
Everyone is high on the UNC men’s basketball team.
The Tar Heels, recently voted No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, were picked to win the ACC Tuesday afternoon. In addition, senior forward Armando Bacot and junior guard Caleb Love were named to the preseason All-ACC First Team — with Bacot being named Preseason Player of the Year. Junior guard R.J. Davis was named to the preseason All-ACC Second Team.
Carolina received 90 of 101 first-place votes in the ACC poll to slot well ahead of Duke, who received two. Virginia, Miami and Florida State round out the top five of the poll. Duke, Virginia and Miami each received first-place votes, as did Virginia Tech in seventh place. The Hokies are the defending ACC Tournament champions.
Bacot received 82 of 101 votes in the Preseason Player of the Year poll. He was named First Team All-ACC last season and finished second in the running for ACC Player of the Year, losing out to Wake Forest’s Alondes Williams. Bacot was also the leading vote-getter among players named to the preseason All-ACC First Team with 100 votes. Miami’s Isaiah Wong, NC State’s Terquavion Smith and Duke’s Jeremy Roach joined Bacot and Love in the first team. Love received 58 votes. On the second team, Davis is joined by Virginia Jayden Gardner, Duke’s Dereck Lively, Virginia Tech’s Justyn Mutts and Clemson’s P.J. Hall.
Freshmen Tyler Nickel, Jalen Washington and Seth Trimble each received votes for preseason ACC Rookie of the Year, but that honor went to Lively.
For a full look at the ACC’s preseason honorees, click here.
Featured image via Todd Melet
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.
Related Stories
‹

UNC Men's Basketball Beats USC in Greensboro Preseason ExhibitionUNC outscored USC 51-31 in the second half to overcome a halftime deficit and beat the Trojans 88-70 in a preseason exhibition in Greensboro.

UNC Men's Basketball vs. USC (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off TimeUNC fans will get their first look at head coach Michael Malone’s Tar Heels Friday night when Carolina takes on USC in a preseason exhibition at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. It’s UNC’s first game of any kind in Greensboro since the 2023 ACC Tournament. If you aren’t making the trip to the game, here’s […]

Breaking Down Michael Malone's Challenge to Jarin Stevenson, UNC's Gentle GiantEarlier in the offseason, a fellow reporter and I were discussing Tar Heel senior forward Jarin Stevenson. As the team’s only returning starter and one of the only familiar faces fans can latch on to after an offseason of upheaval, he projects to be a key player for UNC in 2026-27. That prominent role, plus […]

Are They Eligible? Keeping Up with UNC's Rece Verhoff, Cameron Fens and OthersStudent-athletes across the country are currently embroiled in an eligibility fight against the NCAA. The athletes, who graduated high school in 2022, are seeking a fifth year of eligibility under the NCAA’s new rules. However, the NCAA is countering that the rule only applies to students currently in college from the 2026-27 academic year forward. […]

UNC Men's Basketball Releases 2026-27 ACC ScheduleThe ACC revealed the men’s basketball league schedule for the 2026-27 season Wednesday afternoon. UNC’s league games begin Dec. 30 and end March 6. Mark your calendars 📅 pic.twitter.com/BXaZ7OHdJd — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) September 9, 2026 The Tar Heels will begin conference play by hosting Cal at the Smith Center Wednesday, Dec. 30. Carolina is […]

Michael Malone Announces Full UNC Men's Basketball Coaching StaffMichael Malone and the UNC men’s basketball program have officially announced the full coaching staff for the 2026-27 season, Malone’s first as head coach of the Tar Heels. Official. pic.twitter.com/KmX5Ct793x — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) September 3, 2026 The staff features three holdovers from former head coach Hubert Davis’ staff: Sean May and Pat Sullivan will […]

'Something Much Bigger than Myself': Highlights from Michael Malone's Sep. 3 Press ConferenceUNC men’s basketball head coach Michael Malone met with the media at the Dean Smith Center Thursday morning. In his comments, Malone addressed eligibility issues around center Cameron Fens, the shifting legal landscape around college sports, his coaching style and more. Read highlights from the press conference, which have been lightly edited for clarity, below: […]

UNC's Cameron Fens Now Ineligible After Tennessee Court RulingCameron Fens, a seven-foot center who transferred to UNC from South Dakota earlier in August, is now ineligible to play for the Tar Heels in the 2026-27 season after ruling from the Tennessee Court of Appeals Wednesday. The court has issued a stay on the injunction granted to several athletes – Fens included – who […]

Full 2026-27 Roster, Jersey Numbers Announced for UNC Men's BasketballThe UNC men’s basketball program has announced its full roster, complete with jersey numbers, for the 2026-27 season, the team’s first under head coach Michael Malone. The squad is set 🔒 pic.twitter.com/oQ3cJfS4iH — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) August 21, 2026 The roster features six players from the 2025-26 team: senior forward Jarin Stevenson, senior guard Jaydon Young, senior […]

The NCAA Has Won a Victory in the Class of 2022 Debate. What Does it Mean for UNC?The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit granted a stay in the case of Wisne v. NCAA, temporarily putting on hold an injunction which had allowed student-athletes from the high school class of 2022 to play a fifth collegiate season this year. This ruling means players such as UNC kicker Rece Verhoff […]
›