In the grand scheme of things, preseason awards only mean so much, but they at least display the expectations and talent levels of respective programs.
However, they can be misleading at times. Cameron Boozer was snubbed as last year’s ACC Preseason Player of the Year in favor of NC State’s Darrion Williams. While the Wolfpack finished the season at 20-14 overall, Boozer took home not only the ACC Player of the Year award, but National Player of the Year honors as well.
Despite their lack of relevance in the grand scheme of the college basketball season, they’re still a fun way to predict which guys will be a program’s stars in the coming campaign.
Advertisement
Head coach Jon Scheyer is entering 2026-27 with the deepest team he has ever had with the Blue Devils, littered with elite talent. There are certainly a few guys who could take home the ACC Preseason Player of the Year award, so let’s run through some potential options.
John Blackwell
Despite testing the NBA Draft waters, Blackwell will almost definitely be a Blue Devil next season. As the No. 3 overall player in the transfer portal per 247Sports, Blackwell will be in consideration for Preseason All-American honors.
As a junior at Wisconsin, the 6’4″ guard established himself as one of the best scorers in the nation, averaging over 19 points on 43% shooting from the field and 38.9% from three on 7.3 attempts. Blackwell tallied 20 or more points in 15 games and 30 or more in five.
Stepping into a go-to guy role with the Blue Devils next season, Blackwell will have the freedom to get 15 shots up a night. As a career 44% shooter and 37% shooter from three, a 23-25-point-per-game-average from Blackwell isn’t a crazy idea.
Patrick Ngongba
Ngongba isn’t as flashy as Blackwell, but he is one of the most impactful defensive players in college basketball and will anchor a Duke frontcourt that could have the best big unit in the entire sport next season.
Advertisement
According to EvanMiya.com, the 6’11” rising junior ranked ninth nationally in Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating, a metric that measures a player’s defensive impact while on the floor. Ngongba also displayed an ability to run in transition and switch when necessary.
Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) warms up before the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Ngongba was Duke’s biggest breakout candidate this past season, going from 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game as a freshman to 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks a night as a sophomore.
The Virginia native returned to the Blue Devils despite playing his way into being a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. ACC Preseason Player of the Year is unlikely, but Ngongba will assuredly be one of the most impactful players in the conference.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as Blue Devils in Contention To Earn ACC Preseason POY.
