2023-24 College Basketball Conference Preview: ACC Fantasy Outlook

There's no question the ACC is one of the most important conferences in the country. Home of top programs such as Duke and North Carolina, who are often loaded with top prospects, it's a league where experts and fans often keep an eye regularly throughout the season.

Despite the ACC's status as a top conference and considering everything that was mentioned above, it'd be fair to say the league hasn't lived up to those expectations in recent years. The conference hasn't won a title since the 2016-17 season, when North Carolina defeated Gonzaga, though the Tar Heels came close in the 2021-22 campaign, only to lose in the title game against Kansas. However, we're not here to talk about the conference's title chances, and instead, we will focus on which players are worth watching in 2023-24.

Loaded with starpower in both the frontcourt and the backcourt, there are a few names that stand out in the ACC. We will also take a look at some sleepers and notable transfers, while also attempting to predict the final standings. Maybe this is the year where the ACC wins another Final Four title.

Without further ado, here's our comprehensive ACC fantasy outlook for the 2023-24 college basketball season.

Top Players

Overall: Armando Bacot, C, North Carolina

There's no question the ACC has some elite players, but no single one is more dominant than Bacot. A true force on both ends of the court and an elite post-up scorer, the 6-foot-11, 235-pound center will take advantage of the extra year of eligibility extended to all players due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 2020-21 season and will stick around in Chapel Hill for a fifth year. He averaged 15.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 blocks in 30.3 minutes while shooting 55.4 percent from the field during the 2022-23 campaign. Bacot's numbers were even better in 2021-22, but all things considered, he should be the driving force for a Tar Heels program that's looking to make another deep Tournament run. It wouldn't be shocking if he ends up averaging a double-double for the third season in a row.

Also considered: Judah Mintz (G, Syracuse), Reece Beekman (G, Virginia), Kyle Filipowski (F, Duke), Tyrese Proctor (G, Duke), Norchad Omier (C, Miami)

Scoring: Judah Mintz, G, Syracuse

Bacot could have easily gotten the nod here, but our RotoWire projections suggest that Mintz will not only surpass Bacot, but that he could end the 2023-24 season as the top scoring player in the conference. Slated to operate as Syracuse's main offensive threat, Mintz already had a strong 2022-23 season and averaged 16.3 points per game, but he seems to have taken his game to another level ahead of his sophomore year. Mintz connected just 30.3 percent of his three-point shots as a freshman, but recent reports have indicated he's showing a much-improved outside jumper in training camp. Only time will tell whether Mintz made the right choice by skipping the NBA Draft and returning to college, but he has the potential to end the upcoming season as one of the best scoring weapons nationwide.

Also considered: Blake Hinson (F, Pittsburgh), Sean Pedulla (G, Virginia Tech), Armando Bacot (C, North Carolina), Quinten Post (C, Boston College), Markus Burton (G, Notre Dame)

Rebounding: Norchad Omier, C, Miami

Another category where Bacot could have easily led the ACC, Omier gets the nod after an impressive season with the Hurricanes in 2022-23. Slated to average a double-double for the fourth season in a row, Omier wasn't fazed by the upgrade in competition following his transfer from Arkansas State in 2022-23, and he averaged a solid 13.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest. Plus, he led the NCAA Tournament with 70 rebounds last season and displays above-average energy on the glass. Omier's game might not be as polished as Bacot's or other top big men in the ACC, but he certainly jumps above the rest when it comes to his rebounding ability.

Also considered: Armando Bacot (C, North Carolina), Kyle Filipowski (F, Duke), PJ Hall (C, Clemson), Jordan Minor (F, Virginia), Matt Cleveland (F, Miami)

Assists: Reece Beekman, G, Virginia

The ACC has quality scorers and excellent big men, but they don't have a dynamic playmaker or an elite passer, as is the case in other Power 5 conferences. Beekman is one of the best players in the Conference when it comes to his passing and vision, and while he also stands out due to his ability as a scoring threat in the backcourt, it wouldn't be shocking if he ends the season as one of the leaders in assists in the ACC. For what is worth, Beekman averaged 5.3 dimes per game in 2022-23, and he could up that number slightly as a senior. He considered making the jump to the NBA but ultimately decided to attend college for one more year, and if he displays an uptick in his passing ability, then that could boost his stock as well.

Also considered: Judah Mintz (G, Syracuse), Chase Hunter (G, Clemson), Primo Spears (G, Florida State), Markus Burton (G, Notre Dame), Tyrese Proctor (G, Duke)

Center: Quinten Post, C, Boston College

Bacot and Omier could have easily taken the nod here, but for the sake of not repeating the same player in more than one category, we're going with a player that has sky-high potential if given enough minutes and under the right fit. Post showed flashes of his talent in 2022-23 for a struggling Boston College program, but he broke out in a big way in the second half of the season, ultimately averaging 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in his second year with the program. Post will take advantage of his extra year of eligibility to showcase why he should be considered among the top center in a conference that has quite a lot of depth at the position.

Also considered: Armando Bacot (C, North Carolina), Norchad Omier (C, Miami), PJ Hall (C, Clemson), Cameron Corhen (C, Florida State), Efton Reid (C, Wake Forest)

Freshman: Elliot Cadeau, G, North Carolina

Cadeau has all the tools to be an impact player from Day 1 for the Tar Heels, and he will give the team something they haven't had in a long time: a pass-first point guard who can dictate the tempo and become a regular starter as soon as the season starts. Plus, the Tar Heels have plenty of other weapons on offense, so Cadeau will have the chance to focus on what he can do best instead of trying to lead the offense from a scoring perspective as well. Considering North Carolina averaged just 12 assists per game last season, which ranked No. 264 in the nation, the presence of Cadeau will certainly help in that regard. He's a strong candidate to win the ACC Freshman of the Year award.

Also Considered: Logan Imes (G, Notre Dame), Markus Burton (G, Notre Dame), Jared McCain (G, Duke), Jaland Lowe (G, Pittsburgh), Sean Stewart (F, Duke)

Sleepers

Matt Cleveland, F, Miami

Cleveland was a player that experienced a massive growth during the 2022-23 season, beginning the year as a bench option but ending as a key contributor for Florida State. His previous experience with the Seminoles also means he's used to playing in the ACC, and he's coming off a season in which he averaged 13.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while starting in each of his 30 appearances. He figures to be a starter right away for the Hurricanes as well.

Jaeden Zackery, G, Boston College

Zackery has shown promise in his first two years with the Eagles, starting in all but two of his 66 appearances and posting very similar numbers when comparing his freshman and sophomore seasons. He averaged 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in his first year, and 10.7 points, 3.2 boards and 2.7 dimes per contest in 2022-23. He's expected to have a bigger role this time around, and that should translate into a considerable uptick in his overall numbers.

Primo Spears, G, Florida State

Spears is set to play for a third different team in three years, as he began his college career with Duquesne and spent the 2022-23 campaign with Georgetown. He was a regular starter in both programs, and that shouldn't change now that he'll play for the Seminoles. A confident scorer in the backcourt who also possesses above-average passing and vision, it wouldn't be shocking if Spears is among the ACC leaders in assists once the season ends. He needs to improve his efficiency to take the next step in his game, but the talent is clearly there for him to be an impact player.

Also considered: Kyle Sturdivant (G, Georgia Tech), Harrison Ingram (F, North Carolina), J.J. Starling (G, Syracuse), Nijel Pack (G, Miami), Fede Federiko (F, Pittsburgh)

Transfers

J.J. Starling, G, Syracuse

Similar to what happened with Matt Cleveland, who moved from one ACC team to another, Starling followed the same path when he moved from Notre Dame to Syracuse. Starling averaged 11.2 points per game as a freshman and could step into a more prominent role here with the Orange. He's a former five-star prospect who's looking to bounce back from a subpar first season at the college level.

Harrison Ingram, F, North Carolina

Just like Starling, Ingram was a former five-star prospect that couldn't dominate at Stanford, but he wasn't bad by any means. A player with a high basketball IQ and someone who can make plays on both ends of the court on a consistent basis, Ingram averaged 10.5 points per game, between 5.8 and 6.7 rebounds per game, between 3.0 and 3.7 assists per game, and he shot around 31 percent from deep in both seasons. Given that the Tar Heels are stacked, Ingram will have the opportunity to do what he does best without carrying the pressure of being an alpha dog on offense as well.

Matt Cleveland, F, Miami

Cleveland's capacities were outlined above as a potential sleeper, but he also happens to be one of the top transfers in the ACC thanks to a strong showing with the Seminoles in 2022-23. He comes off a season where he averaged 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while making 35 percent of his 3-pointers.

Tre White, F, Louisville

White was a regular starter for USC during the 2022-23 season and was in the starting unit 29 times, averaging a solid 9.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Given that the Cardinals are in full rebuild, White will have every chance in the world to continue refining his game, but he can also be in line for a sizable jump in his numbers. White projects as a plug-and-play starter at the 3, and he should be one of Louisville's best players from Day 1 of the regular season.

Also considered: Amaree Abram (G, Georgia Tech), Jordan Minor (F, Virginia), Kowacie Reeves (G, Georgia Tech), Joe Girard (G, Clemson), MJ Rice (F, NC State)

Top-10 Players*

1. Armando Bacot, C, North Carolina  

2. Reece Beekman, G, Virginia  

3. Kyle Filipowski, F, Duke  

4. Judah Mintz, G, Syracuse  

5. Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke  

6. Norchad Omier, C, Miami  

7. Quinten Post, C, Boston College  

8. R.J. Davis, G, North Carolina  

9. PJ Hall, C, Clemson  

10. Matt Cleveland, F, Miami  

*Note: These rankings are at the discretion of the article author, and may not necessarily correspond with RotoWire's official 2023-24 player rankings.

Projected Team Standings

1. Duke

2. Virginia

3. North Carolina

4. Florida State

5. Viginia Tech

6. Miami

7. Syracuse

8. Wake Forest

9. Clemson

10. Boston College

11. Pittsburgh

12. NC State

13. Georgia Tech

14. Louisville

15. Notre Dame

Projected Team Rotations

Other College Basketball Resources:

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• Season-long College Basketball projections for nearly 800 players and counting.
• Complete college basketball depth charts for power conference teams and more.
• Comprehensive college basketball injury report with estimated return dates.
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