As basketball keeps creeping closer, more and more things are happening to get all the college basketball fans in the mood. Whether it’s preseason AP rankings, media days, or exhibitions/scrimmages, the time has come to turn our attention from the oval shaped ball toward the round orange one instead (especially when you’re having a football year like UNC is having).
So to continue in that vein, having already looked at the top returning player, the top transfer, and the top freshman for each ACC team,
its time to look at the possible starting lineups for each school. In this ever-changing world of transfers and one-and-dones, starting lineup projections are a lot harder than when the same players returned season after season.
Unlike previous articles, a lot of the players here will probably make up All-ACC squads by the time the season is over. Now, a couple of notes: these are mere guesses based on the rosters with preferential treatment given to players who started last season, top freshmen, and players who participated at ACC Tipoff.
Additionally, each starting line up has two guards, a wing (guard or forward), and two bigs. Size does matter, especially for the post positions, and though the best five players were considered, there was a deference to players who fit the mold better as opposed to trotting out four guards and a small forward.
With all that said, here is one writer’s best guess at each ACC team’s starting five to begin the 2025-26 season.
(All teams are listed alphabetically. Stats listed are the top three the player averaged last season. Rookie rankings are per 247.)
Boston College
G: Chase Forte (17.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.2 apg)
G: Fred Payne (6.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.2 apg)
G/F: Donald Hand Jr (15.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.3 apg)
F: Jayden Hastings (4.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
F: Boden Kapke (4.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.6 apg)
Hand Jr was the easiest pick here after starting all 31 games for the Eagles last season and leading the team in points and rebounds. He is joined by fellow returnees Hastings, who started five games, and Payne who led the team in steals. Forte (South Dakota) and Kapke (Butler) are both transfers who started at their schools last season. The only questions here were whether freshmen Akbar Waheed III and Jack Bailey would get the nods, but neither rated highly enough to unseat the upperclassmen for coach Earl Grant.
California
G: Dai Dai Ames (8.7 ppg, 1.9 apg, 1.4 rpg)
G: DeJuan Campbell (7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.6 apg)
G/F: Rytis Petraitis (8.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.7 apg)
F: John Camden (16.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.1 apg)
F: Milos Ilic (14.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)
The Golden Bears were a hard team to figure, as they only returned three players from last season’s team. Petraitis (29 starts, led the team in steals) and Campbell (14 starts) are two of those players. Camden (Delaware) and Ilic (Loyola Maryland) are both transfers who provide size in the post as well as experience as starters for coach Mark Madsen (who knows a thing or two about post players, having been one in the NBA for 10 seasons). The last spot went to Ames (Virginia) — over options such as transfers Chris Bell and Nolan Dorsey, as well as freshmen Semetri Carr and Jovani Bell — due to his inclusion at ACC Tipoff.
Clemson
G: Ace Buckner (redshirt)
G: Dillon Hunter (5.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.9 apg)
G/F: RJ Godfrey (6.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.0 apg)
F: Carter Welling (13.1 ppg, 6.3, 1.8 bpg)
F: Nick Davidson (15.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.8 apg)
Much like Cal, the Tigers return very little production from last year’s team, which is why Hunter was an easy choice. Transfers Welling (Utah Valley) and Davidson (Nevada) are both big double-digit scoring post players who started for their respective clubs last season. Considerations were given to transfer Jestin Porter (Middle Tennessee), redshirt Dallas Thomas, and freshman Zac Foster, but the final two spots ended up with Buckner (a redshirt and son of Clemson legend Greg Buckner) and Godfrey, a transfer from Georgia, who was one of coach Brad Brownell’s two players at ACC Tipoff.
Duke
G: Caeden Boozer (Nat: 23, Pos: 4, FL: 7)
G: Caleb Foster (4.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.4 apg)
G/F: Nikolas Khamenia (Nat: 15, Pos: 3, CA: 4)
F: Cameron Boozer (Nat: 3, Pos: 1, FL: 2)
F: Maliq Brown (3.7 rpg, 2.5 ppg, 1.5 apg)
Keeping in tradition with coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils, this lineup starts with the three highly touted freshmen in Khamenia and the Boozer twins. The last two spots came down to four returning players, Foster vs Isaiah Evans and Brown vs Patrick Ngongba II, with Foster and Brown getting the nods due to their inclusions at ACC Tipoff.
Florida State
G: Robert McCray V (16.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.5 apg)
G: Kobe Magee (14.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.9 apg)
G/F: Lajae Jones (10.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.5 spg)
F: Chauncey Wiggins (8.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.7 apg)
F: Shahid Muhammad (3.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
The Seminoles and new head coach Luke Loucks bring in a brand new team full of transfers. McCray V (Jacksonville), Magee (Drexel), Jones (St Bonaventure), and Wiggins (Clemson) all started for their respective schools last season. Meanwhile, the 6’11” Muhammad started three games for UMass last season, and freshman Cam Miles will provide the first time head coach with a potent scorer off the bench.
Georgia Tech
G: Lamar Washington (13.5 ppg, 5.8 apg, 5.1 rpg)
G: Kowacie Reeves Jr (9.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
G/F: Jaeden Mustaf (8.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)
F: Baye Ndongo (13.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.6 apg)
F: Mouhammed Sylla (Nat: 17, Pos: 2, AZ: 2)
Ndongo (34 starts, led the team in rebounds), Mustaf (10 starts), and Reeves Jr (six starts, seven blocks in six games) all return after starting at different points for the Yellow Jackets last season (Reeves Jr got injured after six games). Transfer guard Washington (Pacific) will look to stabilize coach Damon Stoudamire’s offense with the departure of former starting guard George (transfer to Syracuse). The freshman Sylla should get the 5 spot as a top 15 freshman over mammoth transfer Peyton Marshall (7’0”, 300 lbs, Missouri).
Louisville
G: Mikel Brown Jr (Nat: 6, Pos: 2, FL: 4)
G: Isaac McKneely (14.4 ppg, 2.9 apg, 2.7 rpg)
G/F: Ryan Conwell (16.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.5 apg)
F: J’Vonne Hadley (12.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.8 apg)
F: Kasean Pryor (12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Hadley (38 starts, led the team in rebounds) and Pryor (three starts in seven games before injury) both return after starting for the Cardinals last season. They are joined by starting transfers McKneely (Virginia) and Conwell (Xavier). The freshman Brown Jr gets the nod over transfer Adrian Wooley (Kennesaw St), due to his high ranking status, as he will be looked upon by coach Pat Kelsey to lead Louisville deep into the NCAA tournament.
Miami
G: Tre Donaldson (11.3 ppg, 4.1 apg, 3.5 rpg)
G: Tru Washington (11.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.1 spg)
G/F: Shelton Henderson (Nat: 25, Pos: 7, TX: 2)
F: Malik Reneau (13.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.0 apg)
F: Ernest Udeh Jr (7.5 rpg, 6.6 ppg, 1.4 spg)
Much like their fellow Sunshine State compadres, the Hurricanes bring in a first-time head coach Jai Lucas and a roster full of new players. Transfers Donaldson (Michigan), Washington (New Mexico), Reneau (Indiana), and Udeh Jr (TCU) all started games for their teams last season. Henderson gets the final starting spot due to being a top-ranked freshman playing for a coach coming from a school that leans towards starting their top-ranked freshmen (Lucas was an assistant at Duke last season).
NC State
G: Tre Holloman (9.1 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.9 rpg)
G: Alyn Breed (17.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg)
G/F: Quadir Copeland (9.2 ppg, 4.5 apg, 3.3 rpg)
F: Darrion Williams (15.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.6 apg)
F: Ven-Allen Lubin (8.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.9 bpg)
Another new coach and another team full of new players for the Wolfpack. Holloman (Michigan St), Williams (Texas Tech), Lubin (UNC) all started for power conference schools last year. The last two spots go to two guys who started for coach Will Wade last season at McNeese State in Copeland and Breed, who started two games before getting injured and gets the nod over freshman Matt Able due to familiarity with Wade’s system.
North Carolina
G: Kyan Evans (10.6 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.9 rpg)
G: Seth Trimble (11.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.4 spg)
G/F: Luka Bogavac (14.9 ppg, 39.9% 3pt)
F: Caleb Wilson (Nat: 8, Pos: 3, GA: 1)
F: Henri Veesaar (9.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)
The Heels starting five is pretty straightforward. The transfer Evans (Colorado St), international player Bogavac (SC Derby Montenegro), and returnee Trimble (18 starts, led the team in steals) provide coach Hubert Davis with experience over the freshman guard duo of Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis. The freshman Wilson and transfers Veesaar (Arizona) and Jarin Stevenson (Alabama) provide size in the post for a team that was in great need of it last season.
Notre Dame
G: Markus Burton (21.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.0 apg)
G: Braeden Shrewsberry (14.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.6 apg)
G/F: Jalen Haralson (Nat: 18, Pos: 4, IN: 2)
F: Carson Towt (13.3 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 3.4 apg)
F: Kebba Njie (6.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.6 bpg)
Burton (25 starts, led the team in points, assists, and steals), Shrewsberry (26 starts, head coach’s son), and Njie (30 starts, led the team in rebounds and blocks) all return after starting last season for coach Mike Shrewsberry and the Fighting Irish. The freshman Haralson gets the fourth slot by being the highest-rated freshman in modern Notre Dame history. Meanwhile, the transfer Towt (Northern Arizona) gets the nod over freshman Tommy Ahneman after collecting 20 double-doubles in 34 games last season.
Pittsburgh
G: Damarco Minor (9.8 ppg, 5.1 apg, 4.8 rpg)
G: Brandin Cummings (6.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.8 apg)
G/F: Barry Dunning Jr (15.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
F: Cameron Corhen (11.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.9 apg)
F: Dishon Jackson (8.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
Corhen (32 starts) returns for coach Jeff Capel’s Panthers, while transfers Minor (Oregon State) and Jackson (Iowa State) both started at power conference schools (well, Oregon State used to be in a power conference). Returning player Cummings (four starts, ACC Tipoff representative) and transfer Dunning Jr (South Alabama) get the final two spots over freshman Omari Witherspoon, who could easily start over either player.
SMU
G: Boopie Miller (13.2 ppg, 5.5 apg, 2.7 rpg)
G: BJ Edwards (9.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.7 apg)
G/F: Jaron Pierre Jr (21.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.8 apg)
F: Corey Washington (13.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.0 spg)
F: Samet Yigitoglu (10.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 apg)
Miller (28 starts, led the team in points and assists), Edwards (35 starts, led the team in steals), and Yigitoglu (32 starts, led the team in blocks) all return after starting for the Mustangs last season. Coach Andy Enfield will also mix in some transfers in Pierre Jr (Jacksonville St) and Washington (Wichita St) as well as freshmen big men Jaden Toombs and Nigel Walls for a strong SMU front court this season.
Stanford
G: Benny Gealer (6.0 ppg, 2.0 apg, 1.7 rpg)
G: Ryan Agarwal (7.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.1 apg)
G/F: Donavin Young (3.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.5 spg)
F: Chisom Okpara (6.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 apg)
F: Oskar Giltay (6.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
With nine returning players, coach Kyle Smith’s Cardinal were one of the easiest rosters to figure out. Gealer (7 starts), Agarwal (29 starts), Young (16 starts) and Okpara (5 starts) all return as former Stanford starters. The only question was who was going to start at the five and replace the production of Maxime Raynaud, with the nod going to Giltay (Belgium) over fellow international player Kristers Skirinda (Latvia).
Syracuse
G: Naithan George (12.3 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.2 rpg)
G: JJ Starling (17.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.8 apg)
G/F: Kiyan Anthony (Nat: 32, Pos: 7, NY:1)
F: Sadiq White Jr (Nat: 26, Pos: 5, FL: 8)
F: Donnie Freeman (13.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Starling (26 starts, led the team in points) and Freeman (13 starts) return to give coach Adrian Autry a strong duo to build on. Transfer Naithan George (Georgia Tech) will be looked upon to lead this Syracuse Orange team that is rounded out by the freshman duo of Anthony (son of Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony) and White Jr, who get the nod over transfers Nate Kingz (Oregon State) and Ibrahim Souare (Georgia Tech).
Virginia
G: Dallin Hall (6.8 ppg, 4.2 apg, 2.2 rpg)
G: Malik Thomas (19.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.1 apg)
G/F: Martin Carrere (VCU redshirt)
F: Devin Tillis (13.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.4 apg)
F: Ugonna Onyenso (2.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.9 bpg)
Like the rest of the new coaches on the list, Ryan Odom is bringing a bunch of new players to the Cavaliers this season. Transfers Thomas (San Francisco) and Tillis (UC Irvine) were both starters last season at smaller schools, while Carrere is the only player to follow Odom from VCU after redshirting last season. Big 12 transfers Onyenso (Kansas State) and Hall (BYU) get the nod over freshmen Silas Barksdale and Chance Mallory due to power conference experience (Onyenso) and being at ACC Tipoff (Hall).
Virginia Tech
G: Ben Hammond (5.6 ppg, 2.1 apg, 1.7 rpg)
G: Jailen Bedford (10.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.2 apg)
G/F: Tyler Johnson (6.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.0 apg)
F: Amani Hansberry (9.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.4 apg)
F: Tobi Lawal (12.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.9 apg)
The Hokies return four players from coach Mike Young’s team last season, with Hammond (17 starts, led the team in steals), Johnson (28 starts), and Lawal (30 starts, led the team in points, rebounds, and blocks) all starting at some point. The last two spots go to Hansberry and Bedford over freshman Christian Gurdak and transfer Isaiah Pashu (Delaware), because they were both present at ACC Tipoff.
Wake Forest
G: Nate Calmese (15.2 ppg, 4.4 apg, 3.0 rpg)
G: Isaac Carr (Nat: 147, Pos: 25, OR:1)
G/F: Mekhi Mason (9.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.4 apg)
F: Tre’Von Spillers (9.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
F: Cooper Schweiger (15.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.0 bpg)
Spillers (30 starts, led the team in rebounds and blocks) is the only returning starter from last season’s Demon Deacon squad. Coach Steve Forbes will be looking to keep his team at the top with a trio of transfers in Calmese (Washington St), Mason (Washington), and Schweiger (Valparaiso). The freshman Carr gets the last spot over transfer Sebastian Akins (Denver), due to his triple-double potential.
