The ACC revealed its annual preseason men’s basketball poll and awards on Wednesday, with UNC senior forward Garrison Brooks picked as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year.

In addition, Brooks and the Tar Heels were selected to finish fourth in the conference — and even received seven first-place votes — after spending much of last season at the bottom of the standings.

A total of 155 voters had input on this poll, which selected Virginia to win the league. The other teams in the projected top three are Duke and Florida State.

Brooks is coming off of a breakout campaign in which he averaged 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 53.5 percent from the floor.

He was also named a Preseason First Team All-ACC selection this season, garnering 137 votes while the player who earned the second-most — Virginia’s Sam Hauser — had just 89.

New Tar Heels Caleb Love, Day’Ron Sharpe and R.J. Davis also each earned votes for the Preseason ACC Freshman of the Year award. That honor went to Florida State’s Scottie Barnes.

The news comes just one day after the conference revealed its full schedule for games this winter. UNC will begin its season November 25 against the College of Charleston, while beginning ACC play against N.C. State on December 22.

For the full ACC men’s basketball preseason poll and award selections, click here.

 

 

 

Photo via Todd Melet

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
Stay Or Go? Player Movement Changes Tenor of College Basketball Offseason – Stroman on Sports (Apr. 24, 2026)
The Hill's Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, April 24 as the college basketball transfer portal season pushes on and the deadline for the NBA Draft entry approaches.
Freshmen, Transfers and More: Every Newcomer Joining UNC Men's Basketball for the 2026-27 Season
As Michael Malone embarks on his first season as the head coach of the UNC men’s basketball program, he’s gotten busy securing the additions of several newcomers to the program. Malone and his staff have mined from traditional high school recruiting and the transfer portal to fill out Carolina’s roster, and that work is continuing […]
UNC's Henri Veesaar to Declare for NBA Draft
UNC center Henri Veesaar plans to leave Chapel Hill and declare for the NBA Draft. The news came as Veesaar was approaching the deadline to enter his name to the draft process, which is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 24. “This journey didn’t happen alone,” Veesaar said in a statement Friday evening. “To my family […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Arena
Art Chansky wonders aloud whether alumni and fans can afford to support UNC in this ever-changing world of play for play.
Florida Atlantic's Maxim Logue to Transfer to UNC Men's Basketball
UNC added another piece out of the transfer portal Tuesday, as Inside Carolina reported the Tar Heels earned a commitment from Florida Atlantic big man Maxim Logue. Logue will have two years of eligibility remaining. BREAKING: North Carolina has added to its post depth by getting a commitment from Florida Atlantic big man Maxim Logue […]
NC State's Matt Able Commits to UNC Men's Basketball Out of Transfer Portal
The Tar Heels are bringing in a familiar face out of the transfer portal. Matt Able, who spent his freshman season at NC State, announced his commitment to head coach Michael Malone and UNC out of the portal Tuesday. As a rising sophomore, Able will have three years of eligibility remaining. Inside Carolina first reported […]
Utah Transfer Terrence Brown Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Terrence Brown, who spent the 2025-26 season with Utah, committed to head coach Michael Malone and UNC out of the transfer portal on Tuesday. Brown, who will have one season of eligibility remaining, first made the announcement through On3’s Joe Tipton before sharing his own commitment post. View this post on Instagram NEWS: Utah transfer […]
Report: Former Providence Head Coach Kim English Will Not Join UNC Men's Basketball
Update: After initially reporting former Providence head coach Kim English would be joining Michael Malone’s staff in Chapel Hill, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Sunday that English has elected not to do so. According to reports by both Inside Carolina and ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the UNC men’s basketball program is hiring former Providence head coach Kim English […]
Tracking Which UNC Men's Basketball Players Have Entered the 2026 Transfer Portal
The NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal opened Tuesday, April 7, the day after the national championship game. Following UNC head coach Hubert Davis’ dismissal on March 24, several Tar Heels have entered their names into the portal and pursue other opportunities. Here’s a list of which players have either made announcements or are reported to […]
Chansky's Notebook: No Guarantees
College athletics has become a world of agents who enter into bidding wars. How will that complicate Michael Malone's first UNC roster?
›