23 first-place votes. Boozer was also declared the Preseason Rookie of the Year with 43 votes.

The first-team All-ACC selections include Williams, Boozer, Markus Burton of Notre Dame, and Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell from Louisville. The second team features Boopie Miller from SMU, J.J. Starling from Syracuse, Isaiah Evans from Duke, Baye Ndongo of Georgia Tech, and Caleb Wilson from North Carolina.

With the season rapidly approaching, fans are eager to see how these developments will unfold on the court. The ACC is set to be more competitive than ever, and the stakes are high for all teams involved.

Stay tuned for further updates as the season progresses and the teams prepare for their upcoming matchups.