The Atlantic Coast Conference’s slump the past four seasons has sent five teams to the Final Four (the most out of any league during that span) and eight to the Elite Eight, while simultaneously producing 31 NBA Draft selections and a National POTY.  

Yet the conference has been marred in mediocrity, subject to wide-stream criticism for its painfully average overall finishes and its tournament team’s premature exits come March.  

Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach reunite after summer break. Both played for Duke University before being drafted to the NBA. Photo courtesy of @dukembb on Instagram

The conference hasn’t finished with a ranking higher than fifth at KenPom since the COVID-stricken 2020 season (4). It hasn’t claimed a national title since Tony Bennett and the Virginia Cavaliers won it all in 2019. That’s before the COVID-19 pandemic — or, let me rephrase, prehistoric.  

Its ever-so-slow dilapidation can be characterized by the fall of its middle-tier programs: Virginia, Louisville, Florida State, Notre Dame and Miami combined for 14 NCAA Tournament bids from 2016-2019. They’ve made the tournament a combined five times since 2022.  

The conference’s supposed solution? Fatten up. It swelled to 18 teams last year, welcoming in Cal, Stanford and SMU. None of them made the NCAA Tournament, as the ACC sent a measly four teams to the big dance – the SEC nearly quadrupled that number.  

Coaching Changes 

Three veteran coaches stepped down at various points last season.  

Virginia’s Bennett most notably retired three weeks before the Cavaliers’ opener, citing the state of college basketball for his abrupt departure.  

Jim Larranaga guided Miami’s 448 wins, a Final Four in 2023 and a No. 5 finish in the 2013 AP Poll, resigning in mid-December with 54 more wins than any other coach in program history.  

Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton stepped down after 23 years at the helm in Tallahassee. He retired with twice as many wins as any other Seminole coach and eight of the program’s 18 NCAA Tournament appearances.  

That’s a lot of history heading out the door. In fact, the conference has hired 14 new head coaches since 2021 – replacing 10 national titles and 32 Final Fours.  

Ryan Odom (UVA), Jai Lucas (Miami) and Luke Loucks (FSU) are the heirs apparent at their respective programs.  

Odom, who’s coached all over the Division I landscape, landed his first “Power” conference job with the Cavaliers. Since he took over Charlotte in 2014, Odom sports a career record of 201-117, reaching the NCAA Tournament three times. He’s off the heels of his best coaching job, guiding VCU through a thorny A-10 conference by claiming its regular and post season titles. 

Lucas landed his first head coaching gig this spring after the Canes tapped him from Duke, which had promoted him to associate head coach in 2023. Lucas is regarded as one of the country’s premier recruiters.  

Loucks spent four years at Florida State as a player before jumping to the NBA level, where he has elevated in role each year since 2016. Loucks won two NBA championships during his time in Golden State and immediately ushered in a winning pedigree.  

A fourth coach, Kevin Keatts (NC State), was fired. After bringing the Wolfpack to the Final Four in 2024, Keats notched the second-lowest win total of his coaching career in 2025. The Wolfpack finished 12-19, winning just five conference games while stumbling to a 16 place finish in the ACC.  

The Wolfpack went to the mid-major level in search of his replacement. McNeese State’s Will Wade was poached after – or, maybe, before – the Cowboys’ win over Clemson in the NCAA Tournament.  

Wade brings in winning experience at the collegiate level, previously heading LSU during its stretch of three NCAA Tournaments in four seasons. He’s made it to March the last four years he’s coached, winning two games in that span.  

Transfer Portal and Recruiting 

Players from Virginia Tech’s men’s basketball team on the court after a win in March 2025. The team competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Photo courtesy of @virginiasports on Instagram

Duke spearheaded the national recruiting trail, edging Houston’s four-prospect class (95.4) to finish with Rivals’ top-ranked group (97.2). Linchpin Cameron Boozer is a projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and was Jon Scheyer’s top get. The Blue Devils have finished with a top-two recruiting class every year since 2014, according to Rivals’ industry ranking system. 

SMU and Notre Dame also finished with top 10 classes nationally. The Mustangs finished with four four-stars while the Irish welcome three of their own.   

NC State (No. 12), North Carolina (No. 15) and Miami (No. 21) finished with top 25 classes. It’s the Tar Heels’ lowest finish since 2021 (Rivals).  

Syracuse led the conference in the transfer portal according to On3 Sports. Florida State finished second, welcoming seven new faces to Tallahassee. NC State used the portal the most, receiving commitments from eight players. Virginia and North Carolina finished at the bottom of the conference, with UVA suffering 11 portal exits under its regime change.  

As is the case with every conference in college basketball, there are transfers to keep tabs on. Here are a few that could make a run for an all-conference team: Darrion Williams (TTU to NCST), Henri Veesaar (UA to UNC), Carson Towt (NAU to ND), Tre Donaldson (UM to Miami).  

All-Conference… 

First Team: G Markus Burton (Notre Dame), G JJ Starling (Syracuse), G Mikel Brown (Louisville), F Cameron Boozer (Duke), F Darrion Williams (NCST)  

Second Team: G Isaiah Evans (Duke), G Braeden Shrewsberry (Notre Dame), G Donald Hand (BC), F Nick Davidson (Clemson), F Carson Towt (Notre Dame) 

Freshman Team: G Dame Sarr (Duke), G Mikel Brown (Louisville), F Shelton Henderson (Miami), F Cameron Boozer (Duke), F Caleb Wilson (UNC).